••• The International Writers Magazine - 23 Years on-line - Driving in California 2025

Mr Parker gets carjacked • Martin Green Highway Robbery comes home

     “Help!” cried out George Parker.  “I’m being car-jacked.”  Parker was sure that the cop in the police car driving past heard him but the car didn’t stop.

     “No use trying to get a cop,” said the large man holding a gun who had just ordered Parker to get out of his car.    “They know that car-jacking is just a misdemeanor now.   And even if they arrested me I wouldn’t have to post bail and I’d be back on the streets right away.”

     “But that’s not right,” said Parker.

     “Hey,” said the large man, shrugging his shoulders.   “Don’t blame me.   That’s the way laws are in 2025 and them’s the mayors and DA’s you’ve elected.   I got to tell you it’s been a boon to career criminals like me.   Now get out of your car.   I aint got all day.”

     “But how will I get back home?”

     The man shrugged again.    “Take one of those electric buses.”

     “You know how unreliable they are.    They’re always breaking down.”

     “Yeah, I know.    That’s the way things are now.    Nothing works.”

     “So what can I do?”

     “Dunno.   If you want, you should get yourself a gun and go carjack someone yourself.   You know you won’t have to worry about getting caught.    Ha, ha.”

     “Hmmm, maybe that’s a good idea.”

     “I was only joking.   But hey, if you’re serious here’s a phone number to call.   Tell Dutch that LeMar sent you.”

     Parker had only been joking but he took the slip of paper anyway.    “Thanks.”

     “Now get out of your car.”

     “Okay.    By the way, this is an electric car and it’s not very reliable, too.    You might want to take it to the nearest charging station.”

     “I only have to take it to the chop shop.    It should be all right.    Oh, don’t forget to call your insurance company.”

     “Okay,” said Parker, as he got out of his car and handed over the keys.    "By the way, you wouldn’t really have shot me, would you?”

     The man gave a final shrug.    “Dunno.    Dunno if killing someone while carjacking is a misdemeanor yet.    I’ll have to check with my lawyer.”

                                 *               *          *

     “You’re late,” said Parker’s wife Trish when he returned home.

     “Yeah, I know.    I was carjacked.    I had to take a bus and it broke down as usual.”

     “You were carjacked?    Are you all right?”

     “Yeah.    The carjacker was very polite.    That electric car was always breaking down anyway.    I’ll try to get one of those used gas-powered cars if I can.”

     “Can we afford one?” 

     “The carjacker reminded me to call our insurance company so we’ll see.    They’re mostly on the black market so maybe I can get a deal.”

     The Parker's teen-age son Bradley had come into the room.    “You were carjacked, wow!”

     “It wasn’t that bad.   The carjacker had a gun but I don’t think he would have shot me.   Oh, he also gave me the number of someone to call to get a gun myself.”

     “With all of the crime going on,” said Trish, “that might not be a bad idea.   My friend Amy was robbed when she left the supermarket the other day.   The guy took everything she’d bought and her purse.   There was a security guard nearby but he just shrugged and did nothing.”

     “Yeah,” said Bradley.    “I don’t think robberies like that are even a crime any more.”

     “How was school today?” asked Walker.

     “The same old stuff, how evil people like Washington and Jefferson were, owning slaves.   And we’re supposed to be privileged white people.   I don’t feel privileged.”

     “At least we haven’t been cancelled yet, like some people.   So watch what you say in class.”

     “Yeah, I know all about it.    Don’t worry.”

     “How was your day,” Parker asked his wife.    Trish worked for one of the many non-profit agencies that had sprung up in the state capital.

     “Still battling to find places for the homeless.    I think we have twice as many as last year.”

     “Yeah, that’s because they know if they come here you’ll take care of them,” said Bradley.    “And a lot of the crime we’re having is by homeless people.”

     “That’s not fair,” began Trish but Walker interrupted, “Let’s not get into that again.   I’ve had a long day.    I’m going to get washed then let’s have dinner.”

     “Are you going to get a gun?” asked Bradley.

     “I’ll think about it.”

                                   *               *               *

     “Okay,” said the large man holding a gun, "get out of your vehicle.”

     “It’s you again.   Don’t you remember?   You car-jacked me a month ago.”

     “Oh, yeah; didn’t recognize you.   So you got yourself a new car.   A gas one, I see.”

     “Yes, your friend Dutch gave me a tip where I could get one on the black market.”

     “Dutch?   So you saw him?

     “I did.    And I also bought this gun.” He deftly pointed it as his carjacker.

     “Hey, that’s not fair.    You wouldn’t use that, would you?”

     “Why not?”

     “You’re not a career criminal like me so they’re liable to actually arrest you arrest you.”

     “Maybe just for a misdemeanor.    I’ll take my chances.”

     The large man shrugged.    “Okay, guess I’ll just have to carjack someone else.   By the way, that old electric car of your was a junker, hardly worth stealing.”

     “Sorry, I told you.”

     “Yeah.    Well, nice seeing you again.    Oh, to shoot that gun you have to take the safety off.”

     “I know.   Maybe I wouldn’t really have shot you.   I have to get to work now.   Hope I don’t see you later.”

     “You won’t.    Watch out for those homeless guys.”

© Martin Green June 2022
mgreensuncity at yahoo.com

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