DISHONOR AMONG THIEVES

In his enormous warehouse loft apartment, surrounded by shelves of books from floor to ceiling, Jim Tyson is thinking, but not about books

What would it feel like to pull off a jewel robbery? he ponders. I know I can do anything if I put my mind to it.

It is not as though he needs the money from fencing stolen jewels. He earns a comfortable living as a financial advisor: he dresses expensively casual and furnishes his dwelling less so.

Jim calls his friend, Geoff Jones.

"How about coffee at Grabba Java?"

"Yeah. Let's drive, man. Eleven-thirty?" He was a man of few words.

"See you there."

His friend is his absolute opposite. Geoff works as a mechanic at a big-box store and lives in a one-room studio suite furnished in thrift store traditional. Geoff is good-looking in a dark, swarthy way, though casually dressed in blue jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers. He drives a white Honda Civic.

At the coffee house, Jim admits, "I fantasize about pulling off a great jewel robbery."

"Hey. I do, too. I can drive, man. The getaway car."

"We can do it if we put our minds to it. Would your brother be interested?"

"I'm texting Donald right now."

"Tell him to meet us at my place in an hour to discuss a business venture."

The two friends proceed to Jim's warehouse apartment to find Donald Jones already parked in front of the building.

"I hope my BMW is safe here," he says worriedly.

"Oh, this area is as safe as anyplace else in the city. Lots of Yuppies live here. Come on up."

Donald Jones, a CEO of an oil company, wears a dapper suit, Brooks Brothers shirt, and Gucci shoes. He is married with children, unlike his brother and Jim. Donald and his family reside in a tony neighborhood in an expensive home with expensive furnishings.

"Soooo. What is this new business venture you're considering? Hopefully, it's somewhat legal," he jokes.

"We're thinking about a jewelry robbery," replies Jim somewhat shamefacedly.

"That's odd. Sometimes I think about what it would feel like to do a big robbery, too. For a lark. It's only illegal if we get caught, you know. What target have you got in mind?"

"Fifth Avenue Jewelers, I figure. What do you think? We could rob it on Sunday when it's closed.

Donald and Jeff nod in agreement. "Yes. That's good."

"And, Geoff, you could drive your plain, old Honda so we can get away without being noticed.

"Yeah, let's drive, man."

*****

On Sunday, Anthony Green-Magot, the jeweler, is at home readying himself to go to the jewelry store. "All I do is make my boss rich," he tells his wife, Anne.

She watches curiously as he locks the bedroom safe. " I don't know why you're working today, anyway, when the store is closed. So quit complaining, and do your job. Oh, well. What do I care?"

Anthony Green-Magot drives to Fifth Avenue Jewelers and parks at the rear of the store, oblivious to the plain, white Honda parked nearby.

"All I do is make him rich," he mutters again, as he picks the lock of the back door instead of using his keys. "Now, it's time I made myself rich."

Meanwhile, Jim and Donald pick the front door lock and enter the store.

"Hey, the staff is here," Donald warns in a whisper. "Don't act surprised".

He strides nonchalantly to the jewelry display case and announces to Green-Magot, "I want to see a necklace. It's for my wife."

Hiding his own surprise, Green-Magot takes in Donald's black pin-striped suit and Gucci shoes regretfully.

"The store is closed."

"Then  what are you doing here?" asks Jim.

"I have work to do today."

"Work? Oh, is that what you call it?"

Donald interjects, "We can help you with your 'work'. Unlock all the display cases and toss the jewelry into these brief cases. Since you're 'working', too, be sure to keep some for yourself. We're quite fair, don't you think?"

Green-Magot does as he is ordered, his hands shaking.

"Let's get out now!"

Jim and Donald rush past Green-Magot into the back room, exit through the rear door, and run to Geoff and the getaway car.

"We pulled it off!"

"Let's drive, man," shouts Geoff, grinning as he steps on the gas and speeds away, tires screeching.

While the robbers speed away, Anthony Green-Magot summons the police.

"Can you identify the thieves?" inquires the policewoman.

"Yes. One man was wearing blue jeans, white shirt and sneakers. The other, expensive chinos and navy polo shirt. They had two green gym bags, where they forced me to put the jewelry," he lied. How can there be honesty among thieves? The thieves, if caught, could identify him, too.

The male officer asks, "What make of car did they drive?"

"I didn't see their car."

"Were they armed?"

I don't know. I didn't see a weapon, but I didn't want to take any chances in case they might have. That's why I delayed pressing the alarm button."

"They took everything?"

"Everything, except for the pieces in the back."

Anthony Green-Magot knew he would get away with the few pieces of jewelry he took because both the front door and the back door locks had been picked. There was nothing to tie him to the thievery.

After his lies, there was nothing to tie the other thieves to the robbery, either. In the circumstances, the three young thieves succeeded in pulling off their great jewel robbery.