‘Double Deception’

“See that man across the road…Rupert…leaning against the wall of the bank?”

The senior citizen being thus addressed; adjusted his cracked spectacles and peered short-    sightedly across the road. “Hold on mate, the old peepers ain’t what they used to be…oh…you mean the one with his arm in a sling… struggling to open a street-map?”

“No, I mean that scruffy tramp with the dog by his side, begging off the passers-by, you silly old duffer.”

“Yes, well what about him?”

“He knows when somebody is approaching and begs for alms, it seems he is blind but yet he knows exactly the right moment to ask?”

Rupert coughed consumptively, thumping his wheezy chest, “You always did complicate things Jack, The man has clearly lost his sight but his hearing has become more acute to compensate – it’s a well known fact.”

The two old comrades were rested up outside a café in London, sipping coffee and enjoying the warmth of a bright summer morning. Conversation had lapsed and they were taking in the street scene of a stressed mother hauling her screeching child across the road and trying desperately to avoid a cyclist as he in turn weaved in and out amongst the buses and cars.

With bells ringing and hooters tooting noisily, the Metropolis geared up for yet another busy day. Seconds later a security van pulled up opposite the café, parking nearside-wheels on the pavement. A helmeted guard climbed out of his cab and entered the bank, swinging his heavy metal money-case by his side.

It was done so casually but a man, who moments before had his arm in a sling, was now wearing a balaclava and sporting an automatic weapon, as was the blind beggar. Both rushed into the bank yelling and roughly pushing aside two startled male pensioners as they simultaneously tried to enter. The dog barked loudly as it sensed the sudden excitement. People stopped to stare and a truck ground to a halt.

The bank manager was just in the process of switching the empty box for a full one with the security man as the raiders burst in.

“Down on the floor or I’ll blow your bloody heads off.” The blind beggar screamed in a strong Irish accent.

“Do as he says or we’ll blast you all to hell,” said his partner, loosing off a thunderous burst of gunfire into the air and bringing down half the ceiling to demonstrate they meant business.

The terrifying drama took another turn as without a word passing between them both robbers slowly let their heavy weapons clatter to the floor and stood rigid with arms raised in supplication above their heads.

Two arthritic old codgers kept their firearms digging firmly into the backs of both criminals until police reinforcements arrived moments later.

Rupert and Jack grinned at one another; their undercover disguises had fooled everyone yet again.