Jerry Davis

Bag Number 5

“Where did you get this” Tasha ask ? “You won’t believe this” says David, closing the paper bag , at the same time peeping through the window shades. I had just left the interview for the waitstaff job at the hotel, and as soon as I get on the elevator, along with 5 other applicants, “wait David,” says Tasha. What does this have to do with this bag. “If you let me finish I will explain”David yells. Now like I was saying, as the elevator starts going down, it just suddenly goes dark and stops. Everyone starts freaking out, especially me, because you more than anyone else knows that I’m super claustrophobic. David will you just tell me what happened. And besides that , what does this have to do with this bag? David grabs her and tells her “to please be quiet and listen.” Alright David ,but I’m warning you, this Better be legit. It is , “trust me” says David , “can I finish my story now?” “Go ahead” says Tasha. As I was saying, it was pitch black in there , so we all put our cell phone flashlights on so we could see. Not even a minute later, the lights come on and the elevator starts working again. “Crazy right” says David. Here’s where it starts getting strange. There are six of us on the elevator, so the elevator stops, now the one person who wasn’t there for the interview gets off. As the elevator starts going down, one of the other applicants tells us that the person who got off , left five paper bags behind. We all just look at each other confused as hell. I told them how I found that odd, that there are five paper bags, and five of us. They all agreed. I stated that “I don’t know about their intentions, but I’m taking one of the bags.” One of the guys says “there’s something not right about this,”I ask him “what does he mean by that?” He states “it’s something just not right.” I tell him “to think about it,” “six of us got on the elevator, and one of us got off , the one who got off didn’t come here for a job interview.” “What are you saying”another person ask? I tell them that the guy more than likely, left it for us on purpose. One lady says “no that’s not it , we don’t know what’s in those bags, and besides, that’s strange and creepy.” “Ok ,” I tell her, “but as strange and creepy as it may be , I’m taking one those bags.” “Alright” says another lady, “but I’m telling security as soon as we get to the lobby.” “I think it’s something bad in those bags, and I’m not touching them.” Of course everyone agreed except me, so I grabbed one ,but I wasn’t going to open it up until I left the hotel. As we reached the lobby, all of them started calling for security. As security approached, I calmly eased away and walked right out of the hotel. One block from the hotel I boarded a bus. While on the bus I started to panic because I didn’t know what was in the bag. I know that if it was something dangerous, I definitely didn’t want anyone getting hurt. At the next stop I got off . I started walking to the nearby Park. I wanted to find a large empty space so that if it was something dangerous , the only person that would get hurt would be me. I found the perfect spot. Now my heart is beating at what seems like a thousand beats per second. I slowly unfold the bag, and boom, there it is , four stacks, five thousand per stack, 20,000 dollars. I fell to my knees. Just as soon as I fell to my knees, I got up and started to walk away in a hurry. I saw two guys approaching me. Now whether they were a threat or not , or just paranoia setting in, I didn’t care. I was out of there. As I was walking, this cop pulls up out of the blue. The first thing he does is ask me “why was I walking so fast?” I told him “I just needed to get home because I had something important to do.” He asked me “if I was sure of that,” and asked “what was in my bag?” I had to hold it together because now I’m nervous as hell. “What did you tell him”Tasha asked? I told him “that it was personal items for my girlfriend,” and he just stared at me. It’s just funny. “What do you mean” ask Tasha? It’s like he was getting some kind of sick kick out of watching me panic. Anyway he tells me to be safe, and he left. I tell you Tasha , after that, I got here as fast as I could. So now you know where I got this. Tasha grabs the bag of money, and says “this money can help us out so much, but we can’t keep it.” “You know what Tasha , I thought about that , but look at how I got this” David says. I told you everything that happened. What’s the chances of six people getting on an elevator, then one gets off, and leaves five bags ,and presumably all five bags had 20,000 dollars in them. That’s fate, come on Tasha , just think about it. That’s not a coincidence and you know it. “Whatever it is David ,we can’t keep it”, says Tasha. We are struggling Tasha , I know right is right and wrong is wrong, but come on . Grabbing the money out of the bag and holding it in his hand ,David says “this kind of money doesn’t fall into your lap every day.” David walks around and says, “hell this kind of luck never happens to me ever, until now.” “I know”says Tasha, somewhat agreeing with David. As David puts the money back in the bag he feels something. “David what’s wrong” Tasha ask? There’s something else in this bag. I was just so enamored with the money I forgot to check for anything else. “Well what else is in there” ask Tasha?” It’s a small black notebook “A small black notebook”ask Tasha ? “Yes”says David. “What does it say inside”ask Tasha? “Well it’s only two pages in this thing”says David. It says finders keepers losers weepers. David laughs out loud joyously, ok I guess there saying this money is mine. “What does the second page say”ask Tasha? It says, to the person who has this 20,000 dollars , all I want in return, is that you bring this small black notebook to the following address, and just put it in the mailbox. After doing so, the money is yours to keep, no questions asked. “Is that all it says”ask Tasha? Yea and it has the address written on the bottom of the page. “Well, what do we do”ask David ? “If we keep the money, and I’m pretty sure they know we have it, we will probably be looking over our shoulders forever”says Tasha. “Ok let’s just go buy a car and have a little fun with some of this money”suggests David . “No , let’s just go and get this over with”says Tasha .”Yea , you’re right.” “I am tired of looking over my shoulder anyway”David says. “Tasha, call a cab and let’s go now.” “It’s on it’s way”,Tasha yells out to David from the bedroom. As the cab approaches the address on the little black notebook. Something seems weird. David and Tasha notice a tv crew and people with smiles, flowers ,and balloons ,like they are having a celebration of some sort. Hello and welcome . A familiar looking man opens the cab door for David and Tasha. “ Are you David?” “Yes that’s me”says David. And who might this pretty lady be? I’m Tasha. Well nice to meet you ,“I’m Brian, and I’m the host of a new tv show”, “hold on wait a minute,”David stops him,“ you are the guy who interviewed me for the waitstaff job today at the hotel.” “Hold on, these are the people in the elevator and at the hotel”David says confusingly. “Hey what’s going on?” David ask smiling. Well David you are the big winner on our new reality game show. The big prize is 20,000 dollars. David and Tasha scream “yes”simultaneously. On this episode ,there were hidden cameras everywhere ,and we followed your every step. You had to complete every task in order to win. You had to take the money, leave the building, open the bag in a safe location , not spend any of the money , read the contents in the small black notebook , and bring it all back to this address. David you did them all. So David my friend , you are the big winner. Everyone , give David a round of applause . Everyone starts clapping and cheering for David “Thank you ,thank you so much”says David . Brian, I have a question , “What’s the name of the show,” Tasha asked? The show is called “Finders Keepers Losers Weepers.” So David, by finding the bag with 20,000 dollars , and following the instructions written in the small black notebook, you are the big winner on this show. Now David , let’s say it together. Brian puts his arm around David’s shoulders and they both shout out , “Finders Keepers Losers Weepers”. “Wow”says David ,this is fantastic! Oh and David , one more thing Brian pauses, and says “if you believe that, then you’re A Damn Fool”. “What”screams David . “I’m detective Brian Eason, and you’re under arrest for five outstanding warrants in the state of Maryland, along with theft, and other charges.”“Read him his rights and take him away.” As Tasha stands crying , and David is driven away, Detective Brian smiles at his undercover special task force , and looks into the camera , and says. “20,000 dollars and a small black notebook will catch a criminal every time.” Goodnight folks , and see you next time on , Finders Keepers Losers Weepers. As the police car carrying David drives by, he mouths something to Tasha and she slyly grins. Detective Brian looks at her and ask “what did he say?” “Don’t worry about it”says Tasha, because like you said, “Finders keepers losers weepers.”