In the loft of my Seattle Box home, I stand gazing from it's dormer at the sun setting just behind Shillshore Bay. I turn my back from the window, and before my eyes rests everything I have worked for all of these years. The Persistence of Memory, Menin Gate at Midnight, and multiple works by Picasso hang proudly around the loft, all lifted from art galleries with the help of my family and friends. A cherry oak pool table stands as the center piece of the room, resting atop vibrant red carpet patterned with miniature fleur de lis. The crème de la crème, though, is the bar stocked for gods with a matching cherry oak finish. It's glorious and massive like the ones you would expect to see in a gentlemen's club.  Knowing the rest of the home is filled with equally exorbitant items reminds me of why I chose this lifestyle, I wanted more than my father's beet farm could offer me.

The grandfather clock chimes down stairs, breaking me from my daze.

"Time to go."

I make my way down to the main floor.  On my way out the front door, I grab my trench coat and fedora.  It was getting dark now, prime time for pick-pocketing the loose and clumsy folk coming out of saloons.  The money's not as good as running 'shine, but FDR put an end to that with the 21st amendment, so I might as well make the most of the situation. I take a long stroll towards the business district downtown.

I park myself outside of my favorite saloon waiting for a couple of unsuspecting patrons. I put a cigarette to my lips as a gentlemen excitedly exits.  

"Hey pal, what ya so up and giddy about?"

"I hit it big at a table tonight.  Looks like my luck is turning up," the guy responds.

"Well, well, how about that.  How about a smoke to celebrate.  Maybe some of your mojo will rub off on me before I head in."

"Oh, okay, sure," he responds as he walks over to me.

I give the guy a cigarette, and I reach into my pocket for  a light.  Before I pull my the lighter out of my pocket, I drop it back in.

"Say, you wouldn't happen to have a light on you would ya?  I must've dropped mine somewhere." 

I pat my pockets a bit to sell it.

"Oh yeah, sure thing." 

He reaches into his right pocket, but stops after ruffling around what sounded like a wad of cash. He pulls a light out of his left pocket and torches both our cigs. I start to take a little stroll, moving myself over to his right side.

"What table were you at tonight?  Maybe I should start there?"

"Blackjack," he tells me, taking steps to follow me.

"Blackjack?! I love blackjack.  It's the only game I feel the house isn't against me."

"Yeah, I had a long run of good hands against the dealer, and finished with a double down win.  I decided to be smart for the first time in my life and walk, ya know?" he says.

"I do.  That's the hardest thing for me to do, especially when I'm on a streak." 

I finally catch a glimpse of his winnings sticking out of his right pocket.  Excitement grows inside me, and I go for the plunge.  I give the guy a nudge, and point off in the distance.

"Hey, have you been to Giovanni's?"

He looks off to where my finger was pointing.  With him distracted, I slip my left hand into his right pocket and pull out a few easy bills.

"You should head there next.  Get yourself some real Italian.  You've earned it."

"Yeah, that not a bad idea," he replies with a smirk.

"You'll love it. But hey, I'm gonna head back to the saloon.  Maybe some of your luck has rubbed off by now.  I'll see ya around."

Turning my back on the fellow, I head down the sidewalk.  After a little distance from him, I pull my earnings from my pocket.  $300.00. He must have hit big, because I didn't even get it all. 

"A few more like that, I won't have to spend my own money at the table tonight."

Lunacy had grown bored of her surroundings and decided to go on a stroll to clear her mind from her various on goings, like her work in Detroit, her star-crossed lover, the affair she had fallen so deep into she was drowning, and this life she had been living and living quite well. She had come to a popular saloon and immediately picked up on social ques she'd recognized herself doing before she took on her current position in her family. Smirking she decided to lay low, out of sight, and just watched the entire scenario unfold between the two gentlemen. The way the man was so easily guided by a simple gesture and playing out so well for the thief made her smile, she forgot how easy it was to manipulate everyday civilians, and the little rush you got every time you succeeded.

As the men parted ways Lunacy made her move walking towards the thief so they had to cross paths, getting closer she looked to the left gazing at some buildings but not even paying attention to whatever it was she had her eyes fixated on. Then it happened Lunacy ran straight into the thief she had been watching.

"Oh! Oh my goodness, I am so sorry sir! This is all my fault, gazing and thinking, I am so ditzy. Let me help you please!" puts her hands on the gentleman to make sure he's okay, giving him her concerned look never breaking eye contact with him. 

"I'm Lunacy, again I am so sorry, just head is in the clouds, been in the clouds all day actually. I don't want to waste your time. Again I am so sorry!" Lunacy smiles sweetly and walks away after exchanging words.

She then pulls out the cig and lighter she had managed to swipe and lights up. She's pulls out the cash and smirks at it, not even needing it really. Thinking to herself she'll probably drop it at some homeless man's feet. Once around the corner of a building she leans on the building and sighs bringing the cigarette to her lips, enjoying that rush. Why did she ever quit stealing from people?

"Hmmm, cute girl. What did she say her name was? . . . Lunacy, that's right."

I straighten up my jacket a bit, and I carry on my way back towards the saloon.  I decide to go ahead and play my hand at a round or two of Blackjack before I dupe a couple of other patrons out of their money. 

Inside the saloon, I bee-line my way to the Blackjack table to buy in my chips.

"Hey pal, I want to buy $300 of chips," I tell the dealer as I reach into my pockets to find them empty.

"What the hell?"

I rummage through all of my pockets, looking like a fool.

"Lunacy!"

I turn tail and run out of the saloon, and I look up and down the street.  She was no where to be in sight.