I was walking down a
Dark alley, when I saw two
Masked figures kicking the
Shit out of an old man

They took his wallet
But nothing more
And stabbed him in both sides

The masked assailants
Fled, leaving the old man
Laying on the pavement
Bleeding to death

“Help me!
Please!
Call 911!”

I knelt beside him
Searching myself
When I noticed a shape
On his chest

A small pendant
On a chain

I removed it from his neck

“What the fuck are you doing?”

‘Calm down;
If they come back,
They might kill you for this!

I don’t have a cell phone,
Do you have one?”

“In my pocket,”

I reached into
His pocket,
Then I wrapped
The chain around
The cross and
Pocketed it

“You be careful…
With that cross
…it’s my whole life…
Whole life savings
And I’m gonna…
Need to pawn it to…pay…

Please…call…”

The cross was gold
Twenty-something karats
With real
Diamond
Studs

Those other guys would definitely kill for this!

The old man had passed out

I reasoned
…it’s a big city.

I took the knife
From my left pocket
Unfolded it
And drug the blade across his throat.

The newspaper obituaries
Barely covered his story

He wasn’t even identified!

I sold his phone
For a throwaway price

As for his cross?

I must say
I wear it well…