Jeremy Duncan awoke. He opened his eyes and saw a brick wall a few inches in front of his face.
"Where am I..." he thought to himself. He felt like shit. His head hurt, and his back and sides ached. He sat up. He was sitting in a narrow alley.
Suddenly, Jeremy remembered the mugging. He felt for his watch and wallet, but both were gone. He tried to find his keys, but they were gone, too. The lump on the back of his head was still there, however.
Grunting, Jeremy got to his feet. He touched the wall to steady himself, then wandered toward the end of the alley. The sun was bright out on the street, and he looked around to get his bearings. He recognized the deli on a nearby corner and remembered that he was across town from his apartment. It was going to be a long walk home.
He set off down the street. He thought he must be a sorry sight. Some poor bloke with a torn shirt. Maybe some of the other people might think he was homeless, or a drunk. It didn't matter, though. Jeremy knew he had a home, and that he wasn't a drunk.
An hour passed as Jeremy made his way home. He rounded the corner onto his street. Jeremy saw Officer Mulhaney up the street. He gave a halfhearted wave.
"Good morning, Jeremy. You look like you're in rough shape."
"Yeah. Just going home. I'll feel better after a shower."
"Another mugging?" asked Officer Mulhaney. There was a touch of reproach in his voice.
Jeremy avoided the policeman's gaze. "Oh. Yeah."
"Now, do you think I should report this?"
"I don't know," Jeremy said sullenly. He stared across the street at nothing in particular.
Officer Mulhaney continued to give Jeremy a piercing stare, then sighed as if giving up.
"Look at you. You really need to take better care of yourself. Where did it happen?"
"Over on Beadle street."
"Near the theaters? You need to be careful over there. Lots of people looking to take advantage of others. Did you lose a lot?"
"No. Just enough for a cab."
"Well, I suppose you should head on home. I'm sure your mother will have something to say about this. Tell her I say 'Hi'."
Officer Mulhaney set off down the street, and Jeremy continued on to his building.
He walked up the stairs and rang the buzzer for his apartment.
"Hello," said a pleasant voice.
"Hi, mom," said Jeremy.
There was a pause. Jeremy could almost hear his mother sigh. The door buzzed and Jeremy pushed it open.
His mother had left the door to the apartment unlocked, and he let himself in. He found his mother in the kitchen. She was reading the newspaper and looked up as he entered. She gave him a look that was at the same time critical and full of pity.
"They took your keys, too?"
Jeremy nodded as he took a container of orange juice from the refrigerator.
"We'll have to get the apartment rekeyed again."
"I know. I'll pay for it."
"I know you will, dear, but it's such a hassle. And we had to do it only last month."
Jeremy didn't say anything.
His mother also remained silent for a time. She felt tempted to scald him, as always. He might be thirty-five years old, but he would always be her little boy. She knew it would do no good, anyway. He had made his decision, so she might as well suppport it and try and take an interest.
"Who was it this time?" she asked.
"A pair of ladies."
"Athletic, were they?"
Jeremy sat down across from his mother with his juice and a muffin.
"No. They were older women. Probably in their sixties. I think they were a little tipsy, too." Jeremy had a slight grin. "One of them was really cute. When I grabbed her purse, she gave me this defiant look and wouldn't let go. Then the other one hit me with her umbrella."
Jeremy's mother winced.
"Let me take a look." She rose and moved to examine her son's head.
"I'm ok, mom. It's just a little bump."
"And then they just left you."
"Yes. Well, they kicked me a bit first. Then they took my wallet, keys and watch."
"Your father's watch?"
"No. I don't wear that when I go out working."
"Working. Heh," she said under her breath.
"I heard that, mom."
He rose and put his glass in the sink.
"I'm going to take a shower now. Then I think I'll take a nap."
"All right, dear. I don't suppose you'll stay in tonight."
"No. I have something lined up for tonight. I'd tell you about it, but then--"
"You'd have to kill me. Yes, I know." She smiled and gave Jeremy a kiss on the cheek.
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