Tales of the Games Player

By Kev Pickering

The Games Player - so called by the Daily Mail because his modus operandi involves convincing whoever is the adult in charge to persuade the others, especially the children, that they are playing a game of robbers to keep them calm while he secures them and ransacks the house. He is notorious, both feared for his robberies, and admired for the way those he visits come out unharmed, if bound and gagged in various ways.

But how did he earn this reputation. Here, in his own words, he recalls those he has visited, from the very first mother and daughter to more recent ones, and how he learned his craft. Along the way, he meets all manners of families, and recalls both the successes and the failures, as well as times he was surprised and surprised others - even to the extent of having his own fan club...

In these short vignettes, he finds love, and sadness, happiness and sadness - but always with a smile.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781291996388

Book preview

Tales of the Games Player

Tales of the Games Player

By Kev Pickering

Copyright (C) 2014 Kev Pickering

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-1-291-99638-8

This work is licensed under the Creative Communities Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.  To view a copy of this license, visit

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or send a letter to

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171 Second Street, Suite 300

San Francisco, California 94105

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http://www.kppresents.com

Genesis

The idea for the Games Player came from my love of a couple of films, which are mentioned in the story, where a robbery was committed by holding the family hostage.  It got me to thinking of a character who did home invasions, and used threats to the children to get the mother, aunt, babysitter or responsible female adult to cooperate.

That then changed however, to the man then using the idea of pretending it was a game to keep the younger people calm, and get the adults to make it less fearful for them.   What you have in this collection is as many tales as I can pull together.

They are not meant to reflect real events, but if by some fluke they do, it is purely unintentional – and I hope you fared as well as the people here.

Enjoy

Kev Pickering.

Tales of the Games Player

I guess, if I’m being honest, I got the idea from two films I watched when I was a kid. In one of them, a man forced someone in a supermarket to hand over money by having a friend hold his wife and daughter hostage at their home. There was a scene where a phone rang, the man answered it, and then went towards the daughter – which made the mum do as she was told. I learned one thing from that – the mother would do anything to protect her family. Even allow them both to be taped up, hands behind their back and ankles, and then tape gagged

The other wasn’t so much a film as a TV program, where a mum and her daughter were held hostage. They were sat in their front room, hands tied together in front of them, ankles tied and scarves in their mouths, watching as the man talked to the police. I could not take my eyes off them, in their period costume – the mum in a short blouse and hooped skirt, the kid in a short sleeved floral dress.

So, when I was a student trying to raise some money to live on, I decided to see if that would really work – if I was to go into a house, with a kid and her mum there, would I be able to do that as well? I remember the first time I did it so clearly.

It was a quiet, residential area in the west side of the city I was living in, and I watched as the car pulled into the driveway and they got out. The girl was about thirteen, with long blonde hair, and was wearing a pair of jeans and a white sweatshirt, as well as a pair of brown furry boots. Her mum was about thirty five, and she also had blonde hair, this time cut around her face. She had on a white blouse, jeans and knee length black leather boots.

I watched from the other side of the road as they took the bags out of their car and then walked into the garage door that led to the house, then walked quickly up and let myself in the door. They had their backs to me, taking stuff out of the bags, so when I grabbed the girl and put my hand over her mouth, the mum just stared at me. I had a scarf wrapped round my head, as I told her to stay calm, and do as I said, or the kid got it.

I never in my wildest dreams thought it would work, but it did – the mum just said not to hurt her baby, and she would do whatever I said. Keeping hold of her, I told her to go into the front room and close the curtains – which she did. Then I told her to sit on the couch, and after she did so I let the kid go and sit next to her.

They both pleaded with me to leave them alone, so I said all I wanted was their money and then to stop them raising the alarm. When she asked her mum what I meant, she shook her head to me and mouthed No. But I just said yes in reply.

I had brought some lengths of thin cord with me, and I handed one to mummy, telling her to say to her daughter they were going to play a game, and that it would be fun. She did this, unwillingly, as she asked her daughter to put her hands in front of her, palm to palm, and then tied them together. I then handed her a second length, and watched as she took her daughter’s boots off her and then tied her ankles together.

I asked if the kid was alright, and she just nodded, staring at me as I did the same to her mum – wrists tied together in front of her, hands palm to palm, and then ankles together. Finally, I used one last length to tie their wrists ropes to each other, and then asked her where her handbag was.

She told me it was in the kitchen, so I went to fetch it, and at the same time I picked up two clean washcloths. Coming back in, I told them both I was going to make it difficult for them to talk, but I was sure their daddy would be home soon. So I folded the cloths, pushed them into their mouths and then - well I hightailed it out of there.

********

I walked for about half an hour, not looking back, before I stopped and felt the biggest rush of exhilaration I had ever felt. I’d done it – I’d actually done it – and by the look of things got away with it. What’s more, nobody had been hurt – not really.

That was when I knew I wanted to do it again – and so began my career as a very considerate thief. The second time I struck was in Knightsbridge, about three months later. I was visiting a friend, and was walking down the street when I saw the car stop at the pavement and this red headed woman get out. She was wearing a grey waistcoat over a mustard coloured jumper, grey flannels and knee length dark brown leather boots.

From the rear of the car came this twelve year old girl, wearing a green smock top, black leggings and short green suede boots. As they walked into the front door of their house, they were talking of what they had bought, but I could see they had left the bags in the boot. So I stood to one side and waited, until the mum came back out to get the bags.

That was when I took a chance, walking up behind her with my collar pulled up as I asked her if she needed a hand, or was her husband coming out. She said without turning that her husband was at work, but she would manage – so she carried the bags into the house, I followed her and hand gagged her as I held her round the waist.

I spoke softly, carefully, and said if she did not do as I said I would hurt her daughter. When I said this, she nodded and I took my hand away. Her daughter was in the front room – I could see her through the door frame watching something – so I first asked her if she had any rope in the house, and also any scarves.

She nodded again, and when I asked her where she pointed to a cupboard door. Inside was a skein of washing line, and a variety of scarves, so I grabbed two and the rope and we went into the front room.

Her daughter looked up, and was surprised to see me, but I’d told her mum what to say. With a little friendly squeeze from me, she told her daughter that was a friend, who had come to help them play a game of robbers. When she looked at her mum, I was afraid for a moment she would scream or something, but then she said all right and asked how you play it.

I told her I was going to get her mum to make sure she could not move for a while, and then I would do the same thing to her mum. Once that was done, I would be the robber, looking for their stuff, and then I would stop them from being able to call for help for fifteen minutes. Then I would free them.

Before we started, however, I asked her to close the curtains in the bay window, and as she jumped up and ran over I asked her mum when her husband would be home. She looked at the clock, which said three, and said at five thirty – which meant they would be immobile a little more than fifteen minutes.

I had a knife in my pocket, and as they sat down I took it out and cut a length of rope, handing it to mum as I told her daughter to cross her wrists in front of her. As she did so, I told mum to tie her wrists tightly together, which she did – nervously, but she did a good job of it without too much prompting.

I checked it, and then cut another length of rope telling her to put her feet on mummy’s lap for a moment. As she did so, I told mum to tie her ankles together, same way as her wrists, so she crossed her kid’s ankles and lashed them together.

Another length of rope, and I made her tie the young girl’s legs together above her knees, before using a fourth length to tie her wrists down to her legs. When she had done this, I asked the girl if she was scared, but she shook her head and said no – it was a great game.

Cutting more rope, I then told mum to hold her wrists in front of her, crossed over, and I started to tie them together. I made sure they were nice and snugly tied, keeping the rope over the cuffs of her jumper, and then knelt in front of her, crossing her ankles and tying them together as her daughter swung her legs to and fro.

Once I had her legs tied, and her wrists tied down to them, I left them in the room to talk as I searched her bags, taking what money I could find, and then quickly searched the bedrooms. Once I had filled my pockets, I came back down to see the kid had her head on her mum’s chest as she rubbed her cheek on the kid’s hair.

She looked up as I came in, and said she supposed she was going to keep us quiet now. I just nodded and picked up the smaller of the two scarves I had found, a red bandana, and folded it into a band. I explained I needed to make sure they stayed quiet, and that she would be able to talk a little, then asked her to open her mouth as I gagged her.

The second scarf was larger, a silk square about three foot long on each side, with a horse print on cream. I folded that into a thick band as well, and gagged mummy dearest with it, her red lips closing over the band as I secured the ends tightly together at the back of her neck.

I said someone would come and free them soon, and left them to it – as I got on a train out of the city…

********

You see, I kept it as simple as possible – I never hit the same city or area twice, I always made sure it was a quiet street, never took more than I could carry, and always made it like a game so the kids would not get scared.

But I did do more research, and I tried new ideas and new ways of making sure they knew I was in charge. About a year later, I was in Gosforth, an area to the north of Newcastle, working there on a short term contract, when I decided to have a little fun.

I went to the local up-market supermarket, walking round with a trolley, when I saw my mark. The mother was in her early forties, and wore a blue denim blouse over a black jumper, a knee length green velvet skirt and knee length green suede boots.

What can I say – I like the look of a woman in boots. She had jet black hair, as did her daughter, who was wearing a black cardigan over a velvet knee length dress of the same colour, dark tights and knee length black fabric boots. Both of them also had strings of pearls around their necks, and I was doubly pleased when they carried their bags out and started to walk down the street.

I followed at a safe distance, as they walked down some residential streets, and into a terraced house set back from the road. I had a little rucksack over my shoulder, so I looked like one of the students that lived in the area – walking past their house as they went in and the lights went on.

What I was really doing was counting the houses to the corner, then turning down the back alley and counting back. As I did so, I found their back gate, opened it and walked in, then up the side of the garden. I could see through the rear window the mother preparing some food in the kitchen – and she had helpfully left the door open.

By now I had got more sophisticated, as I slipped a stocking over my head and some gloves on my hands. I slipped in the door, and before she realised it I had grabbed her and slapped my hand over her mouth.

The knife that was in her hand clattered into the sink, and I heard her daughter call to ask if she was all right. Very quietly, I told her to say everything was fine, which she did, and then I said as calmly I was going to rob her, and if she did not co-operate I would hurt her daughter.

She nodded to show she understood, so I told her to walk in front of me into the room where her daughter was. The curtains were already closed, but as we went in the id jumped up and put her hands to her mouth.

I said not to scream or panic – I was going to play a game of capture with her and her mother. When she asked what that was, I said I was going to stop them from being able to move or speak for a while, and the one who stayed still and quietest the longest was the winner.

That was when she asked me if I was a robber. I said I was, but if she stayed calm and played along she could tell her friends about it at school tomorrow. I then told her mum to sit next to her on the couch, and for both of them to put their hands on their heads.

As they did this, I knelt next tot eh girl and opened my bag, taking out a length of rope. I then asked her to turn her back to me, and put her hands behind her back. Her mum nodded to show she should do this, as I doubled the rope over and crossed her wrists, then tied them tightly together. I had learned by then about cinching the rope, so when I had finished there was a band of white over the cuffs of her cardigan.

I told her that after I had finished with her, I would do the same to her mother, so I picked up another length of soft rope and told her to face her daughter, putting her hands behind her back for me. I tied her wrists together as well, listening as she kept reassuring her daughter it was just a game, just a game…

Once I had their arms tied, I told the young girl to cross her ankles, and tied them tightly together, taking the ropes between her legs as I did so. Doing the same thing to her mother, I then sat behind the kid and told her to look straight ahead.

You see, I had been worried for some time I was not securing my – visits well enough on the arms, so I took a longer length of rope, wrapped it round her arms and body and pulled them into her side, then cinched the coil between her arms and body so that they were locked into place.

She tried moving her arms, the front of her cardigan opening slightly as I sat behind her mother and did the same thing to her. After that, I secured their legs together, below their knees and above the tops of their boots, then asked them if they were comfortable.

They nodded and said they were, as I reached into the bag and took out two pieces of cloth. I pushed one into each of their mouths, then left them alone as I searched the house.

When I came back, I unhooked the pearls from their necks and pocketed the pair, then took the cloth out of the daughter’s mouth and gave her a drink of juice. I had found a roll of silver duct tape, and decided to try using that as a gag rather than the scarves I had used up to that point.

The girl looked at me as I tore the strip of tape off and told her to close her mouth. Her mum just nodded – but now she realised I was not going to harm them, as I smoothed the tape over her mouth and then told her she was a very brave girl. Turning to the mother, I tore another strip off – then smoothed it over her mouth with the cloth inside, adding two more to reinforce the gag. Wishing them a good night, I told them to remember - the one who stayed still longest won, then left them there.

********

I’ve also travelled a lot for work, and when I am abroad I like to keep my hand in as well. That’s especially true of the States – the adrenaline rush is greater, because you never know if a gun can get involved, but when it works…

This was a Saturday, and I was walking to the house of a friend when I saw the typical soccer mum getting out of a car. She was about five eight, mid thirties, with a white sleeveless blouse straining at her chest, blue cut off shorts and sandals.

She was getting into a car, with a thirteen year old girl wearing a Chelsea strip, white knee length socks and football boots. I watched them as they drove off, then saw her husband come out with two boys in baseball gear and head in the opposite direction. Well, that was enough – I went back a couple of streets to a pharmacy I had seen, picked up a couple of things and walked back to the house.

Nobody was around, so I went round the back of the house, and discovered to my delight that the back door had been left open. Very careless of them, but it allowed me to slip in and hide inside the house.

There was always the risk the father would come back, but I gambled he was more likely to stay for a junior baseball game, and I knew they lasted hours – so when I heard a car pull up, and peeping out I saw the mum handing her daughter some brown sacks, I knew I was in luck.

I waited until they came in, and put the sacks on the kitchen table, then the girl came into the front room. That was when I grabbed her and put my hand over her mouth, telling her to keep quiet until her mum came in and saw us.

She was shocked, and ready to do anything if I would not harm her baby, so I asked her where she kept her jewellery and money. She said upstairs, but it told her to give me her handbag first, then I made her walk up the stairs in front of me, my hand over her daughter’s mouth the whole time.

OF course I wasn’t going to hurt them, but they didn’t know that. So we went into what I presumed was the master bedroom, and I told the mum to lie face down on the bed, with her hands behind her head. As she did so, I told the daughter that I was going to tie her up, then her mother, but if she did as she was told she would not get hurt. She nodded and grunted to show she understood, as I took out of my jacket pocket what I had bought.

It was a wide roll of white medical tape – I had always wanted to try it, and this seemed the perfect opportunity. I told the kid to lie face down next to her mother, and put her hands behind her back. They talked quietly to each other, trying to keep each other calm as I put her hands together, palm to palm, and then taped her wrists together.

I took her soccer boots and socks off, and then taped her ankles tightly together, as well as her legs below and above her knees, then told her to roll over and her mother to stand up. As I sat with her kid, stroking her short blonde hair, I gave mummy a small bag and told her to put all her jewellery in it.

I swear, she did exactly what I asked her to do, looking at me as I kept her daughter company. When she dropped the bag on the bed, I stood up and walked behind her, taping her wrists tightly together behind her back and then passing some tape around her waist to keep them nice and secure.

She sat on the bed and watched as I taped her ankles, legs and thighs together, then I told them both to lie down and make themselves comfortable. As they did so, I tore off a strip of the tape and smoothed it over the mother’s mouth first, so the daughter could see there was nothing to be afraid of, and then did the same to her, before I left them.

********

The strange thing about many of the younger sides of the people I have visited is their willingness to accept it as some sort of game, while the parents know only too well how real it is – especially after I have gone. More recently I’ve expanded my fantasies a little bit – not necessarily following them home, but spending more time researching them and picking a time when I know the man of the house will not be there.

A couple of years ago I spent some time looking at just such a family – young professionals, with a twelve year old girl who went to a very exclusive private school. I managed to find out the dad was away on a business trip one Wednesday night, so I decided to pay a visit to them that night.

I actually walked up to the front door and knocked on it, and was pleased to see it opened by the mother. She was wearing a blue sweatshirt and jogging pants, with her feet in a pair of fluffy socks that were pulled up over the bottom of the pants.

She looked at me, and asked who I was, so I was honest – I told her I was here to rob the house, and before she had a chance to react I pushed her back into the house and pinned her to the wall, my hand over her mouth. I whispered to her to tell me where her daughter was, and she looked to the staircase – only when I looked, it wasn’t the daughter.

She was about ten, and was wearing a pair of white cotton pyjamas, with a teddy bear in her hands. She looked at me, and asked why I had my hand over her auntie’s mouth, as the daughter came out of the front room and looked at us. She had on a white onesie with pink dots, and she just stared at us as well.

Well, I wasn’t expecting two girls, but I was prepared, so I said mum had booked me to come and play a game of robbers with them as a special treat. It was a bit of a gamble, but when the younger of the two girls said Like Nancy Drew? mum just nodded as she looked at me.

Her daughter did not look convinced, but I said we should all go into the front room and get started. As we walked in, I put the rucksack from my bag on a table and told them to sit on the couch, hands where I could see them.

They sat down as I let mum sit on a chair, and told them I was going to make sure they could not stop me. When I said this, the daughter said Please – make it like a game, and I nodded as I asked them both to kneel in front of the couch, and put their hands behind their back.

As they did this, I took some rope and tied their mother’s wrists together in front of her. The chair she was in had wooden armrests, so I tied them down to the arm and said Mum was going to watch while I made sure the two little princesses stayed nice and quiet.

I knelt behind them, mum watching as I bound their wrists together behind their backs, crossing them to make sure the ropes were out of reach of their fingers, and then allowed them to sit back to back. More lengths of rope were used to tie their arms together at their elbows, and their waists, before I went to the younger girl and tied her ankles together, then her legs below her knees.

I did the same to the daughter, then told them both they had to sit still and quiet while their mother showed me where all the nice things were. By now the daughter had realised she had to play along to keep her young cousin happy, so they both nodded as I untied the mother and made her give me the money and jewels.

When we walked back in, I had picked up some scarves and cloths, the girls watching as I systematically bound her mother and sat her down in the chair. Once she was secured, I rolled up the two blue silk squares, but when I went to gag the younger girl she insisted I had to put something in her mouth first!

Well, I tried to persuade her not to, but she was having none of it, so I pushed a small handkerchief into her mouth and pulled a scarf between her teeth. Of course I had to do the same to the twelve year old, and then mummy. Well, they all had to play along, didn’t they?

********

Since then I’ve become more adventurous still. There was the school girl, in her white blouse, grey skirt and jacket, and her tie, that I tied to the dining chair next to her suit clad mum before gagging both of them. There was the yoga loving mum and her dancing daughter, tied side by side with scarves. There was even the odd son and daughter, as well as family groups.

And why am I thinking of all of this? Because I’m in a bedroom at the moment, smoothing a length of white micropore tape over the young blonde haired girl’s mouth. She’s wearing a vest top and shorts, but I still tied her wrists behind her back and to her waist, her ankles and legs together, and some rope around her arms and tummy.

I pushed a folded scarf into her mouth before I taped it over – and her mum’s right next to her, in a white nightdress. She’s tied in the same way – well, maybe a little more rope around her chest, but I try not to do it too much. I hold the folded panties in front of her mouth and wait for her to open her lips, before pushing the silk in and then covering her closed lips with the tape.

I never hurt them, never cause them more than inconvenience – so I guess I’m not that bad a guy - am I?

********

I have heard from a number of you that you have enjoyed my tales of some of my visits, and wondered if I had any more to tell.  Well, there have been other visits of course, but the trick is to consider those which may appeal most to you, the reader.  Perhaps this one may interest you...

I had reason to be in Leicester on business, and having finished early I had left my luggage at the station, and decided to visit the famous Asian district of the city.  It’s a matter of historical record how the city became home to many Ugandan Asians, and they have had notable business success as well as creating their own little community.

While I was walking round, I saw this dark haired woman coming out of a shop, dressed in a pink tunic which had a silver pattern embroidered on it, a silver square collar and trim on the cap sleeves.  She wore a matching pair of pink baggy pants with silver cuffs, and gold sandals, while a matching scarf was wrapped around her neck.

Holding her hand was a young nine year old girl, wearing a white dress with a blue bow on the front and blue trim on the hem of her skirt and the sleeves.  She also had on a pair of white woollen tights and black shoes, and she was happily walking along with her as they made their way along, and turned down a side street.

Well, I hate to say it, but I was looking at her, at her gold jewellery on her fingers and around her neck, and I decided this was too good an opportunity to pass up, so I followed them from a safe distance, watching carefully as they turned off the street and the mother unlocked the door of a terraced house.  From the number of keys she used, I guessed nobody else would be home, but I still waited a few minutes, and then saw the girl come running out of the house and down towards a shop on the corner.

I checked my rucksack, which I had over my shoulder, and then walked over and tried the door handle.  I figured if the girl had gone out on her own, the door would be unlocked - and it was, which was nice.  Anyway, I slipped in and heard singing in the front room, so I looked in.

Her mother was there, her back to me, so it was simple enough for me to walk in and hand gag her, whispering Let’s stay nice and quiet now, into her ear as she grabbed my arm.  We don’t want to scare your daughter when she comes back in, now do we?

She nodded and said something in a tongue I did not understand, as I said Now, when she comes in, you’re going to tell her that I’m here to play a game with both of you.  I promise I won’t hurt either of you, so long as you play along.  After all, the last thing we want is a panic, agreed?

She nodded again at that, so I removed my hand and told her to sit down.  A few minutes later, the girl came back in, and the woman said Asma, this nice man had come to help me with a project for my college course, and we’re going to play a game as part of it.  You’d like that, wouldn’t you?

What sort of game, Mamma, the girl said as she looked at me.  I smiled and said Have you seen that new film, the one where a mummy and her daughter are held captive by a gang of robbers?

She nodded, so I continued Well, your mummy has to write a story for her class on the same theme, and she wanted to play act it.  But for it to work, she needs you to play along as well.  Will you do that for her?

I swear, the biggest smile crossed her face as she said All right - where are we going to sit?

Her mother looked at me and nodded as I said why don’t you sit next to your mother, and then turn round so that you are looking at her.  Then I can start to get you ready for the game.

She smiled, her teeth showing as she looked at her mother, and I guided her wrists behind her back, crossing them before I tied them together with a length of soft rope.  I took care to make sure she would not be hurt, but as I tightened the coils by passing the rope between her arms I knew she would not go anywhere.

I need to stop you from moving your arms, like the girl in the film, I said as I passed some rope round her waist, and pinned her wrists against her back.  I could have done more than that, and cinching the band between her arms and her back, but she was still young, and I did not want to do more than stop them raising the alarm.

Now it’s Mummy’s turn, I said as I walked behind her, guiding her arms behind her back and starting to tie her crossed wrists together.  As I did so, she and Asma talked to each other in what I presumed was Gujarati or Urdu, but Asma didn’t seem scared - she just seemed to be enjoying the game.  Once I had her arms secured, I knelt in front of Asma and said I need to make your legs secure now as well - then you won’t be able to hop away easily.  So put your legs together and hold your feet out.

She did as I asked, watching as I tied her ankles tightly together over her tights, and then used a longer length of rope to tie her legs together, above her knees and over her skirt.  No way was I going to lift her skirt up.  As for Mama, she had her ankles bound over the cuffs of her pants, and then her legs tied together below her knees.

Now then, I said as I ruffled Asma’s hair, You stay here and sit quietly with your mother, while I have a look round.  I left them alone for a few minutes as I searched through the bedrooms, finding quite a lot of nice jewellery which I put into my pockets, and then went back downstairs.  I had already taken the phone out of the wall and pocketed her mother’s mobile phone while Asma was at the shops, so I was pleased when I walked back into the room and saw them sitting next to each other.

Are you enjoying the game, I said to Asma, who nodded as she looked at her mother.  She smiled in return, but the look she gave me as she looked at me told me she knew what I had done.

Now, I have to go and get someone to come and free you, I said as I took her mother’s scarf off her shoulders, Asma watching the whole time, but I’m afraid the bad gang leader needs to stop you both from talking.  I’ll do your mama first, so you can see it’s all right - open wide.

As she did so, I pulled the pink scarf into her mouth, crossing it over her hair, then in her mouth again and back round before tying the ends off with a double knot.  She closed her lips over the gag, and nodded at Asma as I showed her something I had found in her room - a similar purple scarf from an outfit in her wardrobe.

She smiled as I gagged her in the same way, then kissed her and her mother on the forehead before leaving.  The papers the next day told me they had been found by Asma’s father an hour later, and I hoped she enjoyed her little game.

********

Now, as for some of the people I visited in the United States - that was a very different experience.

You see, when you think of the United States, you sometimes forget just how big a place it is, and how different parts of even the same city can be - as can the people.    I was lucky enough with my job to spend three weeks in the outskirts of Philadelphia, and towards the end of the time there I had a couple of free days, so I did what I always did - visited some malls, took in some of the sights, and drove round some of the back streets.

I was staying in a little town called Conshohocken, and on the day I was due to leave I happened to be walking back from the station, my rucksack on my back, when I saw a young woman walking back from the McDonalds which was nearby.  She had long ash blonde hair, and was wearing a sleeveless jerkin over a light cream maxidress, which was pink towards the hem of her skirt.  The dress had a rose pattern o nit, and she wore a pair of sandals on her feet - as well as a collection of rings on her fingers, and a long necklace that sat over the neckline of her dress.

I could tell she had some money from the rings and the cut of her dress, so I decided to follow her, but as I got on the bridge a young thirteen year old girl ran by me and took the woman’s hand.   She was wearing a long sleeveless pink dress with a white floral motif, and had a thin white band holding her long and curled chestnut hair away from her face.

Well, I knew then it was fated that I should pay them a visit.  I followed them at a safe distance as they turned off the main road, and after a while I saw them walk into a timber and red brick house that stood a little way off the road.  I watched for a while, noticing the lack of car, then walked up and knocked on the screen door.

The young girl came to the door, and said from the other side of the screen Can I help you?

I hope so, I said, my car is broken down, and I don’t have a cell phone that works here - can I use your phone?

She smiled and turned round to say Mom - a man needs to use our phone.  Is that all right?

I saw the older woman come out, and - well, let me put it this way.  I was a student, and I spent several fun weekends in Amsterdam.  Suffice to say I know when someone has been smoking homemade herbal cigarettes.

Sure, she said, Let him in.  We were just going to play a game of scrabble, so I hope you don’t mind if we leave you to it?

Thank you, I said as she opened the screen door, and showed me where the telephone was.  I pretended to make a call, while pulling the wire from the wall, but as I did this I realised the girl was looking out of the doorway at me.

Mom’s relaxed, she said quietly, and we’re going to play the game.  Did you get through?

Yes, I said as I put down the receiver, but it will be a little while.  I told them this address - I hope you don’t mind?

She shrugged and said Come and have a cold drink.  I followed her into the kitchen as she made me the drink, then stood and watched as I sipped it.

Very nice, I said quietly.  Does your mum usually smoke in the house?

Oh, you noticed, the girl said with a smile.  Yeah - why do you ask?

Well, you see, I wondered if you and your mother would like to play a different type of game.  I think you might like it?

She looked at me in a strange way, then said What sort of game?

Sunshine, darling, is the man still here?

I looked at her mother as she stood in the doorway, so I said Your daughter was telling me she wondered if she and you could play a game together with my help - one like those TV series.

I took a grip of her arm in my hand, and she looked at me, realising for the first time who I was.  Yeah, Mom, she said as she looked back at her, I wondered if you would like to play a tie up game, like we used to when we were younger?

OH - it has been a long time, she said as she looked at Sunshine and me, but I don’t have any rope.  She then looked upstairs and said I have scarves, let’s use them.

Do you promise not to hurt us, Sunshine whispered as we followed her mother up the stairs.  I only want your valuables - you are perfectly safe with me, I said in return as we walked into the bedroom, hangings on the walls.  Her mother walked over and opened a drawer, taking out a pile of long and shorter scarves and dropping them on the bed.

Go on, you nasty robber, she said as she looked at me, Do your worst.

Both of you lie face down on the bed, I said, and as they did so I selected two long blue chiffon scarves.  Taking Sunshine’s wrists, I crossed them behind her back and tied them together with the scarf, and then did the same to her mother, hearing her giggle as I did so.

This is fun, she said as I took two more long scarves, and tied their crossed ankles, then a third pair of scarves to tie their legs together above their knees, the skirts of their dresses held tightly to their legs.

Oh, make it tighter, her mother said, and Sunshine sighed as she looked at me. Sometimes I think I’m the adult here, she said as I tied her arms together with a pink scarf, and then did the same to her mother, actually making her elbows touch.

No father?

She shook her head and said Grandma should be home in an hour or so - I guess we’re going to stay here until then.  I nodded and then searched the house, taking what I could find before coming back and easing the rings off her mother’s fingers.

Oh he really does play along, she said to Sunshine as I folded two silk squares into pads.  I do, I whispered as I leaned over, and now I need to keep you both quiet.  Open wide and say thank you.

Fnnkuuu, she said with a giggle as I pushed the silk pad into her mouth, and then tied a bandana over it to keep it in place.  I promise you it only is uncomfortable for a little while, I whispered into Sunshine’s ear before gagging her, and then making my escape.

Four hours later, I was at Philadelphia Airport, waiting to board my plane and hoping Sunshine’s mother learned a lesson.  I liked her - unlike the other young madam I had to deal with on my next trip over.  She was a completely different event...

********

That particular time I had to spend a week in upstate New York, and was due to fly out on a late flight on the Saturday night.  I had business wrapped up by the Friday afternoon, which meant I could have my case packed, enjoy the Friday night, and spend the Saturday indulging my hobby, if you like.

So Saturday mid-morning found me enjoying a coffee on the main street of this small town, when I saw a likely target pulling into the train station car park across the way.  It was a family of four - father, mother, daughter and son, but the father and son had Yankees jackets on - and I knew this was the day of the NY Yankees game against Boston, which told me they would be away for the rest of the day.

Mummy dressed in a way my parents used to call power dressing - a purple jersey dress with a knotted style collar that came to her knees, a black jacket with padded shoulders, and heeled black shoes.  As for the daughter - she was about 12, and was wearing a black cardigan over a dress - the dress had a black top, a satin waist, and a dress made of purple material with discs.  She was also wearing a pair of purple shoes with a rose buckle.

So I watched them wave the menfolk off, left a tip and drove after them as they left the station, eventually pulling into the driveway of a Colonial style house a good half hour drive away.  I watched as they walked in, and waited a little while, just to make sure nobody else was around.  I then got out of the car, walked round the back and sneaked up to the window.  Looking in, I saw the girl watching TV, and her mother sitting across from her.

I took a moment to pull a stocking over my head, and then let myself in through the open kitchen door and crossed the cooking area.  I could hear the television, but also footsteps, so I stood back and watched as mum walked out of the room and up the staircase.

I allowed myself a little smile - then I sneaked into the room, looked in and saw her watching the television, and came up behind her, clamping my hand over her mouth.

My god - she screamed into my hand, so loudly I had to press my hand even more firmly against her mouth.  She then struggled like mad, and managed to get free, running for the door.  I barely managed to catch her, holding her with my arm and hand gagging her, when her mother came in and put her hands to her mouth.

All right, mummy, I said as I looked at her, You need to tell your little daughter here to stop screaming while we play a game of robbers.  Do it or she may get hurt?

I hated lying like that, but I wanted this to be over and done with a minimum of fuss.  I pressed my hand even more firmly over her mouth, making her yelp as the mum finally said All right, all right - just please, don’t hurt her.

Then you’d better tell her, I said as I looked at her.  Olivia, darling, she said quietly, this man is going to play a game with us.  I know it seems a bit scary, but do as he says, all right?

I looked at Olivia as she stared at her mother, and then said llrrtmme.  Looking over at a dining table through the alcove, I said to her Bring one of those chairs over here, and sit it so she can see you, then sit on that couch, hands on your head, and don’t move.

We watched her as she walked over, picking up a chair and bringing it over before setting it down on a rug to face the beige couch.  She then sat down, putting her hands on her head as she said Please, what do you want?

We’re going to play a game, you and your mummy, I said to Olivia.  I’m going to make sure neither of you can move for a while, and then you can pretend I’m taking your mummy’s valuables.  Now, are you going to play with us?

Olivia looked over my hand at her mother, then nodded as I said Good - now I’m going to take my hand away, and I want you to sit on the chair, all right?

She nodded again, but as I took my hand away she started screaming HELP!!!!  HELP!!!!! - which meant I had to hand gag her again, while from my bag I took a red bandana, which I had already rolled into a band and tied a knot in.  I picked this and another one cheap at a shop the day before - so as I removed my hand, and before she had a chance to scream again push the knot into my mouth, I had to say Now see what’s happened?  You need to stop shouting now, or you will do something very very bad.  Isn’t that right Mummy?

Olivia, please, her mum said as I pulled the scarf around her head and tied the ends together over her blonde hair, Please, just let him help us to play the game, all right?

I took young Olivia to the chair and sat her down, but before she had a chance to get comfy I took her arms between the bars of the chair back, crossed her wrists and tied them together with rope, before tying them to the chair back itself.  She grumbled and moaned, but I said Now watch - it’s mummy’s turn, walking over to her and taking her hands behind her back, using the soft rope to tie her wrists tightly together.

See, Olivia, I’m playing as well, she said as I used another length of rope to tie her arms tightly to her side, taking the rope below her chest, making sure it kept them firmly in place.  I then walked back over and said