Adam's Rib

By Presley W. Clarke Jr.

Jill, Jamess neighbor, arrived at his door requesting a discussion and his advice following the burglary of her apartment. It was apparently an innocent request, so he responded confidently with an affirmative yes.
He considered in his mind, Why not? She is attractive. Ill listen! I have nothing to lose!
He had assisted her by chasing and attempting to catch the burglar racing from her apartment. The police had arrived and indicated they would provide daily police patrols of the area, and the burglary was essentially resolved.
Will he pay a price for the advice?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 28, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514454015

Presley W. Clarke Jr.

Presley W. Clarke Jr., BA in English, advanced educational studies, University of Virginia and James Madison University, authored a biography, published in 2014, entitled I’ll Never Cry Tomorrow. He served on active duty in the US Army as a cryptographer and honorably discharged in 1964. He served as a public school instructor for twenty-five years. After retiring, he was employed by Telamon Corporation to develop an instructional program for adult education in West Virginia and later was employed by the Veteran Administration Medical Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, as an instructor for disadvantaged veterans.

Book preview

Chapter 1

A NEW BEGINNING

My life has changed dramatically since 2011. I am considering socializing more and associating with new people. These new friends who ever they maybe will help reduce my loneliness of the past couple of years. My immediate desire is to acquire new friends who are filled with the joy of living life to the fullest.

I have acquired a comfortable apartment with a living room area that easily accommodates my sizable couch and a dining area that my light oak table and four chairs are adapted suitably too and situated near a large sunlit window. My bedroom is adequate in size because my queen size bed occupies substantial room and yet the room accommodates a small dressing couch used for relaxing or removing boots or shoes.

Dressing each morning is a relatively easy routine since I frequently dress in an old pair of jeans or shorts depending on the season. I have informed everyone that I have begun a new life as a bachelor and the changes that evokes, if any.

On the far north wall of my living room hangs a painting of a scene in Paris portraying two lovers embraced arm in arm walking through a rain covered street ignoring the hustlers selling beautiful bouquets of flowers and another couple engrossed in each other—one standing and the other sitting astride a bicycle seat.

Another painting may be observed on entering my apartment. It is located on the far east wall visible only from the entrance to the apartment. It reveals a Parisian scene inside a French café portraying in the fore ground a partially empty wine bottle and two wine drinking glasses resting on a small polished wooden table – one glass appearing almost empty and the other nearly filled to the brim of the drinking glass.

In the background scene, a couple are viewed walking arm in arm from the restaurant in a misting rain. On the far south wall is a small collage shaped in a rectangular design composed of transparent glass encased within a metallic border and inscribed on the glass are the words- Live For The Moment, Laugh Every Day, Love beyond words. My new philosophy for life.

At my recent yearly physical appointment, nurse Kathy responded to my new philosophy of life with the comment,

"I Like it.

It is acceptance of your wife’s death and your entrance to a New Beginning. You shouldn’t become wild and foolish dressing in black boots and wearing buttonless shirts to the waist!"

I countered her implying,

That wasn’t my plan.

I will dress as I have always dressed which includes a pair of trousers, jeans or shorts and a shirt.

After my discussion with Kathy, I had a sudden intoxicating mental high as if I had risen above the past.

I walked from the office appointment in a state of euphoria, strolling leisurely along the hallway and exiting by the front door. Upon arriving at my vehicle I opened the car door and stepped in and seated myself almost in one motion and compressed the starter button activating the engine. I revved the engine slightly and moved the gear shifter to drive, accelerating rapidly from the parking lot while Kathy’s enthusiastic and supportive comments lingered in my subconscious mind encouraging me to begin a new life adventure.

Suddenly, a light flashed in front of my eyes prompting me to immediately gather my thoughts and act. Fortunately, the light, a stoplight was glaring red which triggered me to abruptly move my foot from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal. I thrust it downward in panic and alarm halting my car’s motion as it came to a shuddering halt as all four tires emitted horrific screeching sounds as they grasped the pavement.

Beads of perspiration appeared on my face and brow at the sound of the tires stopping my car’s forward movement. Awaiting the green color change of the stoplight to occur I became ‘urgently and acutely aware’, I must control my thoughts while driving. The light turned green and I drove cautiously down Wilson Avenue.

Chapter 2

THE BURGLAR

I arrived rather quickly at the Tree Tops apartment complex driving into the apartment area by turning left into Treetops Lane. With the ensuing darkness my head lights flashed on automatically as the vehicle almost instinctively navigated a right turn into Chestnut Lane.

The sudden glare of my headlights illuminated a figure of a man running from my neighbor’s apartment which was located on the second floor adjacent to my apartment.

I instantly stopped my vehicle and vaulted from it when I heard my neighbor screaming at this escaping figure running from her apartment.

For a split second I had no idea as to what I should do! Without further hesitation I sprinted after the man in an attempt to catch him. I surprised him and tackled him at his shoe laces and we both went tumbling to the pavement. He immediately arose from the pavement and turned to me in the ensuing darkness and struck me a glancing blow to the side of my face as I was rising from the confrontation. The intensity of the blow sent me sprawling to the ground and he disappeared into the shadows of the night.

The next moment I realized a figure of a woman standing over me and peering at me – excitedly speaking and pleading and crying out,

"Please, Can you hear me?

Please,