Familiar Stranger

Before I could register the surprising turn of events, all four drunks were lying on the wet ground, groaning. It happened in the blink of an eye. I didn’t even see how the newcomer managed to do it. He didn’t break a sweat, just dusted off his t-shirt, stepped over Yellow Hair, and stopped in front of me. He was about to speak, then he paused. He looked fixedly at me. ‘Miss, have we met before?’ I took a second, closer look at him. ‘Oh, it’s you! We met a few months back.’ He looked blank. ‘Near Madam Morrison’s Vineyard,’ I reminded him. ‘You gave me a ride. It was raining that day, too. You had a driver.’ ‘Ah.’ He seemed to have located that memory. ‘Ha, small world.’ He had a rich, throaty laughter. ‘You saved me again this time.’ I was grateful to the Good Samaritan. ‘Would you like me to call the police?’ He gestured at the four drunks rolling around on the floor. I thought about it. ‘No. Never mind. It’s too much trouble.’ Calling the police would lead to an interview and paperw