The taxi dropped them there at two o’clock on a Saturday morning. The worst time to go, when it is full of drunks. They were pretty drunk themselves if we are being honest.
Jean, Bill’s girlfriend, had fallen off her barstool and banged her head. She was a bit out of it. She kept insisting that they needed to buy more eggs as the ones they had were out of date. Bill didn’t think they had any eggs. He sat with her until her name was called, then he went outside for a smoke.
The fresh air was fresh and cold, a relief after the stuffiness of the waiting room. Bill was lighting a second when an old one legged man on crutches approached. He was filthy and looked homeless, so when he asked to bum a cigarette Bill was happy to oblige. As the old man reached out he lost his balance and crashed into Bill. Bill steadied him and eventually helped him back into the hospital. He went to find Jean.
It was not until he tried to open his front door later in the day that he noticed his wallet, phone and keys were gone.
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