Copyright: Rich Voza
Average height, hair mousey brown. Sort of average looking, nondescript. Hard to describe. No particular accent.
She asked me to watch her bags while she went to the loo. Airport terminals are always a bit risky – leave your stuff unattended and it either gets stolen or it’s destroyed in a controlled explosion. So of course I agreed.
Average bags, not old, not new, seen some use. No name tags, no identification. I pulled them closer for safety.
The sniffer dog whimpered, its handler smirked. I protested.
In the distance the woman melted into the crowd.
“Average height, hair mousey brown…”
Written for Friday Fictioneers’ weekly 100 word challenge. Participants are whipped into order by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
patrickprinsloo 
That’s scary indeed. I can see how it would happen also. A backpack left behind in a bakery here in Pune blew the place up killing and wounding a number of people some years ago. Also, about ten years ago, some guards at an inside gate in an airport smiled fondly at me, an older, motherly-looking woman, and told me to go on through. I doubt that would happen these days. Even then they weren’t doing their jobs well. Terrorists even use children. Well written, Patrick. —- Suzanne
It’s a nasty world. And worse in some countries. Hope it’s quieter for you at the moment.
The lesson is that around airports the ordinary rules of civility don’t apply. We live in scary times. I love the pace and language of this, Patrick.
Thanks Margaret.
Subtle terror…it is so real and possible. Well done!
Thank you. Kind words.
Saw the ending because I’ve often wondered about this scenario. It would be hard to refuse her request and not feel rude but potentially dangerous. Well written.
It definitely happens. It did to us but not as far as being collared.
She sounds like either a terrorist or the kind of woman I would get. Nice tale!
Just be more discerning, Perry.
I can’t leave a comment on your site. I had written: There are better things to do over a weekend than looking at houses with a salesperson with % on their mind. Nice one.
Good one!
Thank you.
I was pulled in by the first sentence already. Great build-up of suspense. I also like how vague the sniffer dog is. If it were drugs, she must have seen the officer coming.
The story is based on an incident in Munich airport. The woman disappeared and fifteen minutes later my wife noticed her keeping an eye from us from afar. We fetched her back and took her bags elsewhere. Only later did someone suggest drugs.
Oooh, good thing that didn’t happen in Singapore.
To add what the other commentors said, sometimes women won’t be trusting of male strangers, but a number of people may put down their guard when it comes to women. (A lot of criminals exploit this; if they know people expect a certain profile, they’ll send someone not matching that profile.)
That’s possibly true.
Great story! Nice twist at the end. 🙂
Thank you.
You’re welcome! 🙂
Recently I was waiting at a station to board a train. I was early and noticed a suitcase and a backpack left on the chair nearby. As I looked around to see if I could spot the owner, the scenario of a bomb bursting, etc etc etc. Gave me the shivers as I was travelling back to join my family after a 4 day gap!
Well done!
It’s not a pleasant experience. And it’s not nice that we’ve all become so suspicious of others.
Oh, dear! This is a cautionary tale for all of us. Good job!
Thanks Jan
I was caught off guard by your story. A sucker is born every day. Great job Patrick.
Thank you.
Very good, Patrick, excellent piece.
Thank you.
A great reminder to be careful – could be so easily a reality
Too easy. It happens.
they know that ordinary people are too trusting, for the system such ordinary people are easy to catch
http://obliqview.blogspot.in/2016/06/one-hour-prompt-rich-voza-she-had.html
It’s Catch 22 isn’t it?
Oh dear.
Found himself in a sticky place.
Plus all the other hassle of an airport terminal.
Hehehehe.
Oye! Note to self, don’t look after strangers’ stuff in an airport terminal.
Definitely not.
Excellent, Patrick. Just plain awesome! It has that intrigue and suspense I so much enjoy.
Nice work to the hilt. 🙂
Thank you. Almost a true story.
Ooooh, vice chair, that is pretty good, and like one of the bloggers said, I hope there were fingerprints because she can’t get away with it can she?
Gloves – greyish gloves; or were they brown. Or green. Damn these prison walls – they do not serve me well.
The sad thing is many people would trust her – average height hair mousey brown – why would she be anything, but what she seems?
That’s right. And we all need the loo from time to time.
Never trust the invisible ones… never trust anyone for that matter. Let’s hope there were fingerprints at least.
I should have written she had gloves. Nondescript gloves – 5 fingers on each hand.
There’s always a sucker, isn’t there? Let’s just hope it’s drugs and not explosives. Good one.
Thanks Sandra. That could have been me.
He was a bit too trusting, what a sad world.
It is sad. But she was convincing.
I really felt a terrible sense of creeping inevitability with this story. Nicely done.
I wanted to intervene, to shout “no”. But rules forbade.
Dear Patrick,
I enjoyed this bit of intrigue. It’s always the average looking person, isn’t it?
Shalom,
Rochelle
They are just so grey (prison pallor, mostly).
I knew this ending was coming, but I still enjoyed its terrible inevitability
Thanks Neil.