Wednesday, July 2, 2008

These Two Guys

Yesterday
these two guys
held up a bank
in West Seattle.
Over on California
near the junction,
the gunman
wore a wig and a dress.
He walked
into the Wells Fargo building
gun drawn,
like Cole Younger in drag,
ordered everybody to the floor,
jumped the counter
and ran out
to the getaway car
with a bag
full of exploding red dye
and useless cash.
They headed down the hill
and over the West Seattle Bridge
with police crusiers in tow
on to the Alaskan Way Viaduct
heading north,
heading into downtown.
They turned east on Seneca
and raced up and down
the cross streets of 1st avenue.
You could hear the hyena din
of police sirens
sitting in this cubicled prison.
Ms. Cole Younger defected
and jumped out
of the Jeep Cherokee
at Yesler.
The wheel man
drove north up 1st avenue
getting stuck in traffic
when he turned east
on Spring.
That's where they shot him.
I walked past the crumpled
leather jacket,
stained with blood
and a high top tennis shoe.
The cops were still taking pictures
of the crime scene
even at 5 o'clock.
These two guys
took a chance,
tried to get there from here,
dream the (impossible) american dream
only to have each
unfolding thing
play out
all Fallstaff.
They must have decided
to head to the city
with the money
and the cops
knowing they were
fucked
but wanting
the parade anyway.

2 comments:

heather said...

You've got this all wrong.

Here's an excerpt from the Times:

The driver led police on a chase from West Seattle, heading east on the West Seattle Bridge and then north on Interstate 5.

The SUV exited I-5 and headed to First Hill, where Palmer, who had been driving, bailed out at Eighth Avenue and Yesler Way, Burroughs said.

Palmer was quickly arrested, but Cox hopped behind the wheel and drove west toward downtown, police said. Police continued to trail the Jeep, still ordering the vehicle to pull over.

Witnesses said that once the Cherokee reached First Avenue and Spring Street, more than a dozen officers surrounded the SUV with weapons drawn. The officers ordered Cox to surrender and he raised his hands, but held a handgun in one hand. Two Seattle police officers and a sheriff's deputy opened fire, authorities said.

ScaughtFive said...

Why don't you write a poem about it then, scoop? What did I do to you?