Don Feltz was standing in line to cash a check when he heard two shots hit the ceiling. He turned around before the echo faded. He was looking the lone robber straight in the eye when the thief said, "Don’t turn around!"

The cloth bags the five foot eight inch hooded figure with the fully loaded semi-automatic tossed to Don matched the one on his head with the holes cut out for the eyes and nose.

"Fill those up from the drawers. Fast."

"Look Phil, why don’t I pass the bags back to the tellers? They can fill the bags while you keep an eye on the rest of us."

Don perceived the imperceptible nod as a yes. Without taking his eyes off "Phil," he passed the bags behind him.

"Don’t turn around, just reach back, take the bags and pass them in front of you to the teller. Tellers, please fill the bags as fast as you can."

The phone call made everyone in the bank jump. Don saw the eyes panic and the hands tense up around the rifle.

"Phil, it’s all right, but somebody needs to answer it. Let me swing around while you watch me and answer it for you. If it’s the cops, they won’t know how your voice sounds."

An uncomfortable pause ensued. The eyes looked confused.

"Phil, what do you say? The ringing is going to drive us nuts."

The robber waved the gun toward the desk so suddenly Don almost let the beer loose right then.

"Okay, Phil, I’m moving a little quicker so we can shut the ringing up. I’m only going for the phone." Fortunately, Don only lost eye contact for a couple of seconds when he picked up the receiver.

"Hello."

"I’m Lieutenant Harralson of the Dallas Police Department. Who’s this?"

"Don Feltz. I’m a customer of the bank."

"Okay Don. I’m Paul. Can you talk?"

"Within reason."

"How many gunman are there?"

"Only one I can think of. No surprises." Don held his spread palm toward Phil and nodded carefully to let him know it was the right answer on both sides.

"Can you tell me how many hostages are in the bank?"

"About fifteen, give or take."

"Anyone in danger if he doesn’t get what he wants?"

"I’ve taken on that responsibility." It had been ten minutes since Don remembered blinking. "We have an agreement. I don’t say or do anything wrong and he doesn’t shoot my ass."

He smiled at the robber. The eyes brightened for a second.

"Is he calm?"

"For the moment." Spread palm and a nod.

"Will he listen to you?"

"So far so good. Can you set this up as an open line?

"Hang on, Don." Away from the phone, "We set, Harry?"

"All set, Don."

"Let me see what he has in mind and we’ll get this over with and all go home. Does that work for you Paul?" Thumbs up to Phil.

Don hung up and turned to the robber. Don had been sitting on the desk during the phone call. He swiveled around and stood leaning back on the desk. He no longer knew if he had blinked or not. Phil had begun to blink more frequently during and after the call.

"Okay, Phil. I tried to answer so you’d know what we were both saying. He just asked how many people there were in here, if everything was under control. I told him it was. The tellers have your bags ready."

A pause. The blinking slowed down.

"Tell you what, Phil. While you’re getting it worked out, let me get these people out of here, what say? If you need to take a hostage or shoot somebody, hell, take me. It wouldn’t be the worst thing that ever happened if I didn’t go home tonight. I wouldn’t mind having a good excuse. That check I came here to cash is the first check I’ve gotten in two months."

"Can we get these people out of here, Phil?" Maybe in shifts, most of them first, then the rest in a few minutes. It should keep everybody calm until you get it figured out."

The eyes sighed, and Phil nodded.

Out of the corner of his eye, Don saw the woman one desk over from the one he was leaning on raising her hand. He reached toward her still looking the thief in the eye.

"If you have a key, put it in my hand."

The woman walked slowly over and put the key in Don’s outstretched hand. Her hand felt cold and sweaty. She almost dropped the key from the shaking in her hands. She went back to her desk and Don picked up the receiver. He heard one ring.

"Don?"

"Yea, Paul. Listen, we’re still getting this worked out, but he says I can send out most of the people and keep a few just in case and then send them out after a few minutes. I’m going to come unlock the door and let them out. Will that work?"

"Let’s get it done."

"On the way."

Don hung up the phone and raised his voice when he spoke again."

"All the women in front of the tellers walk slowly to the front door and wait on the left side. All women tellers go with them. The women at the desks behind me, go around me on my right and follow them to the left of the door. Slow, but steady. Women tellers, drop the bags you’ve filled right behind Phil here. Men tellers drop your bags behind Phil, turn and face the teller cages. Men behind me, join them. Does that work for you, Phil?"

The eyes blinked several times and he nodded. Don knew Phil must be sweating bullets under the hood. He was rather damp himself. When the women got to the door and the men were facing the tellers’ cages, he got up slowly.

"Alright, Phil. I’m going to go to the door, let them out, lock the door back, and come right back here. Nice and easy."

Don broke eye contact with the robber for the first time since he had first turned when the shots hit the ceiling. Now he started to worry. It took an eternity to get to the door, but he didn’t want to move even close to too fast. He unlocked the door and pushed it partially open.

"Okay, ladies. Nice and easy. Please don’t make any loud sounds until I get the door closed."

When the women were out, he closed the door and locked it. By the time he got back to the desk, he was soaked with sweat. The ninety five degree heat coming through the front glass doors hadn’t helped. The two pairs of eyes locked again.

"Okay, Phil. I’m going to move a little closer, so I can speak softly. You know I don’t have a weapon."

He walked a little closer.

"Now, Phil, we need to get this figured out. Do you want to just get out of this or are you bent on getting the money at any cost?"

The eyes blinked spastically.

"I just want to get out of this. I need the money, but I don’t want to die."

"Good, we’re thinking the same way here. I’ve got an idea I’ve been working on."

The eyes looked tired and lacking emotion. Phil nodded and his shoulders slumped in resignation. Don picked up the phone. Again, one ring.

"Don?"

"Yea, Phil, me again. Listen, he’s sending the guys out now. Same as before. I’ll let them out and lock the door. I’ll call you when I get back to the phone. Third times a charm. Let’s hope the fourth call wraps this up." Slight grin. The eyes lightened.

"We’re waiting."

Don hung up the phone.

"Okay guys. Same story. Head for the door slowly and steadily. After you’re there, I’ll unlock the door. Don’t look back for any reason."

The three men headed for the door. When they got a ways past Phil, Don began to whisper.

"Okay, Phil. Turn away from me, lay the rifle and the hood down, and follow them out. Have a good life, buddy."

The robber turned around, laid the rifle and hood down, and followed the three men to the door. Don went to the door, unlocked it, turned away from the men, and pushed it open. He walked back to the desk, picked up the phone and waited for the ring.

"Come on in, Paul."

As Don hung up the phone, the front doors swung open and officers swarmed in. He dropped the key on the desk, walked out the door and headed to his car.

"Hey Don?"

"Yeah, Paul, what do you say?"

"I thought you quit the force?"

"I did. I just really needed to cash this check."