Handcuffed

S Holmes

It was a dismal month. Unsuccessful job hunting, a dwindling bank account, and now my watch was stolen. Not just any watch, an expensive heirloom from my grandfather. He bequeathed it to my older brother, who gave it to me after a massive heart attack. Since then, I had taken the watch on and off regularly, and this was the first time it disappeared. This glitzy city's appeal disappeared faster then the speed of light.

"Ronins mad," I heard a chant coming from around the corner. I quickened my pace and turned the corner, only to confront a scene I likely will never forget.

A group of teenagers were standing in the middle of the rundown street, forming a loose, roomy circle. I could see the top half of the inside of the circle, and I was fuming. After all I taught them, they still behaved like the gangs they looked like.

Inside the circle was Ronin, a six-foot squared, muscular, street fighter. He was feinting angrily at a considerably smaller, slightly built young man. I couldn't tell who he was from his back. All I could see was his shoulder-length ponytail. I was about to yell at them to stop, when the words caught in my throat. I was in shock!

Ronin swung a vicious uppercut and missed. The other guy was fast. Lightening fast. I had to replay it a few times before my brain registered. Ponytail had moved to his right and smacked Ronin's chin with a swift left hook. Ronin went down as the sound of the blow reached my ears and he was going to stay down.

Ponytail bent over Ronin while I raced up the block. "Anybody else?" he announced in a high pitch while turning around.

I nearly fainted.

I was looking at an attractive young lady in a blouse and skirt.

I never thought a featherweight, especially not a girl, could beat Ronin. Many of my students, boys and girls, had long hair. I had no reason to think the ponytail belonged to a woman. For that matter, I never thought my boys would ever fight a woman.

"I didn't knock out any teeth and I don't think I broke anything," she said sweetly, "however, since you are a dentist, you may want to double check."

She seemed correct, though the angry red bruise was going to stay for a while.

"How did you know I'm a dentist?" I asked her curiously.

"You are holding a medical bag, and I see dental paraphernalia in your pocket."

"Elementary," I half smiled at the simplicity, while trying to clear my head.

She was a pretty girl, with somewhat square broad shoulders for a girl. She was dressed simply and neatly, yet she commanded the attention of the most unobservant.

She was above five and a half feet tall. Her gray eyes were unusually sharp and piercing, and a hawk-like nose gave her expression an air of alertness and decision. Her chin had a prominence and squareness, which marked her determination. Her whole face had a chiseled look. Astonishingly, her clothing showed no sign of being roughed up. She looked as though she had taken a stroll in the hot sun, leaving her a bit sweaty.

I tore my attention away and began to stare angrily at the youngsters around us. "Ro," I said to the boy at my immediate left, "Please explain what happened."

There was a guilty silence and a shuffling of sneakers before he opened his mouth. "We was jus' havin a little fun. We dinnin mean no 'arm."

"I don't think so! The way Ronin attacked this woman was no joke!" I thundered.

"Allow me to explain," Ms. Ponytail offered. "Please let me know if I miss anything," she said pleasantly to the crowd.

"I rang your bell about ten minutes ago and received no answer. I was about to leave when they arrived. They wanted to know why I was here and weren't very polite.