Ziploc

Wednesday, 10PM, E.63rd & 2nd Ave

I was on 2nd Avenue, walking home from dinner, when a young man came running down the sidewalk towards me. We didn't collide, but when he tried to get around me, he slammed into a diner's menu board, sending it flying. The guy kept running, like he was being chased. I watched him nearly wipe out again when he turned the corner at 63rd. When I turned back around, I saw that he'd dropped something when he smashed into the sign.

It was a Ziploc baggie full of white powder.

I picked up the baggie just as a police car roared by, lights but no siren, making the same turn at 63rd. "Oh, interesting," I thought. I walked back to the corner. The cop car was already out of sight. I palmed the baggie, thinking "Blog post!" But what to do? Call 911? I could already see the Post headline, "Citizen Turns In 8-Ball, Cokeheads Vow Revenge." I put the baggie in my pocket and continued walking home.

After a few blocks, my curiosity got the better of me, so waiting until nobody was around, I moved into the bright lights of a nail salon and inspected the contents of the baggie.

It was cheese.
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