‘Bang’, went the gun inside the bank. Everyone – from the manager and cashier to the clerks and customers – froze in horror. For a moment, they were not sure what was happening. But within seconds, they saw the masked bank robbers and bent low to avoid the line of fire. By the time Joe, the man leading the robbers, reached the cashier, the terrified bank inmates had put their hands up and surrendered.

The Manager, who was in a separate room, remained seated on his chair, unsure about what to do next. He had half a mind to press the buzzer to alert the police, but seeing the loaded guns in the robbers’ hands, he dropped the idea.

While the bank robbery was a big, scary event in the lives of the staff and customers, it was business as usual for Joe Thomas. Joe had been robbing banks for the past twenty-five years. He began at the tender age of 15, when he accompanied his father, also a gangster, to a bank robbery in downtown New York. He had made an impact with his quick thinking and daring. After that day, there was no looking back.

Over the years, Joe robbed hundreds of banks without ever getting caught. His smooth technique and sharp execution helped him get away each time. When he was twenty-five, he fell in love with his neighbour, a girl called Mary. They dated for a couple of months and tied the knot with their families’ blessings. The couple had two children – Tom and Anita.

Joe’s family’s needs fuelled his bank robbing campaigns. He was born poor, and with little education, crime was the only way to make ends meet. The money he brought to the table fed his family, saw his children through school, and helped him own a plush car. As the years rolled on, Joe’s bank balance also rose, one bank robbery at a time.

When Joe touched 45, his children were grown. Anita had finished college, and Tom was settling into his job.

While the children were settling into adult lives, there was turbulence between Joe and Mary. Joe’s wife missed the young and athletic Joe she once knew. Years of struggle, seeing children through school, and caring for aged parents had sapped the romance out of their lives. Joe was a pale shadow of his former self, no longer capable of satisfying her emotionally, let alone physically.

It was a difficult time for Joe and Mary. While they loved their children, the latter were grown and capable of fending for themselves. The couple saw no reason to stay together and parted ways.

Their divorce was amicable to the extent that Mary did not demand alimony or a share in Joe’s property. Yet, the separation broke Joe’s heart. He was devastated by the turn his life had taken. For years, he believed he was doing everything right for Mary and the children. But the stress and responsibility of parenthood had blinded him to Mary’s real needs – love, affection, and physical intimacy.

All of a sudden, Joe found life was meaningless. His wife had left him, his children were too busy for him, and his parents were no more. He was lonely and longed for company. He fondly recalled the thrill he felt as a 20 year old as he rode his motorbike, impressing the girls in town with his swagger. He longed to return to those carefree years, when everything seemed possible and he was answerable only to himself.