Eric and Sid spend two nights at the Red Roof Inn hatching out what they considered to be a master plan for a bank robbery. Eric has a starter pistol he stole from the high school gym when he was on the track team. That will be their primary weapon. Sid is the "wheelman," the driver of the getaway car. The car is a 1979 Pontiac with expired tags.

For reasons known only to Eric and Sid, the boys are confident their plan will work. They plan to rob the targeted bank Tuesday morning at 11. Eric, the brains of this outfit, feels like that will be the best time — "for financial reasons."

Tuesday morning the two men pull up to within a block of the bank. Eric reminds Sid, "Wait here for five minutes after I get out of the car, then slowly drive up and park in front of the bank. Keep the motor running. I’ll be out in 60 seconds." Sid nods as Eric gets out of the car and slowly walks toward the bank.

After five minutes Sid pulls up in front of the bank. Sixty seconds pass, but Eric doesn’t appear. After three minutes Sid gets nervous and drives off. That’s the last we ever see or hear of Sid and his ’74 Pontiac.

A half minute later, here comes Eric out the bank door. No Sid. No getaway car. Eric is momentarily stunned until he spots a Crown Victoria parked across the street with two men in the front seat.

The Bad Eric crosses the street, opens the rear door of the Crown Vic waving his starter pistol while saying, "Police—I’m taking charge of this vehicle—follow that car." There’ve been two mistakes here: First, there’s no moving car for the driver to follow. Secondly, the two men in the front seat are police detectives.

Up until now, that was Eric’s only crime. It’ll take seven years to find out if he learned anything by this experience.