It started like any other day.   But instead of writing, I had to run a few errands first.  The grocery store was number one.  Grabbing my purse, I noticed a stack of small checks on top of the checkbook.  The bank was right next to Safeway.  My hand froze in midair over the bank book.

“No.  Don’t go.”  The words echoed in my mind from who knows where. I felt a darkness wash over me. 

Ridiculous.  Must be because I was anxious about getting all of my work done before the writer contest banquet.

I grabbed the checks.  My body shuddered.  What was this feeling?  I tried to identify it.  Something bad was going to happen.  I didn’t have this feeling often, but when I did, I tried to heed it. 

But then again, this was silly.  However, I let myself be silly.  After all, I could hold off and do the banking on the weekend.  I left the checkbook there. 

Later, after grabbing the milk and vegies and hopping into the car, I saw a police car whip into the parking lot, with lights flashing, sirens off.  My heart thumped.  I knew why he was there.  The bank was being robbed at that very moment. 

The next day, the newspaper confirmed it.  Later that week when I did visit the bank, I asked the teller how she was.  It was her turn to shudder. 

“He was mean,” she said.  “He was all dressed in black.  And big.  Very big.  He wore a gas mask and flashed his gun around.  We knew he would use it.  One of the customers was so upset she had to go to her priest afterwards.”

The bank robber got away, unfortunately.  He is suspected of other bank robberies in the area too. 

I’m glad that I paid attention to my intuition that Monday morning.  I saved myself some emotional trauma. 

Writing Prompt:  Have you ever experienced a moment of intuition?  Did you listen to it?  Or wished you had?  Choose one or more of these experiences to inspire an essay, short story, or poem.