One of my favorite caper novels is THE HOT ROCK by Donald Westlake. I also love the movie, starring Robert Redford and George Segal.

In general, I’m not a fan of stories in which the crook is the protagonist, but that’s situational. Exceptions include Topkapi, The Italian Job (the first one), and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

ANYWAY, I remember this line from the movie and don’t remember if it was in the book.

The gang, in trying to extort a man to tell them something they need to know, drive him into the woods, give him a shovel, and tell him to start digging. He asks them what he’s digging for, and they tell him they’re going to bury him. He protests.

“You wouldn’t do that to a sick man!”

To which Dortmunder replies:

No, but I’d do it to a dead man.

It was a comedy, by the way.

[Spoiler: He told them what they wanted to know.]

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s weekly blog hop, One-Liner Wednesday. If you have a one-liner or just like them, follow the link.

A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: Write about an infinitesimally small better alternative.

MA