You were going to say something? You’ve seen this in movies, but you’d handle it better than those horror victims.

Here’s your chance. Grab a bottle off the counter and bring it down on the man’s head. Scream. Threaten. Grab the phone. What’s stopping you?

If you don’t die tonight, your description of the man will be: white, maybe in his 20s, wearing a… a light blue shirt with words or a picture? “Ordinary” height and weight. (Ordinary?) His pants were… black or khaki? Hair…

The police will be patient, comforting, tell you to call if you remember anything. You’ll sit on the couch feeling guilt. The police won’t ask about the knife.

If they did, you would tell them it had a black handle roughly 6” in length and a 10”-12” blade. Kitchen cutlery, untoothed. Curved blade, single-edged, wider than the hilt where it joined. Silver trimmings and rivets on the handle. The word “Calphalon” was printed in small, elegant letters on the blade.

The man’s hand was dirty, and he chews his fingernails.