He glared with impunity as he leapt from the cliff, falling from his foes and denying them their vict’ry — making the most obscene gesture in his culture, scratching his elbow.

It was debated among so called scholars whether it mattered which elbow. Some claimed the left was the rude gesture, others the right, and a few said it just didn’t matter. Visitors in this area were castigated if they were ever caught scratching their elbow in public. The appropriate method to avoid offense would be anything but using one’s fingers. Vigorous rubbing with the palm of one’s hand, a tree, or nearby building could be used — and no one complained. And no one had any clue why it was considered rude or when it started. All they could agree on was that it was the worst insult you can give someone.

His foes looked on, first amazed, then insulted as he clearly and distinctly scratched first his left elbow and then his right. Then he crossed his arms and scratched both elbows.

It was at that moment that the seam of his satchel, weakened by a recent glancing blow gave way. Suddenly all the coins he had so recently liberated fell away as he so sadly realized what had happened.

His escape plan was going perfectly til just now.

NOTE: I woke up with the phrase, “He glared with impunity as he leapt from the cliff.” Then the idea of a rude gesture and scratching one’s elbow. I don’t know what I was dreaming about, but it was too good of an opening to not quickly dictate it into Evernote.