It is August 31, 2002, in New York Manhattan
“No”
“What do you mean no?”
“Kera, I want you to quit so I’m not going to help
you get them anymore, I don’t mind if you smoke around me, but I’m not buying
them for you anymore.”
Kera continued to argue with Larry to no avail. Finally she dropped it and just hung out
with Larry suppressing her anger. Upon
her return she picked up a phone and dialed her friend Johnathan’s number. Johnathan is a gang leader and very skilled
in fighting. He picked up the phone and
answered, “hello”
“Yo Johnathan it’s Kera, I need you to do me a
favor?”
“What’s that?”
“To beat up this kid”
“Who is he and why?”
“His name is Larry and he’s a college student at
NYU.”
Johnathan remembered hearing this name before as Kera’s
cousin so he asked, “Isn’t this your cuz?”
“Yea”
“What did he do?”
“He won’t get me stoges.”
“You want me to whip his ass for that?”
“Yea”
“Kera, calm down, you’re taking this way too
personally.”
After more negotiation, Kera convinced Johnathan to
do her this favor. He went down to NYU
with Kera, once again Kera called him and asked to hang out some more, but this
time she specified a place to meet her and how to get there since Larry didn’t
know the city too well. Larry found the
place without getting lost and saw Kera with a Puerto Rican guy. The place was an alley, and Larry had an idea
that something wasn’t right. When Kera’s
eyes pierced Larry, she dropped her head.
Guilt overwhelmed her body, but she would not mutter for Johnathan to
not carry through. Johnathan initiated
the conversation and said, “What the fuck is up with you, you won’t buy this
chick stoges?”
“She’s my cousin, I’m worried about her.”
“Why don’t you let her deal with that?”
“Because I know that if she loses her singing voice
she will be a helluva lot more depressed than she is now.”
“How are you the fucking expert?”
“I know her, and I’m her older cousin, I’m supposed
to look out for her.”
“What if I fuck you up for it?”
“Interesting question considering I was lured to an
alley by my sweet innocent cousin to meet someone who I know loves to fight and
is the leader of a gang.”
Johnathan walked toward Larry until his eyes
approached two inches from Larry’s. He
asked, “You have two options, one, you walk away and buy this chick stoges, or
two, we dance, you be knowin my rep.”
“You don’t scare me, I watched my best friend and my
grandfather die of cancer, my grandfather had it because he smoked, I’m not
going to help her put me in that same situation or have her go through it, and
since she is so fucking addicted to that shit, that she has to call her top dog
to get revenge for her, I guess I have no choice but to dance.”
Johnathan’s mind raced to find more ways to avoid
the fight. He didn’t want to fight Larry,
but Larry showed no fear and was willing to defend his views. Kera’s head dropped even lower for even she
realized how pathetic calling someone to physically injure her cousin just
because he wouldn’t get her some cigarettes was, but her guilt slammed her lips
tight. Larry stared into Johnathan’s
eyes as anger filled his, anger that Kera lured him to the alley to fight Johnathan,
angry that Johnathan was going through with it, angry at the cigarettes for
hurting his cousin in that way. He knew Johnathan
was hesitant and he looked to use that as an advantage early on. Johnathan shoved Larry to try to further
intimidate him; Larry twisted his body and punched Johnathan squarely in the
nose. Johnathan took a few steps back in
surprise holding his nose as water accumulated in his eyes. Larry ran forward, jumped up and drove his
knee into Johnathan’s solar plexus causing him to bend down. He wrapped his right arm around Johnathan’s
head and pushed it into his left knee.
After Johnathan’s face collided twice with Larry’s knees, he wrapped his
arms around Larry’s standing legs and lifted him up. He fell back slamming the back of Larry’s
neck and head on the pavement. Johnathan
had no desire to negotiate anymore, now he was mad at Larry for gaining the
upper hand. He charged at Larry, Larry
bent over and as Johnathan approached he wrapped his arms around his legs while
thrusting upwards, which catapulted Johnathan seven feet in the air and
crashing down on his back. Blood dripped
from Johnathan’s nose and matriculated on the back of his head. Johnathan rose to his feet and faced Larry,
his eyes pierced Larry’s and the hesitation that once filled his eyes
vanished. He walked to Larry, Larry bent
his knees anticipating Johnathan’s approach.
He threw his right arm directly for Johnathan’s nose, Johnathan darted
his head to the side and Larry’s arm halted over his shoulder. Johnathan brought his arm under and punched Larry
in the stomach, Larry bent down grasping his midsection. Johnathan grabbed him by the arm and threw
him into a brick building. When Larry
collided, Johnathan punched him repeatedly in the kidneys. Johnathan then tossed Larry on his back and
straddled him. His clenched fists darted
toward Larry’s face bloodying it. Larry
moved his head to the side and Johnathan hit the ground with his punch and
rolled off Larry holding his wrist. The
encounter with the asphalt cut Johnathan’s four knuckles. He rose ignoring the pain; Larry stumbled to
his feet only to be punched to the ground by Johnathan. Larry pushed himself up on all fours, his
face dripping blood; Johnathan stomped on Larry’s back flattening him. He then stomped at Larry’s back repeatedly. Larry rolled out of the way and got to his
feet. Johnathan neared Larry and, out of
desperation, Larry threw a weak right hand toward Johnathan’s face. Johnathan grabbed the arm and yanked Larry
toward him driving his knee into Larry’s stomach. Johnathan took two steps back and ran forward
kicking Larry squarely in the face knocking him to the ground again. Crimson blood covered all of Larry’s face, Johnathan
grabbed him by the hair and lured him to his feet. He punched him in the stomach causing him to
bend over. Johnathan then grabbed a
piece of wood lying on the ground. He
brandished the wood as he approached Larry and crashed it against his back
forcing him to the ground. Johnathan
then swung the wood around and slammed it onto Larry’s legs. Once again he lifted Larry to his feet and
threw his face into a brick wall. Larry
threw his elbow back in desperation nailing Johnathan in the solar plexus. He grabbed Johnathan by the hair and drilled
it into the wall. He positioned his left
leg behind Johnathan’s legs and shoved him back with his right hand tripping
him to the floor. Larry turned around
and his eyes pierced Kera’s. Kera stared
back with terror, guilt, and distress.
Regret overwhelmed her body, but terror halted her from trying to stop Johnathan’s
rage. Johnathan got up and walked toward
Larry, he swung his right arm at Larry’s face; Larry ducked under it as Johnathan’s
momentum turned him around. Larry shoved
him into the wall and repeatedly struck his kidneys with his fists. Johnathan threw his arm back to try to hit Larry. Larry grabbed the arm bent him forward and
kicked him in the face. Once again he
locked him in the headlock and slammed his face repeatedly into his knee. Johnathan wrapped his arms around Larry’s
legs and lifted trying to get Larry’s leg off the ground. Larry’s right leg bent keeping it firmer on
the ground while his left leg continued the onslaught on Johnathan’s face. Johnathan shoved Larry off him and lifted his
upper body up showing a crimson face as well.
Larry sprinted at him and drove his shoulder into this solar plexus and
chopped at the back of his knees tackling him onto his back. Larry rose to his knees and drilled his fists
into Johnathan’s face. He then stood up
and stomped at Johnathan’s chest, thighs, stomach and solar plexus. Johnathan rolled out of the way and lifted
his body to his feet. Larry and Johnathan
walked toward each other both their eyes stubbornly locked on each
other’s. Johnathan swung his right arm
nailing Larry in the side of the face, Larry’s body twisted right but did not
fall, he then swung his body back left with his clenched fists colliding with Johnathan’s
skull. Larry’s knuckles tore open for he
did not know how to punch so that he didn’t hurt his hand. Johnathan stumbled but quickly recovered to
throw another punch, it collided with Larry’s head but once again Larry came
back with a punch of his own. He then brought his left hand and drilled Johnathan
in the stomach. He wrapped his arm over Johnathan’s
head and pressed it against his waist.
He fell back slamming his head into the asphalt. Larry got to his feet only to see Johnathan
stirring to his as well. He dashed
forward and drove his knee into Johnathan’s side knocking him back over. Johnathan rose on all fours. Larry jumped up and landed on Johnathan
flattening him again. Larry rolled off
but Johnathan rolled with him and drilled his elbow into Larry’s stomach. He then shot his fist up and connected with
his face. He and Larry rose to their
feet at the same time. Johnathan grabbed
Larry by the hair and slammed it against the brick wall with all his
force. Larry bounced off the wall and
took three steps back but remained on his feet; he turned around and landed a
punch on a charging Johnathan. Johnathan
landed on the wood he used to whip Larry with.
He grasped it in his hands and lunged it upward nailing Larry in the
stomach. He then got up and crashed it
across Larry’s face. Larry smacked the
ground as he fell and Johnathan threw the wood to the side thinking Larry was
unconscious. Larry, however, pushed
himself back up and faced Johnathan. The
slight hesitation due to surprise, handed over enough time for Larry to drill his
shoulder into Johnathan’s stomach and drive him into the wall. Larry lunged his fists directly at Johnathan’s
face causing it to ricochet off the wall.
He pulled Johnathan toward him and turned him around. He then repeatedly slammed his face into the
brick wall. Johnathan fell back into Larry’s
arms. Larry put Johnathan’s head under
his right armpit and wrapped his arms around his waist. Using all his adrenaline, Larry hoisted Johnathan
to his shoulders parallel to the ground.
Once he was up there, Larry took two steps back to retrieve his
balance. He dashed forward forcing Johnathan’s
face to collide into the brick wall and slide out from Larry’s grasp as Larry
continued his momentum to the wall. Johnathan
lied on his stomach unconscious. Larry
collapsed from exhaustion once Johnathan fell.
He sat leaned against the wall, and then he pushed Johnathan to his back
so he could see his face. Johnathan’s
eyes had glazed over indicating Larry had won the fight. Larry panted against the wall.
Kera approached Larry with trepidation; Larry stared
back with hurt and love in his eyes. He
couldn’t hate Kera even after what she put him through. She mouthed the words, “I’m sorry.”
Larry was too exhausted to speak. Kera realized that the adrenaline was fading
and Larry did not have the strength to stand up. She lowered her hand down to him. Larry took it and did his best to help Kera
help him up. Once he rose his body fell
forward hugging Kera. Kera didn’t fall
but she wondered how she was going to help him back. She helped Larry to a bench to sit down and
recover his breath. After a little
while, Johnathan stirred and tried getting to his feet. Kera went over and helped him up; Larry rose
to his feet to face Johnathan. He knew
the fight was over; Johnathan approached Larry and hugged him. Both men used each other to remain
erect. Johnathan said, “Good fight.”
“Yea, you too”
“I know how much she means to you now.”
“Yea, you were at a disadvantage, I was mad at you
for taking her away from me, and mad at her for calling you up. You were just doing a favor.”
“I’m glad you understand that, you ever need back up
you give me a call.”
“I doubt you ever will need back up because you’re in a gang, but same goes to you.”
“I doubt you ever will need back up because you’re in a gang, but same goes to you.”
Johnathan and Larry both helped each other to the
bench. Their strength was returning but
they still didn’t want to walk just yet.
Johnathan called his friend Vlad to help him home. When he got off the phone he told Kera she
and Larry could leave him there. Kera
once again helped Larry to his feet and put his arm around her neck to help him
home. They went to a restaurant and got
some napkins. The cuts had stopped
bleeding now it was time to wipe the blood off.
When Kera got all the excess blood off, they walked to Larry’s
dorm. Larry could now walk on his own;
he signed Kera in and went up to his room with her. They went into Larry’s room and Kera sat him
down on the bed and said, “Larry I’m so sorry for what happened today.”
“Kera, thank you for helping me home.”
“You have to be pissed off; I just called the best
fighter I know to kick your ass.”
“I won didn’t I?”
“I can’t believe you aren’t mad, after what you just
went through.”
“Kera, who do you think hurt me the most today?”
Kera was taken back by this question because she
knew the answer, “Me”
“That’s right but now we’re friends again, and you
won’t ask me for cigarettes, right?”
“Yea, but I still feel bad.”
“Well don’t, your friendship is what’s important to
me.”
“Larry, in order for you to be able to beat Johnathan,
you must genuinely care about me.”
“Unfortunately this is what it took for you to
figure it out.”
Kera stopped talking and helped Larry into the
bathroom to put rubbing alcohol on Larry’s cuts. Then Larry went down, signed Kera out and
returned to his room to sleep. Vlad came
about 20 minutes after the phone call and helped Johnathan home. Larry and Kera remained close and no hard
feeling came between Johnathan and Larry, they weren’t friends, but they did
have a mutual respect for each other.
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