The Road to Vonnie's Party

                Larry Couchmanos had just turned 16, which, in Ohio, meant he was of age to get his driver’s license.  Larry tried for it as soon as he could.  He, however, had not driven prior to receiving his temporary license, therefore was not the best driver.  While trying for his license, he asked his friend Drew, who had his license, to take him to New York.  Drew’s parents would not allow him since he had only had his license for less than a year.  Larry wanted his license so he could drive to the city he loved the most, New York.  He had memorized the way from the countless trips with his parents but now he wanted to do it on his own.  Larry wanted to go to New York to see his cousin Kera, whom he was very close with.  Even after receiving his license, Larry did not go because his parents wouldn’t let him either.  He still, however, kept as e-mail the directions to Kera’s house in Brooklyn. 

                Three years later, on May 18^th, Larry was leaving New York after completing his first year at New York University (NYU).  While at NYU, he had established a close circle of friends.  The members were Vonnie, Alyssa, Janilsa, Gia, Tatiana, Shruti, Larry and Boris.  Larry was closest with Vonnie.  About a week before Larry’s mom picked him up from NYU, he had planned to return to New York for Vonnie’s birthday on July 1st.  He, however, did not want to tell her because he wanted it to be a surprise.  July 1^st would be on a Tuesday that year and was also Larry’s parents’ anniversary. Larry’s mom, however, informed him that she was going to Europe for her 25^th Anniversary and wanted to take the kids.  Larry pleaded with her not to for reasons he thought obvious.  Within a day, his mom abandoned her plans of taking the kids.

                A week after Larry had left NYU, he found himself in Chicago.  It is here he received a phone call from Vonnie.  Vonnie said, “I need you to do me a favor”

Larry responded, “What’s that”

“Come to New York for my birthday, we’re having a party on the fifth”

“Vonnie, I have been planning that since the day I left, I’ll be there.”

                Vonnie was happy with this news but when the conversation ended, Larry was upset that he ruined the surprise.  He knew he had to fix it.  During the conversation, he mentioned his parents were going on their 25^th anniversary and had contemplated taking them.  He figured he would wait a little before telling Vonnie he couldn’t go.  A couple days later, Larry was talking to his friend Tatiana.  When Larry had left NYU, he had a small crush on Tatiana but it never materialized into anything.  Larry told Tatiana how he ruined the surprise with Vonnie.  Tatiana said, “You stupid, you can’t keep a secret, if that were me, I would have been able to do it.”

                Larry wasn’t really expecting that reaction but he was okay with it.  In the days following the conversation, Larry called Vonnie and told her he couldn’t come because his mom wanted to take the kids on their 25^th anniversary.  Vonnie was saddened but she understood.  Larry also told Tatiana he would not be able to make it, but inside he knew he was planning the biggest surprise of his life. 

                As the day got closer, Vonnie informed people about her party, including Larry.  Larry had used map quest to find out how to get to her apartment.  He even asked her if she lived by the I-80 (the highway Larry was familiar with to get to New York).  Vonnie said, “Yea”

Larry responded, “Is it on the street after the highway?”

“No you have to turn a couple times but I don’t want to get into it.”

“What exit is it?”

“Why”

“I take 80 to get to New York and I just want to have some idea how close it is”

“Exit 72”

Larry didn’t push because he didn’t want to make it too obvious.  The directions he had talked about an I-95, but he didn’t want to take that.  Turns out, unbeknownst to Larry, I-80 turns to I-95 as one approaches the George Washington Bridge.  He, however, learned this before his trip.

As the date got even closer, Vonnie sent an e-mail to everyone inviting them to the party and informing them it would be on the fourth rather than the fifth at around 7:00PM.  At the end she put “P.P.S. Larry and Shruti, if you’re planning on surprising me, it’s exit 72”

This scared Larry because he thought Vonnie figured out he was coming to surprise her.  He called her up and pretended to be angry for making him feel bad that he wasn’t coming.  Vonnie was annoyed because she meant it as a joke.  The purpose was to make he and Shruti (who lived in London) feel guilty and come but Larry was taking it too seriously.  Larry’s fake anger was still part of his plan to try to eliminate from Vonnie’s mind any hope that he was coming.

Throughout this time, Larry had mentioned to his friends in conversations that he didn’t like Cleveland and wanted to return to New York.  He thought that one of them would figure it out that he was coming, but that was just his pessimistic thinking.  He had missed Janilsa’s birthday on May 30, but did call her.  To make up for this, he was going to bring a present for her a well as Vonnie.  Two weeks before leaving, he told one of the managers of his work that he couldn’t work on July 4^th weekend (He had decided to just go for the weekend because being there during the week would conflict with his friends’ work schedule). 

A week before the party, Larry was talking to Tatiana while trying to find a club.  He got off the phone with her because he was kind of lost.  What Larry hadn’t realized was the next day he was supposed to leave for Hawaii with his parents (they had changed their plans from Europe to Hawaii where they honeymooned).  The next day, Larry saw Gia online.  While they were talking, Larry’s parents told him he had to take them to the airport so Larry sent Gia a message saying, “I gtg, I’m going to Hawaii, talk to you when I get back.”

Before Larry could sign off, Gia typed “What?” since she didn’t know he was going to Hawaii.  Larry then blocked everyone in the circle since it may look suspicious that he was online when he was supposed to be in Hawaii.  During this time, Larry’s friend from Pittsburgh called him and invited him and his friend RYAN (who was going out with the girl) to come to Pittsburgh.  Larry figured that he would be closer to New York, so he would take the trip on Thursday, the day before he had to be at Vonnie’s.

On the night of June 30, after midnight so it was technically July 1, Larry called Vonnie and wished her a happy birthday and informed her that he was in Hawaii.  Given this, Vonnie cut the conversation short to save Larry money.  Tuesday night, Larry called again because he wanted to talk to her.  They talked for a while and Larry lied about how beautiful Hawaii was, despite not being there.  Vonnie said that she would call him from her party on Friday because he would be missed.

That Thursday, he talked to a mutual friend of his and Vonnie’s named AJ.  AJ also lived in Fort Lee but was not coming to Vonnie’s party.  Given this, Larry told her about his plan to surprise her and sent her the directions to see if they were accurate.  AJ added to look for the skyview hotel next to Vonnie’s apartment rather than the street name since there wouldn’t be a sign.  The next day, he embarked on his first stop on his road trip.

Larry left for Pittsburgh by himself since his friend couldn’t make it.  Before he left, He had the directions, which started “turnpike to 79.”  He had gotten them from his friend in Pittsburgh.  Larry tried his one route to the highway that leads to the Ohio turnpike but it was closed for construction.  Luckily, he knew another route.  After traveling on the Ohio turnpike until it ended, the highway split to 76 toward Pittsburgh and 80.  Every time Larry had ever taken the turnpike till it ended he got on 80 (it’s the highway that leads to New York).  Since “76” was not in the directions, he ignored his common sense and took 80.  After driving a while, he realized he had made a mistake so he was going to call his friend.  She wasn’t picking up her phone so he called RYAN for the number of the other friend in Pittsburgh (RYAN’s girlfriend is Connie and Connie’s friend is Kristen).  For some reason, Larry’s phone wouldn’t connect with Kristen’s.  Larry thought of someone who would know; his friend’s sister that went to school in Pittsburgh.  He called his friend’s house and asked for her but she was already in Pittsburgh with no cell phone.  Luckily, his friend’s dad knew how to get back on track from 80 and told Larry.  Larry had already passed the exit that he needed so he took 80 back west and recrossed the Pennsylvania border to go back to the turnpike and get on 76, which made him cross the border for a third time.  From there the directions were good and he got to her house with minimal problems. That day they went by a swimming pool where Connie worked, ate Indian food, and saw Legally Blond 2 before returning home to sleep.

On an hour and half of sleep, Larry woke up ready to leave.  The three of them slept over Kristen’s house because Kristen, Connie and Kristen’s family were going somewhere at 8:00AM.  Larry had breakfast with them and got directions back to 80 so he could go to New York.  Kristen’s mom packed a lunch for him so he could eat on the road.  Larry realized that 79 and 80 intersect and he didn’t have to backtrack the day before.  It meant nothing now, it was actually better because now he didn’t have to back track to get back to 80.  While driving the 80 miles on 79, he encountered a big rainstorm that turned out to only last approximately 10 minutes.  When he got to 80, however, he accidentally went west.  He didn’t realize it for another 15 miles when he saw a sign for Youngstown, which is in Ohio.  He got off at the last exit before the border and went back East. He drove on 80 all the way to Fort Lee stopping only once for gas.  He ate his lunch at 12:00 and would be getting to Fort Lee at 3:00PM.  He called AJ and told her this since she had mentioned that she wanted him to call when he got to Fort Lee.  As he neared Fort Lee, his habitual route to New York caused another mistake.  Since his family never stopped in New Jersey but went straight to the George Washington (GW) bridge, they always took the express route; so did Larry.  The problem was exit 72 is on the local route forcing Larry to get off at exit 73.  Since he didn’t know how to get to Vonnie’s from that exit, he frantically called AJ, who was not answering her phone due to being in a mall.  Larry stopped at a gas station and asked some Koreans where North Ave. is.  He was told to ask the Koreans at the car wash next door.  They didn’t know either but they invited Larry to look at a map.  Larry searched but some of the streets were worn out and he couldn’t find North Ave.  He then decided to go across the street to a strip mall.  He walked across to check what intersection he was on to familiarize himself with where he was. On his way, he saw a police car and he stopped and asked, “Do you know where North Ave. is?”

“Yes” the cop replied

“Thank God”

She laughed and said, “Thank God, what you want to do is take this street right here”

“Hold on, can I run and get a pen”

The cop pulled out a small notebook and wrote down the directions.  It turned out he was just minutes away from Vonnie’s apartment, which made him doubt that the Koreans didn’t know where it was.  He got in his car and followed the directions and pulled into Vonnie’s apartment building.  There were no visitor parking spots available so he parked at the skyview hotel next door.  He called Vonnie to make sure she was home.  Vonnie answered the phone “Halloa”

“Hey Vonnie what’s up?”

“Not much, just cooking for the party, how’s Hawaii”

“Beautiful”

“Are you really in Hawaii or are you here?” she said out of wishful thinking. 

This scared Larry but Vonnie really did believe he was in Hawaii.  He told her that he was actually in Hawaii.  While he was talking on the phone he was walking toward her apartment.  When he walked in, he told Vonnie, he’d call her back.  Vonnie got off the phone, called Janilsa and then went on the terrace to have a cigarette.  Meanwhile, Larry approached the doormen.  It had been seven hours and eight minutes since he left Pittsburgh.  He had been thinking for a while how he was going to get past the doormen. His ideas were to have them tell Vonnie she has a package that she needs to pick up, or have the doorman escort them up.  At first they offered to call and say she had a visitor.  Due to Larry calling her a couple seconds ago, he was worried she would become suspicious.  Then one of the doormen offered to take him up.  Larry readily agreed and they went up while the doorman explained to Larry why he couldn’t just let him up alone.  Larry knew the reasons, they got to Vonnie’s apartment and the doorman knocked on the door.  Vonnie’s mother answered it.  At first, Larry thought he had the wrong apartment, for he had never met Vonnie’s mother.  He asked, “Is Vonnie here?”

She responded, “Yes, Yvonne!”

Larry walked in and saw Vonnie with her back to him on the terrace.  For about a month and half, he had been thinking what the first thing to say was.  He thought of “Who takes their kids on their second honeymoon” or “Vonnie, did you honestly think I’d miss your party?”  But now that he was there, there was only one thing that seemed appropriate, “Halloa”

Larry had been imagining what her reaction would be.  He had come up with white face and a hug most likely with all four of her limbs.  Larry underestimated it though.  Vonnie’s face did go white with surprise and her mouth opened in a gasp.  She threw her cigarette over the railing and hugged Larry with all four limbs making a noise only a human can make when extremely excited.  She then grabbed Larry’s arm and began jumping up and down repeatedly screaming with delight and hugged him repeatedly.  Larry tried to sit her down and explain his adventure up until then but he was being unrealistic.  Larry had had a month and half to count down the days to seeing Vonnie, the excitement of being back in New York and being with all his friends.  He knew that only car trouble would stop him.  Vonnie, however, had given up almost all hope that Larry was coming, the excitement Larry spread over a month culminated in one moment for Vonnie with an added dosage of shock because she had just talked to someone she believed to be in Hawaii and now that someone is standing in front of her pleasantly surprising her.  Vonnie pinched Larry to make sure that he was really there in the flesh.  The few words she could get out consisted of, “Oh my God I can’t believe you’re here” and “This is the best birthday ever.”  She calmed enough to introduce him to her mom officially and they left to go to the store to get carbonated beverages (pop).  Earlier that day Vonnie was shopping for food and drinks for certain individuals coming.  She remembered contemplating to buy pop but didn’t since Larry wasn’t coming (Larry drank pop religiously).  They got back and Larry showered at the request of Vonnie and her mom.  It wasn’t that Larry stunk, it was just that he had driven seven hours and he needed a shower.  Although Larry was skeptical, the shower made him feel a million times better and more refreshed.

About an hour after Larry arrived, the rest of the circle came at once.  Larry was on the terrace and Vonnie told him to hide, so Larry went into Vonnie’s room.  What Vonnie had in mind was to hide on the terrace.  Vonnie lured everyone to her room and Larry lay on the bed and when they all were able to see the whole body of the figure in the bed, they froze.  Alyssa’s eyes started accumulating tears.  They were all stunned stiff, and Janilsa was the first to say something, “Yo What’s up?”

That snapped everyone out of the shocked state and began talking with Larry.  Within five minutes it seemed like Larry had seen them every day for the past month.  It just felt right that they were all together again.  The party consisted of home cooked meals, socializing and watching the fire works.  After midnight, everyone at the party (it wasn’t just the circle but a few other people as well) went to a lounge to drink some more and dance.  Larry and Vonnie had a discussion on whether or not Larry was going to go (Larry hates dancing).  Finally Larry said, “Vonnie, what do you want?”

Vonnie responded, “I want you to go”

“Then I’m going”

“What do you want though?”

“It doesn’t matter what I want, it’s your birthday, it only matter what you want”

Turns out Larry had a great time at the lounge.  At first he was just drinking and didn’t get up to dance.  Then he remembered a time in the city when he briefly danced with some friends but then felt too stupid so he sat down.  Not long after that, Vonnie asked him to dance and he refused her because he didn’t want to feel stupid again.  Because of his action then he wanted to make it up to her now.  Plus, he didn’t want to be a party pooper after driving seven hours and most importantly, its Vonnie’s birthday, she wants it, she’d like it.  Given this, Larry got up and asked Vonnie to teach him to dance.  Larry ended up dancing with Alyssa, Tatiana and Vonnie’s sister as well that night and was very sweaty and drunk when the night was over.

                Everyone returned from the lounge at about 3:30AM and sat on the terrace and talked.  Larry passed out on the lawn chair so Vonnie led him to her room to sleep.  At 6:00AM everyone that wasn’t sleeping over left and those who were (Boris, Janilsa, Tatiana, Alyssa, and Vonnie) went to bed.  Vonnie slept with Larry in her bed and Boris, Tatiana and Alyssa slept in Vonnie’s parents’ bed while Janilsa slept on the couch. 

                7:00AM, Janilsa’s brother called because he wanted the car.  The phone was in Vonnie’s room so it woke both her and Larry up but Vonnie took the initiative to wake Janilsa and walk her out.  After Vonnie got back she went back to sleep.  Larry got up at 8:30, Larry tried to go back to sleep but at 10:30 realized it was helpless so he went on the terrace and just daydreamed.  Larry was a writer so this came easy.  It was here he realized how great of friends he had in New York.  He had one friend like the circle in Cleveland but he was always working.  Larry felt most comfortable with the people in Vonnie’s apartment than with anyone else.  He also thought about how happy it made him feel that he made Vonnie so ecstatic.  Because Larry is a pessimist, and happiness doesn’t come easy to him, he immediately accused himself of being egotistical.  He thought that talking about how happy he was, rather than just how ecstatic Vonnie was, was egotistical.  At noon, everyone else woke up. 

                As they had done on a few occasions the morning after a party, Alyssa, Tatiana, Vonnie and Boris made breakfast.  Larry can’t cook so he stayed out of the kitchen.  After breakfast they relaxed then went to Vonnie’s pool.  After the pool they changed, picked up AJ, and went for dinner at a diner where their friend George worked.  They then dropped AJ off to be with her friend while the rest of them played pool.  They finished playing pool at about 9:00.  They went back to Vonnie’s so Larry could get his stuff.  Due to a minor conflict between Vonnie and her parents, Larry couldn’t spend another night there, so he was going to stay with Boris.  Before leaving, Larry gave Vonnie a long hug in the parking lot of her building.  Vonnie’s friend Julia was taking Tatiana home and Vonnie was going with them.  Larry, Boris, and Alyssa left to see a movie.  They tried going to Manhattan but couldn’t find parking before the movie started.  They went to Queens, where Larry’s driving was extraordinary bad for reasons unknown.  They hung out at Alyssa’s a while until the 12:30 showing of Terminator three.  It was sold out when they got there, so they bought tickets for Charlie’s Angels and snuck into Terminator.  Afterwards, Larry took Alyssa home.  Larry stopped in front of her apartment and got out to hug her good bye.  Larry was blocking the road but there were no cars.  Alyssa said, “Now be safe driving; you psycho”

Larry took this as Alyssa not thinking he to be a good driver.  He asked her this and Alyssa grunted and shook her hand indicating “descent” Larry thought she was being nice.  Larry left and drove to Boris’s and arrived at 3:10AM and went to sleep. 

                Larry woke up at 8:00 and ate a lot of cherries.  Boris lived less than five minutes from Kera so he wanted to go over there.  He wanted to go for two reasons, one to see his Aunt, and the other to fulfill what he’s always wanted to since he was 16….drive to Kera’s by himself.  He did and had breakfast there.  Kera was not there but Larry talked to his Aunt and Uncle over breakfast.  Larry then got ready to head back to Cleveland at 11:00AM.  When he left, he called Vonnie because he left a videotape at her apartment.   Her dad answered and informed him that she was sleeping and to call back in two hours.  Larry said to himself, “We’ll see where I am in two hours” implying that it may take him that long to get to Fort Lee.

                Larry ran into trouble when he went through the battery tunnel and saw a sign that said “FDR right”  Larry said to himself, “Well that was easy”

                Turns out he jinxed himself because he turned right but it was not on the FDR.  He continued straight on that road, which turned out to be 12^th Ave., until he asked someone on 44^th street where the FDR is.  He told Larry to take 42^nd street all the way East.  Larry thanked him and did exactly that.  He did think the man lied to him since the GW Bridge is on the west side of Manhattan.  Because of this, he asked a cab driver, but got the same response, except the cab told him to go up first Ave.  While Larry was at a light a black man cleaned his windshield.  Larry gave him four quarters basically because Larry hated change and looked for excuses to get rid of it.  As Larry went straight, he approached a street “United Nations” Larry thought it should have said First Ave. but it didn’t so he tried to keep going.  The directions were to turn left and head north, but the street dead-ended into traffic going one-way south.  Larry saw a smaller street that headed north so took it without looking where it led.  A couple feet and Larry was in a closed port surrounded by poles and ramps.  Larry tried to maneuver his car out but when backing up checking his mirrors to not hit a pole, he heard the sound of metal on metal, for he hit the ramp that was before the pole that his rear view mirror couldn’t see.  This killed his nerves for his drive and didn’t even bother to check what damage was done but he thought the worst.  He followed the street south and turned when he could and got back on First Ave.  Turns out it turned into United Nations at 42^nd.  Larry found the FDR and took it to the GW Bridge.  For the first time, Larry enjoyed leaving Manhattan, only because he had sustained an accident there.  He had been driving for an hour and half, a half hour before Vonnie was supposed to wake up. 

                Larry decided to not stop by Vonnie’s and keep going.  He called a half hour later because he needed to be calmed down.  He did get a hold of Vonnie and they talked sporadically because Larry’s phone would lose connection every now and then.  He was right; talking to Vonnie calmed him down.  Larry stopped for gas in New Jersey, where it’s illegal to pump your own.  Larry’s gas meter said he had a little less than a quarter tank so about 13 gallons are needed to be put in.  The attendant put 14.6 and Larry’s car only holds 15 gallons.  Larry was worried that all of a sudden his gas meter had broken and was thankful he didn’t run out of gas, for a light didn’t even come on.

                Larry had minor difficulty finding 80 again but did eventually and traveled toward Ohio.  With about 167 miles left in Pennsylvania, Larry became extremely tired.  He promised himself he would stop at the next rest stop after mile 155, because that’s halfway through Pennsylvania.  Getting there saw him dose off for a couple seconds twice and almost end up in a different lane.  Finally he got to the rest stop after mile 155 and went to the bathroom.  His seat was already fully back when he got to his car (he did it before getting out) and he set his watch for 10 minutes agreeing that if he wasn’t asleep in 10 minutes, he’d leave.  He kept telling himself that his tiredness was psychological.  Ten minutes passed, he didn’t fall asleep so he left.  Somehow, the 10 minute relaxation rejuvenated him and he was fine the rest of the way.  He ran into a rainstorm toward the end of Pennsylvania but all in all he was okay. 

With less than 20 miles left he saw his gas meter go to quarter tank.  Remembering his previous experience he was worried that it was lying so he looked for gas.  He saw a sign that said “gas” next exit.  He thought it weird because normally it has the names of the gas stations near that exit, but he took it anyway.  When he got to the gas station, however, he was upset it was BP (BP fuel ruins the engines of cars) so he drove down the road looking for another one.  When all he saw was farms he turned back and decided to go with BP just this once.  When he got to the station, however, every single pump was out of order.  This shocked Larry and he drove around it thinking there had to be one that was operative…nope.  He got back on 80 and saw another generic gas sign at the last exit of Pennsylvania, which happened to be the same one he got off when he realized he was going west when he should’ve been going East.  He got off thinking that he turned around at a gas station the first time he took the exit.  After driving for at least 20 minutes, he saw nothing but farms and an occasional factory.  He turned back convinced he would run out of gas.  He went to Ohio and promised himself he would only get off if it said the company.  The first exit in Ohio had a shell gas station so he took the exit and stopped at Shell.  This Shell, however, was for trucks only.  Looking around, he saw another Shell station a half block away and figured that was for cars. The first pump he came to was Diesel so he asked someone where regular was, turns out he just had to pull up but after his gas experience, he couldn’t be sure.  He filled up and checked his car for damage…there was none.  He then went back to 80 again.

Driving on 80 he saw a sign for the Ohio Turnpike, but when he came to the exit the sign didn’t repeat so he didn’t take it.  He got nervous though so got off at the next exit, took 80 E, got off again and went back to west to take that exit.  Five minutes later, he realized he had made the same mistake he made the first time he was the driver while coming back from New York.  He took the alternate Ohio Turnpike.  He didn’t feel like backtracking again so he kept following signs, always nervous about whether he was doing the right thing.  Last time his mom helped him through the mistake but she wasn’t in the car.  He thought it a good sign that the sun was in front of him since the sun sets in the west.  About two to three hours later he found a highway he recognized and cheered it.  He then went home.  It had been nine hours and 43 minutes since he left Brooklyn.  He ended his entire trip after traveling 1273 miles. 

Was it worth it for Larry?  Driving 1273 mile, getting lost, taking alternate routes, getting in an accident, was it all worth it?  Was it shady of Larry to lie to Vonnie?  If you ask Larry, even if he got so lost and ended up in California having to backtrack back, it would have been worth it.  He finally did something he wanted to do for three years.  In doing so he pleasantly shocked his best friend and made her birthday a little better.  Anyone that doubts this trip was worth it cannot imagine the look of happiness on Vonnie’s face.  To see a friend that happy because of a simple act, justifies lying, and justifies any distance traveled.  Larry would do anything for his friends.  He would do it again in a heartbeat because he loves Vonnie and the rest of the circle.  He will see them again in two months or maybe before depending on if they visit him….or…Larry goes to New York again. 

Face me like a Woman

                Larry was a Greek boy that went to New York University (NYU).  Most of his friends were commuters.  Larry was a very confrontational boy that didn’t mind getting in fights but refused to start them.  Because of this, he didn’t get in many fights because most of the time he would talk trash to people and the other person would back off because they didn’t see a point.  He was generally a nice person but had a dark side to him. 

Like all college students, Larry found himself in a certain circle of friends.  Most of the people in his circle commuted to school or were from New York just too far to commute.  One of them, Janilsa, a girl that grew up in East New York but now lived in Long Island, always maintained that Larry needed someone to beat him up.  Only problem was, Larry was too nice and looked small so nobody wanted to fight him in fear of hurting him or lack of reason.  Janilsa had asked some of her friends to do it because she knew Larry wouldn’t back down.  Her friends, however, always ended up liking Larry so didn’t want to fight him…even after Janilsa and Larry hooked up at parties while intoxicated.  This only happened on two occasions, the first, Janilsa’s brother was there, the second, one of her closest friends that boxed and knew Brazilian forms of martial arts was there.  Neither felt it was reason enough to fight him since Larry didn’t push it too far and did respect her.  Larry and Janilsa were friends, Janilsa had no resentment for him; she just wanted Larry to learn that he can’t be in New York with a fighter’s mentality.  To her, it would be better for Larry to learn on someone she knew and could control than a random person on the street.  In a weird sort of way, she was trying to protect Larry from himself.   Larry always said he was a tough kid and could fight, but as of yet didn’t have to prove it.

Larry’s closest friends in this group were a Russian named Vonnie and a Dominican named Alyssa.  Alyssa often got upset with Larry when his dark side emerged.  Vonnie knew exactly how to handle him, so it never bothered her.  Because of this, Larry’s target for insulting was Alyssa.  To him, it was a close friend that wouldn’t take it personally.  After all, Alyssa was always quick to tease people, so she should be able to take it.  One night, when classes were almost over ending the school year, Vonnie, Alyssa and Larry went to a bar.  Originally they were going to go to a club.  Larry hated clubs so the fact that he was going put him in a bad mood.  When Larry drank, it often exaggerated his present state.  This is why when he would drink to get over being angry; it would just make him angrier.  Larry had two drunken states, the first (and most common) was laid back and sometimes flirtatious, the other was rude and angry.  Alyssa hated the latter one, Vonnie didn’t mind it because, even in this state, she could control Larry and he rarely took his anger out on her.  When he did, Vonnie wouldn’t take it personally and things would be okay.  On this particular occasion, Larry was the angry drunk.  Alyssa was trying to get Larry to start working out and put grease in his hair (Larry was against both).  Larry had grown up with three siblings and a mother that would constantly nag him about these very things, so it triggered a deep resentment that he held for his siblings.  Larry hated when someone tried to tell him how to live his life, and he thought Alyssa was doing exactly that.  So Larry let Alyssa know about all her faults and berated her.  The one insult that got to her was that Larry called her unopinionated and passive.  Namely that she refused to give her opinion about anything because she wanted everyone to like her.  This opinion was triggered by one incident.  One day at dinner, Larry asked Alyssa about her position on the war in Iraq and she said, “It’s taking place on the other side of the world, why should I care?”  Although that is blatantly not opinionated, Alyssa did let people know her opinion, but Larry ignored that and focused on the one incident.  Larry backed off a little toward the end but the resentment still bottled up inside of Alyssa.

A couple days later, Alyssa called her good friend Abraham.  Abraham was about two to three inches taller than Larry and approximately 60lbs heavier than him.  Alyssa believed Abraham knew her the best.  They had hooked up before, but tried to keep it strictly plutonic.  Alyssa exaggerated the story with what happened to Larry and asked Abraham to beat him up for her.    Abraham agreed, he had met Larry and felt that it would not be a challenge.  Abraham lived in upstate New York (as did Alyssa), but he made the trip down to the city for the strict purpose of fighting Larry.  Alyssa pretended she was not upset with the night at the bar and invited him to hang out in Flushing, Queens where Alyssa had a house with her three sisters.  Larry went there and met up with her.  They walked around aimlessly and talked.  This was a common occurrence for them, so Larry didn’t feel it was odd.  Alyssa, however, was luring him to where Abraham was.  Larry saw Abraham, and thought it was weird how they would run in to him.  Abraham shoved Larry and said, “You’ve been talking shit to Alyssa.”

Larry turned to Alyssa and was greeted back with a devilish smile.  Larry nodded his head and said, “Yea, apparently Alyssa can dish it but can’t take it, so are you here to get revenge?”

Alyssa jumped in and said, “Oh I can take it, but I’m going to prove you wrong on something.  I do have opinions; it is my opinion that you need to get your ass kicked.”

                Abraham smiled and waited for Larry to try to talk his way out of it.  But all Larry said was, “So what are we waiting for?”

                Abraham pushed Larry and he took two steps back.  Although this was physical contact, it didn’t constitute picking a fight for Larry but still the build up to a fight.  Larry pushed back and Abraham took a half step.  Abraham punched at Larry but Larry ducked and swung his arm up uppercutting Abraham.  This was Larry’s element, he was used to fighting those bigger than he and he had a short fuse so adrenaline fueled him through his few fights.  Larry jabbed the other arm forward into Abraham’s nose, naturally blinding him with tears.  Abraham took two steps back to distance himself from Larry and rub his eyes.  Larry ran forward, jumped to the side and drove his knee into Abraham’s solar plexus.  Abraham breathed heavily but barely bent over.  Larry had fallen from his momentum but shot right back up.  He sprinted again and dove into Abraham’s legs tripping him back and to the ground.  Larry pounced on top of Abraham and punched his face repeatedly.  Abraham grabbed Larry by the biceps and tossed him to the side. He rose dazed and bent down.  Larry put his hands on Abraham’s back and pushed up drilling both knees into his face.  Abraham’s nose was bleeding and broken.  He struggled to get the tears out of his eyes that came as a natural reaction to being hit in the nose.  He broke the cobwebs in time to see Larry’s punch for his nose; he sidestepped it and punched Larry in the ribs.  Larry grabbed his side for a moment but quickly defended himself.  That split second was all Abraham needed to grab Larry and throw him against a building.  Larry bounced off and tried to tackle Abraham but he remained sturdy.  Again Larry found himself shoved against the building and Abraham punched at Larry’s midsection.  He then went for a final jab in Larry’s face but Larry moved his head and Abraham hit brick.  He reacted quickly, however, and tossed Larry to the ground.  He stomped at Larry but only connected on two to Larry’s back before he rolled out of the way.  Abraham was furious that Larry ever had the advantage and yelled out, “Come on”

                Larry smiled; he knew he was getting under Abraham’s skin.  Larry knew that big people could rarely fight well due to lack of experience.  Larry had experience with his larger siblings, and even though that was just wrestling without the intent of hurting, the same strategies are used.  Larry and Abraham circled each other.  Larry waited for him to make the first move.  Abraham took a step toward Larry and Larry hopped back.  Abraham lunged forward trying to grab Larry but Larry slipped his body behind Abraham and tried to lift him.  He didn’t get far, Abraham swung his arm to try to batter Larry but Larry ducked under it.  Larry brought his arm up for another uppercut but Abraham pulled his head back and Larry hit nothing but air.  Abraham bear hugged Larry and lifted him off the ground.  He ran toward a building and sandwiched Larry’s body.  He distanced himself and punched at Larry’s face.  Anger made Abraham ignore the pain that is endured when hitting the side of someone’s face directly.  Larry ducked but Abraham grabbed him before he could move.  Abraham tried lifting Larry, but Larry wiggled through his grip.  Since Larry was tall and lanky, he was able to do this.  The momentary confusion let Larry punch Abraham in the nose again.  Again Larry ran at Abraham and nailed him with his knee in the solar plexus.  This time Abraham did bend over because the wind was knocked out of him.  Larry jumped up and put Abraham in a headlock and repeatedly jammed his face into his knee.  While Larry’s knee connected with Abraham’s face, he stared down Alyssa.  Alyssa looked on in shock; Larry hadn’t been lying when he said he could fight.  Abraham picked up his upper body elevating Larry’s body.  Larry brought his other arm around Abraham’s neck and waited until Abraham was at full height.  Larry then brought both his feet at Abraham’s chest and pushed off as hard as he could.  Both of them flew off in opposite directions to the ground.  Larry got up quickly and saw Abraham get up.  Larry didn’t jog toward Abraham for he wanted to use Abraham’s body and anger against him.  Sure enough, Abraham got up blood dripping from his face and fury in his eyes.  He dashed at Larry, Larry waited until Abraham was within arms length until he bent down, wrapped his arms around Abraham’s legs and shot his upper body up catapulting Abraham’s body seven feet in the air and crashing down on the pavement.  While Abraham was in the air, Larry flexed and swung his arms implying that it was his strength that threw Abraham’s large body that high.  The reality was it was Abraham’s momentum used against him.  Larry turned and faced Abraham’s body lying flat.  Larry raced forward and leaped onto Abraham’s solar plexus.  Abraham sat up spitting the air from his body only to be met by a kick to the face.  Larry smiled for he knew Abraham was barely conscious and that the fight was over.  He helped Abraham to his feet where he wobbled trying to maintain balance.  Larry had run cross-country so his legs were accustomed to punishment and developed strength.  Larry wrapped Abraham’s arm over his shoulders, and lowered his other arm between his legs by his knees and lifted up so that Abraham’s body was spread across his shoulders.  Larry shifted his original arm that had Abraham’s arm to the back of Abraham’s head to secure his grip.  He turned and faced Alyssa and smiled before backing up to a building.  Larry bent forward and snapped his upper body back slamming Abraham’s body into the building repeatedly.  Larry was running on pure adrenaline and knew he would feel this later.  As Larry felt his muscles tiring, he took one final look over at Alyssa to refuel his adrenaline.  He was extremely mad that Alyssa would hire someone to beat him up for that one night.  It wasn’t about hurting Abraham, it was about making Alyssa watch the battering of her good friend with the knowledge that she was directly responsible for it.  With the last burst of energy, Larry turned and faced the wall, swung Abraham’s body so that he was perpendicular to Larry’s shoulder with his stomach resting on one of them and half his body in front, the bottom half behind Larry.  Larry had one arm on Abraham’s lower back keeping him on Larry’s shoulder and the other gripping Abraham’s hair lifting his head up.  Larry then hurried forward and drove Abraham’s face into the side of the building.  Abraham slid from Larry’s grip and lied motionless on the pavement unconscious. 

Alyssa cringed as she watched the final blow.  Larry walked toward Alyssa with both Abraham’s and his blood on his face, arms, and shirt. Alyssa was too scared to move.  She didn’t think Larry would hit her, but then again, she didn’t think Larry could beat Abraham.  Larry almost always carried two pocketknives on his waist.  They would only be drawn if someone pulled a weapon on him.  As he was face to face with Alyssa he took the two knives from his waist unopened.  Alyssa stiffened up because she knew about the knives and thought Larry would draw them.  Instead, Larry handed them to Alyssa and said, “You have a problem with me, now take it out on me.” 

Alyssa said nothing but just looked shockingly into Larry’s eyes. Larry realized Alyssa’s trepidation in taking the knives so he opened them up and flipped them around so he was holding the blades and the handle was pointed toward Alyssa, he said, “Here, I even opened them for you, all you got to do is push them forward into my body.”

“I’m not going to stab you” she finally mustered

“Why not, you can’t take care of your own problems.  You have to have your friends do your dirty work.  You know you and your sisters keep talking about how you want to establish yourselves in your occupation before getting married so you don’t have to depend on your husbands financially yet now, you can’t even take care of your own problems and need a man to help you.”

Alyssa knew Larry was trying to get her upset so she would stab him.  This wasn’t the first time Larry had tried to get her to hit him, but it was the first time his knives were offered.  She said, “I know what you’re trying to do”

“I’m not trying anything, you’re just proving me right, this is your problem; you take care of it, if it helps look at what I did to your lover Abraham.”

Alyssa did look at Abraham and began contemplating to stab Larry.  Then Larry said, “Come on, face me like a man”

“No Larry, like a woman” she said as she drove the knives into Larry’s sides below his ribcage, then subsequently removed them and dropped them onto the ground.  Alyssa was pre-med so she knew where the major arteries were.  She wanted to hurt Larry, not kill him so she avoided these arteries.  Larry grabbed his sides in pain and sat down.  He was happy in a sick sort of way.  Alyssa dropped the knives and helped Larry to his feet.  Larry grabbed his wounds and said, “Good job”

Both of them went over to Abraham and helped him.  By now, he was awake but still really bemused.  Larry took off his shirt and tied it tightly around his stomach putting pressure on his wounds.  They then both helped Abraham to the car.  On the way to the car, Larry collected his knives.  Alyssa drove the two boys to her house and nursed their wounds.  All three were on good terms.  The next day, while hanging out with their circle of friends, Larry and Alyssa told them the story.  Vonnie thought it was stupid, but Janilsa was happy that Larry got cut up a little bit.  Larry’s attitude didn’t change since he won the fight.  They all stayed on good terms and kept their friendship throughout their lives. 

Attempted Marine Rape Invasion

                In the year 1910, the mafia was beginning to take form due to the prohibition of alcohol.  On one night in New York, mafia members hijacked a truck looking for goods to sell.  All they found, however, was a large tank of sea horses.  They decided they would use the truck for transportation purposes.  To get rid of the seahorses, they threw the tank into the Hudson River.  When they got there, many amphibious creatures were intrigued by the new marine life.  Because of this, the marine life such as frogs approached the seahorses rather frequently.  The seahorses immediately began having sex with these frogs and other amphibians.  Although this seems weird, the harsh conditions of the Hudson River calls for species to either adapt or die.  The seahorses tried to mate and reproduce as quickly as they could since they were rapidly dying.  Mutations of sea horses arose and evolution was happening in New York unbeknownst to the large city of Manhattan.  By the year 2003, the seahorse had gone through multiple generations and had actually developed lungs for land occupation.  The mutated seahorse, however, still had full use of its gills.  This new mutation of seahorse was also very horny for non-seahorse animals.  Since an evolutionary law is “only the strong survive” this new mutation had all the good genes of the amphibians to survive.  Naturally this included a need for lungs to get out of the harsh conditions of the Hudson River.  The mutated seahorse instinctively wanted better though.  They sought out for animals that only occupied land.  One useful trait for this was inherited from a bullfrog in its ability to puff itself to multiple times it’s own size.  The only question was what species would the seahorse target, reptile, bird, or mammal? 

The seahorse got into water pipes and traveled through the cities.  Every now and then it would hear a loud noise and a large silver snake whizzed by.  This scared the seahorse for he had not seen a snake that large that made so much noise.  This snake had no scales, but smooth silvery skin.   The snake also had circular legs in which bright orange lights often emerged from them.  The legs were much larger than the seahorse so this is the only thing he got a good look at.  The seahorse did not want to rape this species.  The seahorse was not alone on this journey.  He had a female seahorse with him as well.  One thing to be understood is that the seahorse is one of the few species where the male carries the offspring and gives birth.  One day while traveling through pipes they reached an opening and saw a bright white light coming at them.  The male seahorse was able to slither out of the way, but the big silver snake with circular legs squashed the female.  The seahorse has no feeling for its mate so it just continued on searching for a mate.  After all, his job was to find a non-seahorse species.  The female species was only brought along in case they did not find a non-amphibious species in their travels.  If this were the case, they would mate and their offspring would continue the journey.  Would he find a non-amphibious mate before death?

Alyssa Gil went to school at New York University.  She was a commuter student and below average height.  After spending some time in the city and working out, she was on her way home.  Alyssa commuted to school so took the subway to and from school.  She waited on the platform for the subway with many other people.  As she was waiting she noticed a subway worker climb up from the tracks onto the platform.  Alyssa figured that the worker was done with his shift and was now leaving.  Shortly after the worker climbed up the subway train came.  It didn’t seem uncommon to her to see a worker climb from the tracks but she didn’t know that what this worker had with him would be extremely important later on that day. 

The male seahorse traveled through the water pipes until one day he saw a large animal with hair on the top of its head and soft skin.  It was multicolored with an orange harder texture over a different color softer skin.  This intrigued the seahorse so he grabbed on and crawled around searching to see if it would be a suitable species to mate with.  The large new species had no idea that the seahorse was on him and carried out its business.  When the male seahorse realized he discovered a male form of the species and could not mate with it, he wanted to get off.  At this time, however, the species was climbing so he waited for it to remain still.  He then hopped off and found no water pipes in this new area.  He immediately found a shorter, yet still massive compared to the frog-sized seahorse, version of the previous species.  This species had no hair except for the top of its head.  Immediately the seahorse climbed on this species to see if he had discovered the female version.  The seahorse froze when he heard the big snake coming.  He wondered if his elevated position would be too high for the snake.  It wasn’t, for the first time, the seahorse saw a middle section of the large snake.  Before then, he only saw its large circular legs.  He realized that the midsection had the smooth skin open up to reveal its insides, which were hollow.  Many of the species he had just encountered were inside of the snake.  The seahorse believed that this was how the snake ate, it would open up and something lured the new species he was now attached to inside its stomach.  The seahorse had never seen an animal do this so it was frozen in shock, and did not recover until it was too late; the species he had held on to had walked inside.  The seahorse had no idea what the snake used to lure this new species, but it appeared to have worked.  Suddenly the skin slid back into place and the seahorse thought this was the end. After a bit, he was perplexed because he didn’t feel dead.  The snake must have slow digestion, he observed the occurrences inside the snake.  He witnessed the skin opening and shutting many times.  What gave him hope is some of the species inside the snake would escape alive from inside of the snake.  Seeing this, he continued his journey on the species avoiding being crushed when many of this new species collided.  Now the seahorse’s efforts were on not being crushed between this species.  One thing was for sure it was a culture shock.  From an unknown source sounds would be made that seemed to come from everywhere at once, it happened shortly before and after the opening or closing of the skin. 

Finally the species he had grabbed on to exited from inside the snake.  The seahorse breathed in relief since no more of this two-legged species were colliding together.  He waited for the species to stop so he could continue to see if the species was female.  It did stop but not in where the seahorse wanted.  For this species had walked into another snake.  The seahorse didn’t think he would get lucky and live twice so fear caused him to stop again.  Once again the two-legged species collided into each other making it hard for him to search.  Finally, once again, the species exited from inside the large snake safe and sound.  The seahorse was amazed for he had been in the second snake for a very long time.  The species walked a long distance and the seahorse waited patiently for it to stop.  Every time it did it searched its body for female parts.  It was hard to distinguish from the layers of skin it had for it was not just one piece for the whole body.  This only occurred under the first two layers of skin.  The third layer was a layer he couldn’t crawl under so this is where it searched for the part.  Although this skin traveled through a majority of the body, it still did not cover parts of the upper section below the head and at the top of the legs at the bottom of the abdomen.  Since the seahorse was on the leg, the abdomen was closer.  The seahorse also moved slowly since it was an amphibian, thus needed water.  He hadn’t been in water for a while so was drying fast.  The species stopped and went rather frequently so this was a timely process and got more painful.  He had not discovered any part either male or female since the longer he waited the weaker he became.  The seahorse slept on the leg of the species.  The seahorse then saw something rather strange.  The species was tearing off the skin that had holes in it and revealed a skin that covered its entire body.  The seahorse remained where he was for it was on the verge of dying from not being in water.  To the seahorse’s luck it began raining.  Except this rain covered a very small area of the ground.  The seahorse looked up and did not see anything that resembled a sky nor did he see a sun.  He didn’t think about this, for he had to see if this species was male or female.  He crawled up toward the abdomen and when he reached the bottom, he found what he was looking for; the female part.  He immediately tried to mate with this large species but his part didn’t fit.  He unhooked his legs and plummeted to the ground to puffed up so his part would fit. 

Alyssa had taken the subway home.  It was rather crowded on the subway so she bumped with people frequently.  While walking home, she encountered many stops waiting for walk signs.  When she got home, she immediately went to the bathroom to take a shower.  Not too long later, she noticed a seahorse-like creature getting larger.  Alyssa was too shocked to scream or make a sound.  She knew she had not taken any drugs that cause one to hallucinate but this was not an every day occurrence.    The seahorse had puffed up to Alyssa’s size and Alyssa’s eyes widened with fear.  Suddenly Alyssa felt something around her groin region.  Despite her skepticism of the situation, she realized that this seahorse was male and trying to mate.  Immediately Alyssa slapped the seahorse across the side of his head causing it to slam against the bathroom wall.  The seahorse anticipated the species to fight back.  Species often did but this was survival of the fittest.  He came back and hit Alyssa with his suction arms in the face.  Alyssa felt the pain and began to believe that this was not her imagination.  Hallucinated objects don’t hit, and if they do, it doesn’t hurt.  Alyssa grabbed the seahorse by what she conceived to be the throat.  The seahorse immediately shot a small liquid substance from its snout.  This was how male seahorses attracted their mates.  They would spray a substance in the water that would draw the female seahorses to it.  Now it was used as a defense mechanism.  She let go of the seahorse and rubbed her face.  The seahorse took advantage of this and shoved her into the wall and again tried to mate now that he had her pinned.  Alyssa was too strong for that, she shoved the seahorse back and pulled herself out of the corner.  She opened her hands and put them in front of her and slapped the seahorse a couple times.  She then told the seahorse, “Come on you little fuck, I’m Dominican and we Dominicans can fight.”

The seahorse had no idea what sound emerged from the species but realized it was hard to mate with.  He wrapped his tail around her leg and pulled but Alyssa shook her leg violently trying to knock the seahorse off.  With the upper half of his body, the seahorse wrapped around the other leg and tripped Alyssa.  She collapsed flat on her stomach in the tub with water beating on her back.  The seahorse lied on top and again tried to stick his part into the hole in the bottom of the abdomen.  This, however, was the wrong hole.  Since most of the seahorse was air, it was very light.  Alyssa rose with ease and sandwiched the seahorse into the wall.  While she did this, she turned the water off.  Suddenly she realized that she was fighting a seahorse, the water would help it.  Alyssa faced the seahorse and stepped on its tale with one leg and kicked its midsection with the other.  The seahorse couldn’t move.  Alyssa contemplated getting her blow dryer as a weapon but she wanted to think that she didn’t need a weapon to fight a seahorse.  Alyssa stopped hitting the seahorse and dried herself on a towel.  She didn’t want any water on her to help the seahorse.  The seahorse was weak from all the blows he suffered.  The mentality that it had stopped raining scared him.  Alyssa returned and kicked it in the head knocking it to the ground.  She then stomped at it repeatedly.  As the seahorse dried, it shrunk since it couldn’t keep up the energy to maintain its enlarged state.  It instinctively hooked on to Alyssa’s leg with its last bit of energy to avoid being squashed.  This failed, however, since Alyssa simply kicked her leg against the side of the bathtub crushing the seahorse.  When she pulled away, a flat image of the seahorse was imprinted on the bottom of her leg.  Despite the fact that the seahorse tried to rape her, she thought her new tattoo looked kind of cute.  She took a shower and then got ready to do work.

The next day, she showed her friends her new tattoo.  She told them all it was temporary but she wasn’t really sure.  After a while the imprint did fade and Alyssa never told anybody how she had received the tattoo.  No other seahorses ventured further from the Hudson River and never achieved fully developed lungs to not need the water anymore.  Seahorses stopped traveling in water pipes as well.  This was on account of one seahorse going in and being scared off by the large snake.  The only person to have ever seen this new mutated form was Alyssa, but she never told anybody.  She accepted what happened and got on with her life and finished NYU only to go to medical school to continue to establish herself. 

The Emotionally Cornered

                On an unseasonably cold April day in New York City.  The city still had evidence of their snowstorm the day before from the wet streets and piled snow on the sidewalks.  A couple friends were hanging out at their favorite café.  Normally the crowd consists of five girls, and on Tuesdays, one guy.  The five girls are Alyssa, Vonnie, Gia, Janilsa, and Shruti. If there was one thing to be said about this group, it’s melting pot.  Every member (except Gia) can speak a different language and is fully one nationality.  They are Dominican, Russian, Dominican, and Pakistanian respectively.  On Tuesdays, which today is, their Greek male friend Larry shows up.  To add to the group today, two other males were there by the names of Boris and Victor (Russian and Dominican).  Boris, Vonnie, Alyssa, and Shruti all had Chemistry together and Victor was a friend of Janilsa’s.  Normally they would hang out at the café from 1:00 to 2:00 and then everyone but Larry went to class.  Sometimes they cut, and today was one of those days.  The odd thing about this day though was that Vonnie separated herself from the group and went outside to talk on the phone.  Vonnie Larry, and Alyssa had become extremely close in their time at school together.  At this time, Vonnie had been having trouble with her parents due to the reemergence of her ex-boyfriend Ben (muslim). 

                Ben had gone out with Vonnie for approximately eight months before breaking up in December.  It was a tough break up on both parts.  It actually happened twice.  The first time Ben dumped Vonnie, within a week they were back together but not too long afterward, Vonnie dumped Ben.  Ben became extremely upset over this and tried to maintain a friendship with Vonnie.  Vonnie vehemently refused and after many threats (which later proved hollow) by Ben, they didn’t contact each other.   That is, until now.  During the last four months Ben had gone to Toronto.  He did get Vonnie to give in and answer her phone a couple times but for the most part Vonnie and he didn’t speak.  Ben expertly manipulated Vonnie into slowly talking to him more and more by maintaining civil conversations.  Now that he was back in New York, it was time to move in.  Also during these three months, Vonnie changed her cell phone number, and refused for Ben to have the number.  Arguably this was the only mind game that Vonnie had over Ben, but one stronghold is not enough to deal with a master manipulator like Ben.  The conversation was taking place on Alyssa’s phone so that Ben would still not know Vonnie’s number.  It is unknown who called whom, but somehow Ben had to get Alyssa’s number.  The chemistry people ended up cutting class and Vonnie spent the time yelling and fighting with Ben outside dismissing anyone that tried to come near.  When she was done, her friends (now just Boris, Alyssa, and Larry) tried cheering her up and telling her how to deal with Ben.  With the fear that Vonnie had of her ex-boyfriend, it appeared only Vonnie could help Vonnie but her friends would never give up on her.  Larry knew the most about this because he had helped Vonnie through this four months ago, so he saw the same patterns of Ben threatening and Vonnie believing the threats that turned out hollow.  Once again, Vonnie was saying how nobody knows what she knows and what Ben is capable of.  When Vonnie talked about Ben and what he can do, it appears Satan, Allah, Yahweh, and God combined couldn’t overcome the massive power of Ben.  Vonnie, however, didn’t see how powerful she was making him.  Nobody is that powerful, the only power Ben had was the one power that Vonnie wouldn’t admit; the ability to stalk.  Vonnie seemed convinced that Ben would never harm her, but he would go after her friends and family instead.  Even with Janilsa’s brother being in a gang, one of Vonnie’s friends having two firehouses worth of firefighters, Boris with mob ties, and Larry’s family in Brooklyn also having gang connections, to Vonnie, Ben could overcome them all with his.  As long as Vonnie deified Ben and Ben was an evil, not a good, deity, things could only get worse. 

                After hanging out a bit, Boris and Alyssa went home and Larry, Gia, and Vonnie hung out around Greenwich Village.  Larry’s cell phone rang so he answered the phone and said, “Hello?”

                “Larry, it’s Kera, what’s good?”

                Kera was Larry’s cousin whom he used to be extremely close with.  They hadn’t talked much lately so this phone call came as a surprise.  Larry still looked at her like a little sister and wanted to protect her at all costs but Kera, who was the eldest in her family, did not like an older brother figure, which is why she pushed Larry away.  He responded, “Nothing, just hanging out with two of my friends.”

                “Really what friends?”

“Vonnie and Gia”

“Didn’t you hook up with one?”

“Yea”

“Which one Vonnie of Gia”

“The latter” (Larry didn’t want to say names on the phone especially with the topic matter)

“Alright cool, but I am heading to Greenwich Village now (Larry, Vonnie and Gia went to NYU) and I wanted to see if I could chill with you.”

                “Yea, That’s fine”

                So Kera came down to Greenwich Village to hang out with them.  What Kera didn’t realize was that somebody was listening to her conversation.  Ben and Kera both lived in Brooklyn.  He knew Larry’s name from Vonnie because in early January, Larry went over to Vonnie’s house and Ben showed up to yell at Vonnie for having a guy at her house when her parents weren’t there.  For this reason, Larry and Ben didn’t like each other and Ben erroneously thought Larry was trying to go out with Vonnie.  Given this, when he heard somebody utter an unusual name like that, he listened in and hearing the names “Vonnie” and “Gia” (Ben also had met Gia), he knew that these were exactly who he thought they were.  He immediately began following Kera.  Unfortunately for Ben, Kera has a sixth sense of knowing when someone is following her.  This scared her so she called up one of her male friends and told him she was coming over.  Whether Ben realized Kera knew or just thought she was going to the kid’s house, he opted not to follow her and make his own trip to Greenwich Village.  Kera noticed he wasn’t following as soon as she made the phone call, so she explained to the kid what had happened and where she was going.  Her friend didn’t mind the interruption.  Kera then walked toward the subway and Ben decided to wait a little before heading down.

                Kera arrived at Greenwich Village and met up with Larry, Vonnie, and Gia.  As they were walking, Vonnie was talking to Gia and Larry was listening.  Kera walked ahead not interested in the conversation.  As they were crossing a street, a car ran a red light, Larry saw the car heading toward Kera and froze and watched in slow motion as the car skid on the wet ground and hit Kera as she fell onto the hood and rolled off finally landing on her back.  Larry ran to her and immediately checked her vital signs while the car drove off.  She was not breathing nor had a pulse.  Larry yelled for them to call the police and immediately started CPR.  The ambulance came quickly and took over for Larry as he sat on the curb with his head in his hands not believing what had happened.  To Larry, he knew he was in striking distance to push Kera out of the way but he froze and it was too late before he regained his senses.  To Larry, feeling that he betrayed a friend was the worst feeling in the world.  The ambulance asked Larry to go but he shrugged them off.  It hurt to look at Kera, knowing that it should have been him being put into the ambulance.  Vonnie and Gia were shocked that Larry didn’t go with her and only gave them her name and number of her parents.  Larry turned his back to the street and reached at his waist and pulled out two pocketknives he carries around with him.  He turned the blades so that they faced his chest and held them there.  Gia saw this and immediately came over to Larry and said, “Larry, what the fuck are you doing?”

                “Leave me alone”

                “No, give me the knives, you don’t know what you’re doing.” She said she as grabbed Larry’s arms. 

                Larry jumped up pulling his arms free and then gripping Gia’s biceps with only his fingers as his palms still maintained a grip on his knives.  He yelled in a deafening tone, while shaking Gia “Shut the fuck up! I’m not giving you the fucking knives, they’re mine, I can do whatever the fuck I want with them, stop fucking getting involved where you’re not wanted, you always fucking do this.  What the fuck do you care if I kill myself?”

                As Larry continued berating Gia, Gia cried since she was scared for a variety of reasons.  One she couldn’t get free, two, Larry was yelling in decibels loud enough to be heard in midtown, three he had knives in the very hands he gripped and shook her with; an accident could easily happen.  The most popular reason for crying is when one feels helpless.  Vonnie saw what was going on and grabbed Larry’s arm and pulled him.  Larry turned to face her with the knives still exposed and facing him.  Vonnie said, “Try that on someone that can take it, you know Gia can’t, try that shit with me.”

                Some would say, Vonnie was being coldhearted given the circumstances but she knew this was how to deal with Larry right now.  He was letting out all his stress and frustration on Gia and Gia was too sensitive for that type of thing.  Vonnie also knew not to try to take the knives but just to try to convince him to put it away.  Vonnie said, “Why aren’t you shaking me?”

                “Vonnie, you’re different, you don’t treat me like I’m a child, just leave me alone”

                “Why, so you can pull knives on yourself and threaten to kill yourself?”

                “Vonnie, just turn around”

                “Why?”

                “Please”

                “Why?”

                “You don’t want to see what I’m going to do”

                “You’re not killing yourself”

                “Okay, just turn around”

                “What are you going to do that you don’t want me to see?”

                “I just can’t kill myself with you watching, I can’t give you the horror of looking me in the eye as I die.”

                “Well if you’re serious, I’m staying here”

                While they were talking, Gia got in a cab to go home; she didn’t want to see Larry anymore.  Larry said as he unbuttoned his jacket and stared at a figure in the distance, “Alright, I’ll turn around”

                Due to Larry being very skinny, he could easily locate his ribs.  He felt his ribs and twisted the knife so that it was at it’s widest and stuck it between his ribs into his heart.  He fell forward to provide more force since it takes a tremendous amount to reach your heart.  Vonnie was shocked; she leaned over and wrapped her arms around Larry.  Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and a familiar voice said, “hmmm looks like you’re little boyfriend killed himself.”

                Vonnie froze for she knew that voice.  The voice of someone she had loved, someone that could get in her head the most, someone she feared, someone that triggered so many emotions she could barely stand in his presence.  The person helped her to her feet and turned her so she could lock eyes with her manipulator.  Sure enough, it was Ben; he had found them Ben asked Vonnie, “Guess you can’t fuck him anymore.”

                Vonnie backed up and felt a brick wall, thus she was cornered.  Ben said, “What’s a matter Vonnie?  Where’s the girl that was yelling at me earlier?  You’re all alone now, your only hope, not that he was much of one anyway, just stabbed himself.  Since you’re all alone, we’re going to talk and you’re not going to give me your fucking shit.”

                Vonnie was stunned, but she felt the instinctual courage animals get when cornered and said, “How can you be so cold? I just saw one of my friends kill himself, and you’re still keeping up this mind game?”

                “Oh it’s my fault, you didn’t talk to me for four months so you could fuck this skinny shit, what about my feelings?  What about how you fucked me up?  Does anyone care about me?”  He said as he got even closer. 

                Vonnie lowered herself on the wall from fear and could only manage a faint, “I never fucked Larry, we were just friends”

                Ben grabbed Vonnie and pushed her against the wall and snapped, “Don’t lie to me!”

                It was official, Vonnie was trapped, cornered, helpless, humans are animals too, they have instincts, and cornered animals snap back because they have to or die.  Vonnie snapped back “Don’t touch me!” as she pushed him back.

                Ben nodded and moved closer so he was inches from her face and said, “Try that again see what happens.”

                Once again, Vonnie felt trapped so she abandoned reason and just went to instinct and shoved Ben back again and what happened next seemed like slow motion to her, but her body had performed it automatically, her hand came to the side and swung across Ben’s face.  That was the first time she had slapped somebody, and it felt good.  She let adrenaline take over and punched Ben in the nose.  Ben snapped back with a jab but Vonnie saw it coming and twisted her limber body to the side and Ben’s hand whizzed by Vonnie’s head into the brick.  Ben retreated bent over holding his fist in dire pain.  Vonnie walked perpendicular to Ben and ran full speed and jammed her knee into the side of his head knocking him down.  She then stomped at his back repeatedly, all that was in her head was all the things Ben said to get into her head, the way he made her feel after a phone conversation, the way he manipulated her, the way he played whatever game he wanted and forced her to play and, most recently, the way she mocked the suicide of one of her best friends.  Ben rolled out of the way and to his feet.  Vonnie was smart and isolated her stomps to the back of the head and neck.  Ben got up with blood oozing down his face.  He looked at Vonnie with intense hatred in his eyes.  How could you hate someone that you claimed you loved?  The biggest thing that bothered Ben was that his ego was being put in check; he was getting beat up by a girl half his size in the streets of New York with many witnesses.  He ran at Vonnie, not thinking how to fight, but Vonnie, gained back only enough rational to realize the mistake, she sidestepped Ben and stuck her foot out tripping Ben to the ground and having his face slide against the pavement tearing at his skin even more.  Ben stumbled to his feet.  Vonnie darted forward and jumped on Ben’s back.  Unfortunately, Vonnie didn’t weigh much and since Ben was stocky and well proportioned, he could support her weight despite his loss of blood.  He backed Vonnie into the wall again and leaned into it sandwiching Vonnie.  He then eased up and turned and grabbed Vonnie by the biceps and pushed her against the wall.  He asked in a taunting manner, “Now Vonnie, did you really think you could beat me?  I’m from Brooklyn.”

                Vonnie kicked him in the shin and then delivered the second slap of her life across his face.  She said, “So am I”

                Truth is both were originally from Brooklyn but moved to Fort Lee, NJ and had lived there most their lives.  Vonnie twisted her hips and swung back with her fist punching Ben in the nose knocking him back a few feet.  Ben was blinded from the blood on his face and shock that he was actually losing.  Vonnie ran at Ben jumped to the side and drilled her knee into his solar plexus causing him to drop to one knee.  Once again she saw this as an opportunity to get a running start and knee him in the back of the head collapsing him to the ground and then stomp at his head and neck repeatedly.  Ben quickly turned around trying to roll away as he did before but he caught a foot directly in the face and stopped.  Vonnie stomped repeatedly as Ben got too weak to resist.  Vonnie started stomping at his midsection as well.  Vonnie was pre-med so knew the soft spots of the body like the solar plexus and center of the forehead.  When she tired and Ben was barely conscious she put her right leg on Ben’s neck and said, “All it takes is for me to put pressure, and you die, you’re hyoid bone breaks and no more Ben, bet you didn’t think your life would be in my hands.  You should know how fucking pissed I am right now, if I would be able to beat you.  So you better start fucking begging.”

                Ben panted for breath and between gasps said, “Please Vonnie, don’t kill me.”

                “I forget, who fucked with who?” Vonnie asked.

                “I tried to play with your mind, I played mind games, I thought it was fun to break someone as strong as you, I’m sorry.”

                “Did I intentionally hurt you?”

                “No, I just said that so you’d feel like shit and start talking to me so I could play my sick game again.”

                “Did I fuck other guys these past four months?”

                “No, I just wanted to get a rise out of you, I hated anyone that hung out with you because I was insanely jealous.” 

                “Will you call me again, or will you finally believe me that we need time apart to get over each other.”

                “We’ll pretend we never knew each other Vonnie, and go our own separate ways just please don’t kill me, you love me”

                “I don’t love you Ben, You can’t love someone you’re afraid of.  But I’m not afraid of you now, tables have turned, you’re life is in my hands now; I can take it.  With the way you talk about Larry, maybe I should.  The way you don’t trust me, the way you harass me and fucking stalk me, will you stop stalking me?”

                “Yes, no more, I won’t stalk you, you win, come on Vonnie, Please don’t kill me, I’m begging you.”

                “I know, but I begged you to stop calling and stop playing your games, and stop your threats and you kept at it for you sick ego.”

                “What do you want from me? I told you I’d stop.”

                “Do you still think I’m a liar?”

                “No, you don’t lie, I lied to get in your head”

                “Will you threaten me or my friends?”

                “No, you win, I surrender, and you’re free of me”

                “That’s what I like to hear” she said as she looked away, “But Ben”

                “What?”

                Vonnie leaned in putting slight pressure on her foot, “You lie Ben, and let me tell you something and do something you could never do…..make a threat and then carry through……I’m going to fucking kill you, close your eyes”

Ben snapped out of it, “You don’t have the guts”

“Like me and you said, Ben… I don’t lie” She said as she lifted the leg not on Ben’s neck so her full body weight rested on the only bone not connected to another for support and turned her head away.  A pop of the bone was all it took and Ben’s eyes glazed over in death. 

                The sound of the popping bone was surprisingly refreshing for Vonnie.  No more Ben, she had successfully ridded herself of the one person that could hurt her the most.  She finally snapped back into reality and checked on Larry.  Larry was still semi-conscious.  He ran his hand in Vonnie’s hair and said, “I’m so proud of you Vonnie, Please don’t cry for me, I got to watch you beat the shit out of Ben and kill him.  You’re free now; I don’t fear death because I will see Drew again (Drew was Larry’s best friend that had died 3/21/02).  Thank you for giving me the best sight before I die.  Don’t feel bad for me Vonnie; I’m in a better place.  I had to do this, I had betrayed a close friend again, with my stabbing myself, I gave you the strength to face Ben.  See I know him better than you think, I knew he wouldn’t sympathize with me, and you’re like me, it’s much worse when someone does something to your friends than to you.  That was your biggest fear, but now you faced it and Ben can’t hurt you or your friends.  The easy way is to hit a button on a phone and if he continued to stalk you file a restraining order against him so next time he gets within 100ft. of you, he’ll be in jail.  That’s not your style though Vonnie, you had to do it the hard way, so you met him in the streets, took the right motivation and executed beautifully.  I love you Vonnie, and I’m proud of you.  Don’t think to mourn my death, I’m dying in my favorite city and I died seeing you free yourself form Ben’s chains.  I don’t know if stabbing myself gave you the extra impetus, but I like to think it did.  Just tell Kera I love her and that it’s not her fault.  Don’t call an ambulance, let me die, I don’t want to live because life can only go downhill from this moment.”

                Vonnie cried but she knew Larry was sincere.  She just said, “Thank you Larry”

                Vonnie didn’t know what gave her the strength to do what she did.  Was it what Ben said about Larry’s stabbing himself? Was it that she was cornered and had no choice? Was it she just got fed up with the stalking and everything?  Was it a combination? Whatever it was, she was glad she did it.  Witnesses all testified that Vonnie was fighting in self-defense.  Even though, from a legal standpoint, she had taken it too far, nobody pressed charges because every witness aided Vonnie.  Larry was buried in New York since everyone that knew him knew that’s what he would have wanted.  Kera ended up only spending a day in the hospital and blamed herself at first for Larry’s death but Vonnie consoled her and told her what he had said.  Vonnie, Alyssa, Gia, Boris, Janilsa, and Shruti remained very close friends and were happy they never had to deal with Ben’s bullshit again.