got problems?” one dude asked.
“This…piece-a-shit here just fuckin’ dissed me,” she said pointing.
“You got a problem, homey?” he asked with the pool stick clutched tightly in his hand. He was flanked by other goons who had his back. They grilled me like I was easy prey.
“Nah, nigga…but you need to teach this bitch some manners. Fuckin’ ho, forgot where she came from. Maybe she needs some dick in her mouth for
her to shut the fuck-up!” I barked.
It was suicide. I knew what they were about. Their deamonor and style of dress screamed hustler. I had just lost my job, had too many bills to take care of and my car was on the verge of breaking down. They had Benzs and Escalades parked outside. All were frozen in ice and had money to burn. I had twenty dollars in my pocket and no job. Tipsy I was and in no mood for bullshit. I didn’t give a damn.
“Muthafucka, who you think you’re talkin’ to?” He was about six two, well dressed and well built. We were about the same size.
“Yo, I ain’t got no beef wit’ you, but your bitch is trash,” I continued my verbal onslaught.
“Vince man, c’mon…chill out,” Billy said fearing the worse. I needed to get hyped. There was nothing to lose and I haven’t been in a fight in months. Sharice played me. I knew she was used to niggas kissing her ass.
I saw the pool stick coming my way, ducked and charged forward. My first victim caught the blow across his jaw. I hit the second nigga across his temple and I went for the third nigga. I hit that third nigga so fucking hard, that I felt his jawbone shatter. I was outnumbered, but going hard body and had the advantage for serveral moments. Then someone grabbed me in a chokehold from behind. His forearm pressed against my wind-pipe like a python left me gasping, trying to break free.
“Yeah, what!” one of the thugs shouted hitting me.
“You bitch-ass, my son hits harder…”
The next blow buckled my knees. I found myself on the bar floor in the fetal position being stomped.
“Yo, drag this muthafucka outside!”
“Yo, get the fuck off me,” I yelled kicking.
My uniform was torn. My face was bruised and swollen from the blows bestowed.
“Yeah, talk that shit, fuckin’ big mouth!”
“I’m calling the cops.” The bartender shouted.
“We out…”
“I told you, stupid. Next time, you better fuckin’ respect me,” Sharice said looking down on me with a smug expression.
I was sprawled out on the floor, hearing them leaving. She followed her goons out the door.
“Fuck you! You still a ho!” I yelled.
I was hurting. My mouth was filled with blood and it felt like a few ribs were broken.
“Vince, you okay?” Roger asked coming to my aid.
“Thanks for the help,” I said, slowly picking myself up off the floor and holding my side.
“You and your smart mouth, gonna get you killed one day,” Billy said.
I looked at Billy thinking to myself, fuckin’ pussy .
“I’d rather die on my feet than live on my knees,” I said with as much conviction as I could.
Who was I kidding? I’ve been living on my knees in society since my mother lost her house to the bank. I dropped out of school to support my family. Now I’ve lost my job and my family. I just got disrespected by a bitch I went to high school with and her goons beat me down.
I sighed, licked my wounds and went to the bar for another Corona. I thought about dying on my feet and becoming a man in this world, instead of continuing to live on my damn knees.
Three
I woke up to the aroma of breakfast coming from the kitchen. Either my moms or aunt was cooking. They both were wonderful cooks. I glanced at the time. It was ten in the morning. I slowly got out of bed, nothing to do for the day but job hunt.
“Vincent, breakfast is ready,” my moms shouted.
“I’ll be wit’ y’ all in a minute.”
I walked into the bathroom and looked at my reflection. My battered face from last night’s fight stared right back at