Skin Games Read Online Free PDF Page B

is running out.  Step out of the vehicle immediately.”
    Scrubby didn’t look up.  He was tossing papers then he leaned back down and reached into the glove compartment.
    This time, I grabbed Scrubby’s arm and said firmly, “Scrubby!”
    He looked up at me, then looked over at the cop.  Then, finally, he slid over in his seat and stepped out of the car on the driver’s side.  The cop on my side took one step back and said, “You too, buddy.”
    I opened my door and stepped out.  Now that I could see both cops, I saw that one was chubby, the driver.  The other was beyond chubby; he was fat.  They wore dark black uniforms instead of the blue the city cops wore.
    The cop patted Scrubby from head to toe looking for weapons.  He pulled the wallet from Scrubby’s back pocket.  He removed Scrubby’s driver’s license and took a good long look at it.
    “You got a license, at least.”
    The other cop nodded and said, “Lucky guy.  How ‘bout you?  You got ID?”
    I reached for my wallet, and the cop jumped and shouted, “Easy.”  He grabbed my arms and roughly straightened them out.  He patted me down then said, “Ok, now give me the license.”
    I pulled out my wallet and quickly handed him my high school ID, while flexing my suddenly sore shoulders and elbows.
    He looked at the picture, then at me, then back at the picture.
    “School ID?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Where’s your driver’s license.”
    “Don’t got one.”
    “Take a seat,” he said while gesturing to the curb.
    I sat down as he walked towards the police cruiser.
    “You, too,” the other cop said to Scrubby.  Scrubby paused, and the cop said louder: “Are you deaf?  Sit your ass down on the curb next to your buddy.”
    Scrubby nodded and slowly sat down next to me.
    The chubby cop walked up to the car and sat down inside.  The fat one leaned against the police cruiser and breathed heavily.
    Scrubby started fidgeting.  He shifted back and forth while sniffling and playing with his nose.  He turned to me and said, “Knock it off.”
    “What?  What did I do?”
    “Just sit still.”
    I looked down and didn’t say a word.
    “We’re fucked.  Goddamn it, we are fucked.”
    I stayed quiet.
    “Did you hear me?  We are fucked.”
    The fat cop looked over.
    “Shit.  Now he’s gonna come back over here.”
    The chubby cop climbed slowly out of the car and said something softly to the fat cop.
    The fat cop nodded and laughed.  Then the two walked towards us.
    “Shit.  We are going to jail tonight.”
    “Shh,” I said.  “Just be casual.”
    Scrubby turned towards me and mumbled through clenched teeth, “Don’t tell me what to do, you little shit.”
    The chubby cop walked over and stood in front of us, looking down.  It felt like an eternity, him just staring.  The fat one stood with pursed lips a few yards behind him, not saying or doing a thing.
    “Get up,” he finally said.
    We stood up.
    He handed Scrubby his driver’s license and said, “You’re lucky.  You can go home tonight.”
    “Great.” Scrubby said and started walking towards his car.
    “Where are you going?”
    “To my car.”
    “Nuh uh,” the chubby cop said.  “The car is going to the impound yard.”
    “Come on!”
    “You ain’t got papers, you can’t drive the car home.  Simple.  You can pick it up tomorrow when you pay the fine and show the proper paperwork.”
    Scrubby looked up at the dark sky while shaking his head.  I could tell he was about to say something really stupid.  I needed to speak up first.
    “Come on,” I said.  “Let’s go.”
    “Train station is that way,” the fat cop said, pointing to the west.
    “Can I just grab my cigarettes?” Scrubby asked.
    “Fine.”
    Scrubby walked over to the car and bent his scrawny body inward, but he didn’t climb inside.  He walked out and slid something into his back pocket while sheepishly looking downward.  The cops didn’t seem to notice, or care.
    We started