On The Streets

Riff. My names Riff.

Tony's butt was sore from sitting all day, his posture was bent and his back ached, plus the trash can he sat on stank like cat crap, and his pants had suspicious brown spots that definitely weren't there before he sat down. However, as of this moment, he was having the time of his life. Really nothing could have brought him down from his high, he had a hoagy in one hand and a cool shiny coke in the other, fresh fizzle and everything. He happily let the painfully delicious liquid cool him down on this hot summer's day.

His mother had gone back to her drinking despite her insistence that she had stopped, so Tony hightailed it out of there. It wasn't like she was a messy drunk, she didn't yell at him or hit him. However she would stare at him, straight in the eye and she would mumble, she would do this for hours until he balled his eyes out begging her to stop. So he stopped being there when she drank, it was easier on him and her.

"Hey get off me!" Said a youngish voice, spoken so small yet held with such a strong posture about it. Tony turned his head and frowned, downing the rest of his drink quickly, wiping the contents from his mouth. He dusted his hands and popped off the trash can.

The boy was holding a loaf of bread and an older kid was twisting his arm, threatening to break it if he didn't let go. The boy, with a dirty mouth, just stood there and held out, tears streaming down his face.

"You're kidding me, Dave." Tony growled, "He's like 2."

"I'm 3 and a half!" Shouted the boy indigenously, shocked that such a wrong estimation could even occur.

"I'm just asking him to share his bread," Dave laughed, pulling a bit harder. The boy let out a whimper of pain and let go of the bread in a reflex.

"You know you're a real bully," Tony yelled.

"Awe that makes me so sad," he laughed as he picked up the bread, biting into immediately. Without another word, he walked off.

Tony walked over and offered his hand to the boy. The boy stared at it and eventually just sat up ignoring it.

Tony looked down at him, short ruffled brown hair, with brown eyes apart from the one spot of blue on the right eye.

"Hello, I'm Tony."

The boy didn't speak to him. Just stared with confused and guarded eyes.

"Want some of my hoagies?" He offered because, in reality, the boy looked skinny, his clothes were limp and his pants hung lower than usual.

At that he perked up, still hesitant, he followed him to the back where they shared a hoagy.

After they were done, Tony offered him a smile and slowly the boy returned it.

They sat like that in silence for a while. Eventually, the sun started falling asleep and they had to leave. Tony stared at the boy who was getting more and more exhausted.

"Well, I suppose I better turn in." He hopped down from the trash can, "Goodbye."

"Riff."

Tony turned, "huh?"

"My names Riff." The boy repeated, but smaller.

Tony smiled wide and ruffled Riff's hair.

"Well, then Riff, goodnight."