On The Streets

Jets need our help today!

"All I'm sayin is I've lost three jobs since they invaded," Tony ranted on. Riff, as always just quietly nodded on. Tony often wondered if Riff really had an opinion on the matter or if he just blocked Tony out. "So that's why, if you wear turnips shaped like shells, all Puerto Ricans will foam at the mouth and die."

Riff, nodded slowly then furrowed his eyebrow and looked up, "what?"

"Are y'a listening?" Tony challenged.

"I'm listening, sorry, I just got a lot on my mind."

"You'd do well to listen, soon it will be your houses they take."

Riff just shrugged, "I never thought I'd get to live in one anyways."

Tony frowned, "what about y'as dads?"

Riff shook his head and grimaced. "I don't think I'd wanna live there anyways."

Tony shrugged, "it's still a problem, they should just go back to where they came from. We don't want em."

Riff nodded again and didn't say anything. Tony sighed and continued on, "I mean they ain't belong here, their cultures different, they don't even look like us."

"We all look different." Riff quietly filled in. Tony sighed and got on his knees to be at eye level with Riff.

"Listen here Riff, it's all fun and games, 'it isn't fair to them, they are citizens! They have rights!' But out there in that world, it's them or us, there ain't enough room, jobs, or places for the both of us and if I have to choose between us or them? I'm gonna choose us. Every single time, because I got my mam, myself, and y'a. So I'll be damned if I let someone get in between of my or your successes." Tony reasoned.

Riff shook his head, "you're right, I'm sorry, I'm just being silly."

"Nah, you've just got a big heart."

"I do not!" Riff denied.

"You so do."

Someone bumped into Riff, he let out a large puff of air and an apology. The man grumbled back and kept walking. Riff continued normally and turned up to speak when he noticed the absence of his friend.

"Tony?" He called out confused, then turned around to see Tony going after the man who bumped into him. Riff's eyes widened and ran after Tony, he looked up to get a closer look at the man, he had darker skin and black hair oiled with sweat.

"Hey! You bumped into my friend." Tony yelled out, the man didn't respond, he just kept walking. 

Tony sped up his walk and grabbed the man on the arm. The man turned to look at Tony confused. Tony swung his fist back and pile drove it towards the man's face. His eyes widened and he moved left and punched Tony's rib cage.

Tony didn't take much time to recover and bent down to run the man head-on. They both stumbled to the ground and rolled across the asphalt. Loose rocks cut them both open, leaving scrapes everywhere.

As Tony's anger and impulsive adrenaline were strong, he wasn't an experienced fighter and was soon losing.

"Stop!" Riff shouted his heart rate quickening at the sight of blood, much less covering his friend's face.

The man jabbed Tony in the throat, he lost breath and wheezed. As the Puerto Rican moved to punch again, another white boy joined in the fight. He pulled the guy off of Tony and started fighting him himself, leaving Tony time to catch his breath.

The crowd cheered and was awed with the fight, Puerto Ricans and gringos separated on each side. They watched with chilling anticipation.

The second Riff saw a break in the crowd he scrambled over and helped Tony sit up, frantically wiping off the blood covering him. Tony scanned his white face friend up and down.

"Riff." He quietly said, however, Riff didn't respond, he was shaking. His breathing was rough, overdone, and broken into segments.

"Riff, I'm okay." He laughed and ruffled Riff's hair. Riff took a moment to calm himself down, then reached over and punched him in the arm, hard.

"Owe- that stung! What the hell Riff!"

"What the hell Riff? What the hell Tony! What were y'a thinking!"

Tony growled, "the Puerto Ricans think they can just walk all over us. It's disgusting."

Riff frowned, as he looked around, many people bumped into each other while walking. It was New York. Most of them didn't spare a passing glance at it.

When Tony looked back, the fight was over, both parties had spotted a police officer and dispersed.

He dusted off and held his hand out to the guy who had helped him out.

"Thanks, he was wiping the floor with me." Tony laughed.

The guy smirked, "he ain't so tough against the both of us."

"Hell yeah, he ain't."

"You wanna come with us," Tony asked.

"Sure," the guy held his arm out, "I'm Mouthpiece."

"Y'a names Mouthpiece?"

"My names Mack."

"Alright, Mouthpiece it is."

He and Tony walked off, Riff following them quiet. Tony was thrilled to have someone who shared his views and wasted no time in conversations.

An hour later when Tony turned around Riff was still following them quick as ever.

Tony smiled and fell pace to walk next to him, "y'a know Riff here's the toughest man in town."

"Oh yeah?" Asked Mouthpiece amused.

Riff raised his eyebrow. "I could take y'a down without breaking a sweat."

Tony laughed and side hugged him, "damn right you could."

Riff puffed out his chest and riled up his fists, ready to take anyone on without hesitation. Punching the air he fought an invisible man, biting his lip quirked to the side.

Tony watched for a second, cheering him on with each punch. Laughing as Riff himself acted out getting punched. He turned to Mouthpiece, "he may be slow but you bet y'as last penny he's faster than anyone out there. He's like a jet."