Off The GridIron

Chapter 36: An Old Face

Monday February 17th, 1992

5:30pm

Willie

"Well Willie you've done it again." I heard Leon say. "You know you're getting good at this. I didn't know you knew how to place Darts."

"I don't, I'm learning as I go along." I laughed and he gave me a yeah right look.

"Well you know he was always quick to pick up on things." Junior said. "You remember how it was with football, he was leading us pretty much, same with me when we didn't know much about the game, now look at him, he's playing football, top of the class at his school." He said. "I've been to a few of the games, and he's put work in, it's a shame that his team didn't make it to the Championships this year though."

"Shit who you tellin', neither did mine, after Rel went down with that injury the last few games we had weren't our best." Leon sighed.

"Look man i keep telling you that wasn't your fault, shit happens out on the gridiron, i know that better than anyone." Junior said as he patted Leon on the shoulder.

"Yeah you're right about that." Leon said as he tossed another dart. "Hahaha, looks like i won, i'm still the undisputed king of the darts." He said laughing.

"Yeah whatever." I said.

"Yo y'all wanna go get something to eat?" Leon asked.

"Yeah, where do y'all want to go?" Junior asked.

"Well to you it shouldn't matter, it looks like wherever we go you'll be ready, with that big ass stomach of yours fatboy." He said laughing.

"Man fuck you!" He punched Leon in the arm and laughed.

"No thanks, this is exit only." He said as we all busted out laughing. "Come on, let's go!"

We put the darts up and Leon locked up the house and we hopped inside his 1985 Pontiac firebird, that damn purple car, I thought it was an ugly color. We headed over to the Denny's that Chris worked at. We got there around 5:45pm and we all went to the restaurant.

"So y'all go ahead and order, this one's on me." Leon said as we went up to the line.

"Alright well i want a Bacon and egg scrabble, a Burger and some fries." I said.

"Yeah i'll have the same thing." Junior told Chris.

"I'll 2nd that, I'd also like something else on the side." Leon said as he winked at Chris.

"I'll get that right away and Leon, I'm at work." He said, chuckling. "I'll give you that side order though, don't worry." He said, taking his headset off and whispering. He rang the total up. "Alright guys, that'll be $10.35¢." He said. We paid the money and we sat over at a table and waited on the order.

"So willie how you feeling after that, well you know that situation with C-Co the other day?"

"I ain't worried about that fool, that's all he is is a complete and utter dumbass bitch, that nigga isn't gonna do anything." I told them. "Look he's soft and all talk, I hung around him. I know him and how he operates. He always wants others to do his dirty work and then he wants to take the credit for it so right here he's the furthest thing from my mind." I said.

"He's a chump, I remember him from Camp Kilpatrick." Junior said. "When we left I heard that he got into a few fights, he got messed up though, and from what I remember he was all talk there too." He said.

"You know i still remember that day after Kelvin got shot when he came up to me and called me a buster and said i was the reason Free had gotten killed, i remember punching the shit out of him too."

"Yeah we remember that day too because me and Junior had to pull you off of him." Leon said as we all busted laughing.

"Alright y'all here's your order and Leon come with me, i got a special order for you, in back." Chris said, winking at Leon.

"Alright y'all that's my cue to go, i'ma be back in about 15 minutes." He said getting up and smacking Chris on the ass.

"Alright well that wasn't awkward at all." Junior said laughing.

"I know right, they both are a mess."

"Exactly So Junior how's things been for you, working at that furniture place and all?"

"Pretty good, I got promoted the other week and i'm happy about that, i'm providing for my kid and his mother and that's a good feeling for real, to be able to provide and be there for the people you care about, you know?"

"Yeah it is, it's definitely a good feeling." I said.

As we continued talking i heard a familiar voice and when i turned around i seen it was C-Co.

"Yo Willie, what you doing here in our neighborhood? I told you if we saw you over here we were gonna beat you down!" He said. I saw C-Co had a few of his homies with him. "You know what you need to leave man before i pounce on that ass"

"From what I've heard these days Willie likes getting his ass pounced on."

"Oh yeah that's right, getting gutted out by a 95, like you his little hoe." C-Co said laughing with his group of wannabe thugs. "You know if Roger was alive to see you now he'd be ashamed of your faggety bitch ass." He said.

"Let me show you how much of a faggot i am." I said getting up and getting in his face. "You know what the old me would have knocked your bitch ass out by now but I'm trying not to be who i was." I said. "But you keep pushing me and i'ma make you wish you left me alone."

"What bitch!" He said as he threw a punch at me.

I ducked and instinct took over and I punched him dead in the face and he fell back and then I hit him with a right hook and left cross and took him down. Junior kept his friends at bay and I pummeled C-Co.

"Yo chill Willie, chill!" He said. "Y'all get out of here!" I said getting off C-Co and kicking him square in his ass as he and his goons left.

"Yo i gotta go, i don't need this, i'm sorry Junior and yo tell Leon why i left." I said as I left the restaurant I realized I couldn't go anywhere because Leon was the one that brought us here. "Well damn!" I said out loud to myself. "What else could happen today?" I thought out loud to myself. As i was thinking i heard gunshots go off, then the next thing i know i was falling to the ground and everything went black.

End Of Chapter 36