HAM (Hard As a Muthaf**ka)

FULL MEASURE

FULL MEASURE

                                           My face glowed, as Reagan and I basked in the warmth of a burning auto…we then turnt around, and started walkin towards the main road. It had gotten a lil cool, as cold air trailed from our mouths. Reagan let a little giggle. “Guess I’m gonna have to get Kady a new car,”

                  “How else were we gonna explain all those dents and blood stains?” I stated. It got quiet as we walked some more. “Thanks for bailin a nigga out…you aint have to,”

                  “We’re partners…I’d like to think we are friends,” breathed Reagan, lookin out towards the darkness. “I promised Maxine, that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I’m a man of my word,”

                  “Is that right?” I laughed. “You was trill as fuck, walkin up on them niggas and bustin they shits open. Real gangsta,”

                  “That wasn’t my first time I shot a gun…or anyone,” huffed Reagan. “I just prefer not to be around a gun…it’s easier to pick one up, and shoot somebody than to avoid an incident like that altogether. You are right…heavy is the head, that wears the crown,”

                  I pressed my lips together for a minute…then spoke. “How did it happen?”

                  The sound of our feet crunching on the dirt and rocks below was the only thing I heard for a few minutes. “I never knew my real dad…my mom married this scumbag asshole, who owned a small trucking company. She was an art teacher, and gave piano lessons to those who wanted to learn…a lotta people in Savannah said that they didn’t know what my mom saw in that asshole in the first place. My mom was beautiful, J…anyways, he starts catchin hell because, you know, the economy is goin under- gas prices are risin and shit. He starts takin our savings and usin it to pay off his outstanding debts- without even talkin it over with my mom…she was angry, but she gave that bastard the benefit of the doubt. Next thing you know, he’s sellin off shares of ownership, just to keep the company afloat…some of the other investors bailed the fuck out while they could. The new investors had enough controlling stake that they decided while keeping him as a figurehead, they slashed his pay,”

                  “Damn,” I grunted. Who wouldda knew Reagan Fields had a hard-knock life? Certainly, not me. “So where’s yo mom at now?”

                  “She’s still in Savannah, stayin with my aunt- her older sister. The bastard finally lost his company, became a raging alcoholic, wallowing in his pathetic self-pity, and started beating on my mother and me. It went on for all of about a year, until I started to fight back…the whole shit hit its climax, when the fucker pulled his gun on me, and threatened to kill me. My mom gave in to his demands that day, just to save my ass,” Reagan went on…I could tell it still bothered him on some levels; his whole sunny demeanor had changed. His face was sullen, and full of a quiet, but deadly angst. “I finally said enough was enough- he attacked us again, and I took his gun…and shot him. The courts ruled it was self-defense, but after that, the whole dynamic between me and my mom changed…I still loved her, but I kinda didn’t respect her anymore- especially after we had to sell our stuff, and the bank foreclosed on our home. We had to move to my aunt’s place…she was always putting my mom down, in some subtle way, shape, or form. It pissed me off, and finally, I just left…I haven’t been back in three years,”

                  “Damn…have you at least, called her?”

                  “Once…Kady made me,” he said. “I do, wanna see her again, but I wanna show her that I’ve made something of myself. I heard that she finally retired from the school district…I want to buy her a piano,”