We all have a story. Some share similarities but none are exactly the same. I've been wanting to tell mine but have been scarred. I've done things im not proud of. My demons have got the best of me more than a couple times. But if I don't share it some how it will bother me for the rest of my life.
This little series of stories is not planned, it's more like just stringing together memories, it might not go in chronological order all the time but just what I'm reflecting on. If my thoughts and memories can help someone then that's what matters, so let's get to it.
Have you ever been in fight? Now when I say fight some people have different prespective of what that means. I'm not talking about your typical school yard bout with some pushing, maybe a couple sloppy punches, both sides wanting to do battle. I'm talking you just got your ass handed to you and you don't know why. You didn't want or plan on getting into a fight but you where young and naive. Have you ever been shown the ugly side of life, when you are forced to fight, knowing you can't win but the other options are worse than defeat?
It was a December day in El Paso, TX early 90's. My family had just made our way down from Kentucky. You see my mom had just been reasigned to Fort Bliss. It was the first move that I can remember. Life in Kentucky was laid back. Not to say it was perfect but things where pretty good. I went to a nice school, we lived in a nice area, I had the world in my grasp.
El Paso was different we were living in a hotel at the time which put everyone in a bad mood I guess, my older brother who always picked on me was even more of an ass. He had ramped up his tormenting as much as he could. Me I was just trying to figure out the new surroundings, that's when I would make the mistake that would catch me a beat down.
The new school was public and I don't think they had the best funding. El Paso is know to have a lot of poverty but at that time I didn't understand working class and middle class, I did notice that people where different than where I was from. They dressed different, talked different, had a different way of carrying themselves, I just wanted to fit in and make it till we got out of that hotel and maybe the next school would be better. So for the most part I kept to myself. A few days came and went and I just did my own thing at recess and lunch, run around the playground, on the 4th day I saw my brother playing basketball and decide to check it out.
This was elementary school but they where playing street ball, I was just standing on the sidelines cause I was younger than the kids playing. It was like nothing I had ever seen, they were ruthless. They where throwing elbows, tripping, charging, anything to win. I was enthralled with the game. Then it happend, this kid was 3 grades ahead of me, not much bigger than me but fast, he zipped around a defender and made a lay up, it was pretty cool to see, I exclaimed "Wow he must have wings in his shoes!"
He looked at me with anger. "What the fuck did you say?" I was confused I was just giving him a compliment but he seemed mad. "You must have wings in your shoes to jump so high." I said. "What does that mean?" He had already closed the distance, I didn't know what was about to happen but he was already to close for me to go any where. "I just mean you can jump high."
I saw a flash of light, the first time getting hit that hard In the face, before I could react there was another flash of light on the other side. "Come on." He screamed. I thought to myself maybe J.C. (my big brother will help) I looked to him he looked away. There would be no help, I had to do something, so I swang with all my might a right hook. It was way to slow and I missed. The kid proceeded to beat me, both my eyes were swollen, I turned to run and caught a few more hits. I could barely see but I had to get away. He didn't chase me to far but I kept running.
What had I done. Why did he do that to me. I didn't know that people would fight you over a compliment. The world doesn't always have a reason, sometimes it just doesn't. That's how I learned that anything can happen, be prepared for what ever life throws at you. Right and wrong will happen regardless.
