A Time To Remember   Tyrone King     © Copyright 2002 by Tyrone King

''I know that's not Tre'. The man convicted with attempted murder,'' said Andrew as he drunk his 40-ounce.

''Andrew! Boy I haven't seen you in 1-2-2, 3 years man. How have you been?''

''Fine man I just been chilling,'' replied Andrew.

''I know you are not drinking man. Boy I'm telling you that stuff will mess you up good. It'll have your head spinning and s'more,'' explained Tre'.

"Well that's none of your got darn business. Stay away from me,'' demanded Andrew.

Andrew walked into the bar. Tre' stood there for a while, but then walked in after him.

Tre' sat by the entrance of the bar shaking his head looking at Andrew. In his mind he was saying" I hope this boy makes it pass 21".

Andrew was sitting by the bar still drinking his 40-ounce. A boy walked up to Andrew. "Hello my name is Reggie Canton. I walked over here to ask you if you would help me with something."

"Anything. What is it?"

"Well my parents are really bugging me about playing basketball but I want to go to college, get my Masters Degree in teaching and become a teacher. They've plucked my nerve for the last time and I want to run away from home. Will you help me find a place to go and stay for a while''?

"Man if you don't get out of my face" replied Andrew. Reggie walked away looking sad as can be. " Hold one minute, come back here". Reggie ran back in a hurry. " Why are you asking me?"

"Because everyone in school seems to look up to you so why not me," replied Reggie.

" Aurd I'll help you, but first. You have to do me a favor".

"What is it?" Asked daring Reggie. Andrew began to whisper in Andrew's ear.

"Now you see that guy over there, he just got out of jail. He was telling me what I could and couldn't do. Now here's what I want you to do. You listening?"

"Yeah, I'm listening," responded Reggie.

"You have to ge a glass bottle and bust him in the head with it and run home. Do not come outside until Monday morning, when we have school. Sit with my homeboys and me. Comprende"

"Comprende," replied Reggie.

Reggie stood up and took a deep breath. He knew what he was about to do was going to change the way he acted forever. He said in his mind "Will this man really do something for me if I do this for him?" He thought about it. Then he looked back at Andrew. Andrew was sitting down drinking his 40-ounce and talking to a girl. Reggie turned back around. He went over to the other end of the bar and asked the bar tender for a Budweiser. He than opened it. He acted as if he was going to drink it, then flipped it sideways and was holding it by the upper part of bottle. He confronted Tre'. But Tre' did not even notice to look at him.

All of a sudden, Reggie noticed that someone was calling him.

"Reggie," yelled a voice.

Reggie turned around and it was Andrew who was calling him. Reggie ignored Andrew and continued doing so.

"What's up man?" said Reggie.

"What do you want lil man?" asked Tre'

Without using word and instead using actions, Reggie threw the bottle in the direction of Tre's head. Tre' reacted fast and ducked. Instead of the bottle hitting Tre', the bottle hit Jarud, the biggest dude around their neighborhood.

Jarud was a 245lbs man who could bench press 500lbs. His arms were as big as two boxes of donuts.

"Who in the hell just hit me with that beer bottle?" Asked Jarud.

"He went that way," said Tre' as he pointed in the direction Reggie had ran.

Jarud ran after Reggie, knocking down everything that was in his way. Reggie was running down the street of 106 so fast that the wind was making his hair stand up.

It was the next day in school. Reggie walked the hallways getting laughed at and picked on. His face was all scratched up and his lip was busted. He blamed the whole situation on Andrew.

"Andrew, why didn't you help me last night. Don't you know Jarud caught me and was beating me up. Finally after 3 ½ hours an old lady saw me getting beat up and she called the police".

"Boy that was your fault, don't try to put me in your business", replied Andrew. He tried to walk away as he said it.

"You're the one who told me to do it", said Reggie.

"If I told you to jump off of a bridge, would you do it? No I didn't think so."

"You know what, forget you Andrew. What goes around, comes around. And something pretty bad is going to happen to you."

Reggie walked of and went to his class.

"Yo Mike, open the door," yelled Andrew trying to get in his house.

"Coming," replied a voice from inside the house.

The house door opened. It was Reggie standing there with a gun in his hand pointing it at Andrew.

"Get in the house," demanded Reggie. Andrew did as he said. "Sit right there." Andrew sat down

"Now if you would of helped me none of this would be happening right now. But you want to be stupid and worry about yourself. I told you what goes around comes around. And this is a time that you will always remember.

"But," stuttered Andrew.

"But nothing. I really trusted you into helping me. Reggie turned his back. Andrew was still sitting on the chair scared to death. Reggie knew in his mind all of his dreams were over. He had nothing left. Reggie than quickly turned around. Pointed the gun at Andrew.

"Pow," the gun went off only one time shooting Andrew directly in his chest. Andrew was crouched down on the couch dead.

Reggie was standing there crying with no last words to say. He walked in one of the bedrooms. It was silence for about 30 second util a gun went off.

The police and ambulance was at the house. They placed Andrews's body in a body bag. Then they put Reggie body in one. When Andrew's mother came into the house from work she was stunned. She had nothing to say. The police didn't find out if Jarud's death was related to Andrew's and Reggie's.
 
 

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