Educational Experience

Part II--Chapter Nine

I cut to the chase here--there's a chunk missing which ties up some loose story lines. But I wanted to showcase this bit because it is the first sign that Colton is going to be forced to do some real soul searching not just about Wyatt but about his whole philosophy of life.

Up to now, he's been sure of damned near everything. But this chapter pulls the rug out from under him. Took me by surprise, too. But it was a surprise I welcomed.

He kicks some ass literally toward the end--a full out brawl. But for him, it's a hollow victory. I think you'll be intrigued and maybe even as surprised as I was, at the way it all unfolds. Read on!

“Speakin’ of young guys,” Big Man said.

He’d spied the Goons, too. They were walking in this big bunch like they owned the place, but staring down everyone who looked their way. And I knew what they were looking for.

Me.

Yeah, that’s another thing I always do after hours on Christmas Day. Or that night. I go off with the Goons. And I almost looked forward to running off for a while in the past, but...well, I wasn’t alone this time, you know? I’d gotten a real nice present that year.

So when JR gave me this look and said, “Ready to rock, Boss Man?” I didn’t know what to say.

Aisha said, “Y’all see the child got comp’ny wit ‘im. Gon’ get your smoke on wit somebody else this time!”

But Wyatt said, “I am sure he’s tired of babysitting me by now. Go do nineteen for a while!”

“That was quick,” Mike said, giving me this little look.

“Because she’s cool like dat,” I said.

“She’s tired!” Tia said—she was yelling at me, mostly. For making her tired. She threw an arm skyward and said, “All these locos running around, running around—she’s a refined sort of woman! Educated. Not like these wild ones!”

“Oh, well excuuuuse the hell outta me,” Mike said, sort of raising an eyebrow, but just for fun.

Tia chuckled and sort of slapped at her playfully. If it’d been real, she wouldn’t have missed.

“You have been very good little mothers,” she said. Like she was talking to a five-year-old. “And because you taught him how to appreciate a woman, he should know how to treat one. Now that this one is here, maybe he’ll learn that, too.”

“Well, I guess you’re dismissed, girls,” Joie said. “Speakin’ o’ upgrades...”

JR had had enough.

He went, “Hey! Cut him loose for a minute!”

I leaned to look at Big Man mostly just to be polite.

And he said, “I’m eatin’ here.”

But what he was really saying was, “Not on your life, pal.” Him and the Goons didn’t get along too well. He has no patience for the kind of dopey shit they do and say. I mean, he puts up with me, but I come out with something reasonable every now and then.

The Goons...well...once in that blue moon they’ll manage to say something that doesn’t make you wince. But mostly, they talk a lot of stupid shit. Loud and proud.

I hugged Wyatt real tight and she nuzzled my chest the way I love so much and said, “Wake me...”

“Oh, believe me I will,” I told her.