A Reckoning in Mayberry

Part 9/2 Hero: Reid

"Kid, why are you crying?" asked Reuben one day.

Reid looked at him and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, stop it. It is annoying. We don't like it," said Reuben.

Reid nodded. Just like that, he quit crying and he never cried again at school. Kids soon forgot why they called him crybaby, and they stopped.

The next day Reuben said to Reid, "You know, you got a big problem." He pointed as discreetly as possible at Jake.

Reid looked at Reuben and shrugged his shoulders.

"I am serious, Reid. He is mean. Don't you think I know? Where do you think I got this?" Reuben patted his cast.

Reid looked at the broken arm. He pointed behind a bus and gestured for Reuben to follow him. Reuben looked around and then stepped behind the bus. Reid opened his lunchbox and pointed inside. Reuben looked inside. There was a gun. Reuben was impressed. His dad had a gun, but he was never allowed to touch it. They were dangerous. This kid is dangerous, he thought. This kid is five, and he has more balls than I do.

"What are you going to do?" he asked Reuben, "Kill him?"

"Maybe," said the boy of few words.

Reuben decided that he could not possibly let a five year old be more brave than himself. A least the kid has a plan. A crazy plan, but a plan. I'll have to help him, otherwise Reid will spend the rest of his young life in jail because Reuben was certain that was where murdering five year olds ended up. If they didn't get the chair.

"Whose gun do you have?" he asked the next day.

Reid, smarter and more stealth than Reuben thought possible for a five year old said, "Grandpa."

"Won't he miss it?"

Reid shook his head no.

"Do you know how to use it?"

Reid shrugged.

"Yeah, how hard can it be?" said Reuben who had watched westerns all his life. "Load it, point it, shoot it."

Reid nodded.

"You don't say much, do you kid?"

Reid shrugged.

"We got to have a plan," said Reuben. Though he had no qualms about shooting Jake, he was uneasy at the possibility that innocent bystanders could be hurt. "We don't want anyone else to get hurt."

Reid nodded.

Reuben worked out the plan and explained to Reid his role. The next day Reuben was to be the bait. He was prepared for what could possibly be more pain, but he was ready to end the reign of terror of Jake the Snake. The plan played out just the way Reuben expected - full of pain. Reuben ended up with another broken arm.

The next day after school, Reuben caught up with Reid's sister, Annabelle, who was practically dragging a crying, now on cue, Reid down the sidewalk.

"Hey Annabelle, wait up," he said. "Let me help you out. Tell your parents, I'll walk Reid home. I think I can get him to quit crying."

Annabelle looked at Reid still whimpering and wiping pretend snot on his sleeve. "Suit yourself, but have him home by supper."

Reuben and Reid then waited for part two of the plan to come along - Jake.

Reuben hugged Reid to his chest and said loudly enough for Jake and half the parking lot to hear, "Now little buddy, if you quit crying, I'll take you to the park and buy you an ice cream."

Reid nodded and quit crying and grabbed Reuben's hand. They walked towards the park and down the block by way of what Reuben knew was a vacant lot, now empty since school had let out ten minutes earlier. Reuben held Reid's hand as they looked both ways and crossed the street with Jake close behind and not even trying to be incognito. Reuben speeded Reid up, but just like the plan, Jake caught up to them at the back of the empty lot.

"Well, if it ain't the Little Brown Turd and Crybaby Poop Pants," said Jake sneering. "Are you two out here alone? Going to kiss him?" he asked Reid.

Reid looked at Jake and shook his head no.

"Well, looks like it is time for me to beat the shit out of you, Crybaby," said Jake. "I been waiting a long time to hit you."

"Leave him alone," said Reuben who was feeling braver than usual because of the gun.

"What did you say to me? You brown turd. I'll break your other arm. But first, I am dealing with this one." He picked up an abandoned broken two-by-four and stepped towards Reid.

"He is only five," said Reuben. "Stop it."

Reuben stepped between Jake and Reid just as Jake swung the board. Reuben threw up his hand to protect his friend, and Jake broke Reuben's other arm just at the wrist. Reuben went down dazed. That wasn't in the plan, he thought. When he looked up Jake was standing over him with the broken board.

Jake leaned over him and said, "You pussy. You tell anyone about this, I'll kill you." He raised the board to swing again, and Reuben closed his eyes and put his broken arms over his face.

Then Reuben heard what he knew from TV was the sound of a pistol cocking. He opened his eyes to see Reid standing with his legs apart and holding a gun to the temple of Jake.

"Whatcha got there kid?" said a now nervous sounding Jake. "Got a toy gun from your house?" Jake was trying to convince himself.

Reid pulled the gun from his temple and fired right next to the ear of Jake whose ears would be ringing for the next month. "Real," said Reid.

Reuben realized the plan was back up and running and added, "It's real alright. His dad gave it to him and said to take care of his problem, or he was going to come to school and take care of it for him. His dad is a hired killer In the ma-fi- a. He taught him to shoot, and he don't take shit off nobody, not even you, Jake the Snake."

"Kill him?" asked Reid in his most chilling, nonchalant manner.

"Oh God, no, don't kill me," yelled Jake who had little hearing at this point. "I won't bother you no more," he screamed.

Reuben got to a sitting position and asked, "You won't bother who?"

"Nobody, I won't bother nobody."

Reuben looked like he was contemplating life or death. He said, "Reid?"

Reid, still holding the pistol at Jake's temple, backed up with the pistol still pointed at Jake. "Git," he said as he motioned git with the pistol.

Jake got.

And that is how Reid became Reuben's forever bodyguard.