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Authors: Paul Watkins
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injured knee, Bear presents his head as my next target. Everything seems to go in slow motion as I chamber my right leg at waist level and strike him in the face with a powerful kick that lands square on his nose. Blood sprays in the air as if from a squashed tomato. Bear slides down on his haunches… he’s half sitting with his right hand on his knee and his left hand on his face.
Clearly, he’s at my mercy, which, unfortunately for him, is in short supply. I have no illusions as to what he would have done to me if the fight had gone the other way. I chamber my leg once again and deliver a frontkick to his groin. It’s a tough angle, but I manage to get the job done. The big man is finished as he rolls over on the ground, curled into the fetal position and moaning quietly. I confess, I can’t help but feel pleased by the blood flow from his nose. That honker is going to be a beaut’ for some time to come.
Marshall seems too stunned to move as I circle and face him. I settle into a position called a peace move, sort of half squatting with my hands at blade angles… my right hand near my right ear and my left hand near my left thigh. I can move from here into any number of positions, offensive or defensive. I challenge Marshall. If he’s going to come at me, we might as well get it over with right now.
“Up to you, Steve. You want to be a hero or are you a little more intelligent than your buddy here?”
Marshall glances at Bear and then looks back at me. “I’ve got no beef with you, man.” He quickly looks away.
I slowly straighten up and resume a normal posture, all the time keeping Marshall squarely in my sights.
“I prefer to be called, Philip.” I point to Bear. “Call an ambulance and have him treated. Also, call the police. I’m preferring charges.”
For the first time Marshall shows some signs of life.
“You’re preferring charges? What the hell for, you nearly killed him!”
“Just in case he gets any bright ideas down the road as to who attacked whom, I want it all on the record. As for making the calls, if you want to keep on working here, please take care of it. Since you are both friends of Mr. Jackson, I will want you with me when I tell him I have fired Mr. Street.”
I walk over to Bear and nudge him with my toe. The big man lets out a groan, but doesn’t move.
“You’re fired, Bear.”
Marshall steps forward as I turn to leave… hands raised in the air, it’s clear he has no hostile intent.
“You want me to take sides against Bear? He’ll kill me.”
“Would you prefer to take sides against the man who just beat him?” I ask with no attempt to limit the sarcasm in my voice. “Actually, I do not want you to take sides against anyone. However I do want you to tell the truth as to what happened here. Make the calls and see me in the library as soon as the ambulance leaves. When you talk to the police, tell them they do not have to come here unless they want to. I will be happy to go to the station.”
Marshall stands as if rooted to the spot, immobilized by indecision. “Make your choice, Steve, I’m running short of patience. If I wind up making the calls, then I’m going to have to think real hard to come up with a reason to keep you around.”
Marshall turns and walks towards the garage. It will not be long before I learn what choice he has made. Making the calls is really a test. I can take care of it myself, but it’s time for Mr. Marshall to grow up. I suspect he’s been following around in Bear’s footsteps for sometime now and that’s going to have to change if he’s going to be of any use to me. I can’t be dealingwith conflicting allegiances. He’s either on our team or on some other team. I want to know which one it’s going to be and now is a good time to find out. I step around Bear and head back to the house to report to Mr. Jackson. My new job may have just come to a rather untimely end. Dammit! Things were going real well for a while there.
Clearly, he’s at my mercy, which, unfortunately for him, is in short supply. I have no illusions as to what he would have done to me if the fight had gone the other way. I chamber my leg once again and deliver a frontkick to his groin. It’s a tough angle, but I manage to get the job done. The big man is finished as he rolls over on the ground, curled into the fetal position and moaning quietly. I confess, I can’t help but feel pleased by the blood flow from his nose. That honker is going to be a beaut’ for some time to come.
Marshall seems too stunned to move as I circle and face him. I settle into a position called a peace move, sort of half squatting with my hands at blade angles… my right hand near my right ear and my left hand near my left thigh. I can move from here into any number of positions, offensive or defensive. I challenge Marshall. If he’s going to come at me, we might as well get it over with right now.
“Up to you, Steve. You want to be a hero or are you a little more intelligent than your buddy here?”
Marshall glances at Bear and then looks back at me. “I’ve got no beef with you, man.” He quickly looks away.
I slowly straighten up and resume a normal posture, all the time keeping Marshall squarely in my sights.
“I prefer to be called, Philip.” I point to Bear. “Call an ambulance and have him treated. Also, call the police. I’m preferring charges.”
For the first time Marshall shows some signs of life.
“You’re preferring charges? What the hell for, you nearly killed him!”
“Just in case he gets any bright ideas down the road as to who attacked whom, I want it all on the record. As for making the calls, if you want to keep on working here, please take care of it. Since you are both friends of Mr. Jackson, I will want you with me when I tell him I have fired Mr. Street.”
I walk over to Bear and nudge him with my toe. The big man lets out a groan, but doesn’t move.
“You’re fired, Bear.”
Marshall steps forward as I turn to leave… hands raised in the air, it’s clear he has no hostile intent.
“You want me to take sides against Bear? He’ll kill me.”
“Would you prefer to take sides against the man who just beat him?” I ask with no attempt to limit the sarcasm in my voice. “Actually, I do not want you to take sides against anyone. However I do want you to tell the truth as to what happened here. Make the calls and see me in the library as soon as the ambulance leaves. When you talk to the police, tell them they do not have to come here unless they want to. I will be happy to go to the station.”
Marshall stands as if rooted to the spot, immobilized by indecision. “Make your choice, Steve, I’m running short of patience. If I wind up making the calls, then I’m going to have to think real hard to come up with a reason to keep you around.”
Marshall turns and walks towards the garage. It will not be long before I learn what choice he has made. Making the calls is really a test. I can take care of it myself, but it’s time for Mr. Marshall to grow up. I suspect he’s been following around in Bear’s footsteps for sometime now and that’s going to have to change if he’s going to be of any use to me. I can’t be dealingwith conflicting allegiances. He’s either on our team or on some other team. I want to know which one it’s going to be and now is a good time to find out. I step around Bear and head back to the house to report to Mr. Jackson. My new job may have just come to a rather untimely end. Dammit! Things were going real well for a while there.
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