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The Mailer Review/Volume 13, 2019/Cents: Difference between revisions
The Mailer Review/Volume 13, 2019/Cents (view source)
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As I passed by these kids, one of them reached out and grabbed me. It | As I passed by these kids, one of them reached out and grabbed me. It | ||
was the guy in the basketball jersey. | was the guy in the basketball jersey. | ||
Even at this point, I thought it was some sort of joke—that they were | Even at this point, I thought it was some sort of joke—that they were | ||
horsing around somehow. But they weren’t. One of them said,“Don’t move, | horsing around somehow. But they weren’t. One of them said,“Don’t move, | ||
cuz, or I shoot you!” | cuz, or I shoot you!” | ||
He stuck something hard and metallic into my ribs. It could’ve been a | He stuck something hard and metallic into my ribs. It could’ve been a | ||
gun. It could’ve been something else. All I knew is that something unpleasant was being pressed into my ribs and I didn’t want it there. One of them | gun. It could’ve been something else. All I knew is that something unpleasant was being pressed into my ribs and I didn’t want it there. One of them held onto the back of my jacket while the basketball jersey said in a low, | ||
held onto the back of my jacket while the basketball jersey said in a low, | |||
steady tone, “Give me all you got, cuz.” | steady tone, “Give me all you got, cuz.” | ||
I didn’t feel fear for some reason. I reached into my pocket, pulled out | I didn’t feel fear for some reason. I reached into my pocket, pulled out | ||
the sixty-two pennies, and dropped them at his feet. | the sixty-two pennies, and dropped them at his feet. | ||
He just stared at me for a second. “That’s all you got?” | He just stared at me for a second. “That’s all you got?” | ||
I nodded. | I nodded. | ||
“You lyin’to me, cuz?”The jersey started patting me down, from my chest | “You lyin’to me, cuz?”The jersey started patting me down, from my chest | ||
all the way down to my pants. Now his voice wasn’t quite as low or steady | all the way down to my pants. Now his voice wasn’t quite as low or steady | ||
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on me.Then I realized that something bad might happen because I didn’t | on me.Then I realized that something bad might happen because I didn’t | ||
have any money on me. | have any money on me. | ||
As the jersey patted me down, I glanced at his friends. They were wearing black hoodies over their heads, glancing nervously from side to side. | As the jersey patted me down, I glanced at his friends. They were wearing black hoodies over their heads, glancing nervously from side to side. | ||
They had no need to be nervous. No one was around, except us. | They had no need to be nervous. No one was around, except us. | ||
“Shit,” Jersey said as he stopped patting me. “You the poorest white boy I | “Shit,” Jersey said as he stopped patting me. “You the poorest white boy I | ||
ever met.” He sounded disgusted with me. Perhaps this was their first time. | ever met.” He sounded disgusted with me. Perhaps this was their first time. | ||
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one with no money. I almost felt bad for them. I felt the need to explain. | one with no money. I almost felt bad for them. I felt the need to explain. | ||
“I don’t make much money,” I said,shrugging.“I write for Paranoia Magazine.” | “I don’t make much money,” I said,shrugging.“I write for Paranoia Magazine.” | ||
“What the fuck?” one of the lookouts said. He seemed pissed. I thought | “What the fuck?” one of the lookouts said. He seemed pissed. I thought | ||
for sure they were going to drag me off into the nearby alley and beat the | for sure they were going to drag me off into the nearby alley and beat the | ||
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Bat Boy in it. I wish it did. Paranoia Magazine comes out of Providence, | Bat Boy in it. I wish it did. Paranoia Magazine comes out of Providence, | ||
Rhode Island where H.P. Lovecraft” | Rhode Island where H.P. Lovecraft” | ||
“Shut the fuck up!” Jersey yelled and gave me a violent shove that almost | “Shut the fuck up!” Jersey yelled and gave me a violent shove that almost | ||
knocked me to the ground. “Turn around!” | knocked me to the ground. “Turn around!” | ||
I did as I was told. Jersey pressed the palm of his hand against the middle of my back and pushed me. “Just keep on walkin’, cuz, and don’t look | I did as I was told. Jersey pressed the palm of his hand against the middle of my back and pushed me. “Just keep on walkin’, cuz, and don’t look | ||
back.” | back.” | ||
I walked, and didn’t look back. | I walked, and didn’t look back. | ||
I kept wondering if they were going to come up behind me again and finish the job. Perhaps they were just toying with me? | I kept wondering if they were going to come up behind me again and finish the job. Perhaps they were just toying with me? | ||
After a few blocks, I turned a corner and picked up my speed a little bit. | After a few blocks, I turned a corner and picked up my speed a little bit. | ||
That’s when the fear kicked in. My heart started racing.I kept glancing to my | That’s when the fear kicked in. My heart started racing.I kept glancing to my | ||
right to see if they were circling the block to ambush me. But they weren’t. | right to see if they were circling the block to ambush me. But they weren’t. | ||
The second I returned home I called my friend Wendy.Wendy told me to | The second I returned home I called my friend Wendy.Wendy told me to | ||
call the cops. I didn’t bother. What would be the point? I suspected I knew | call the cops. I didn’t bother. What would be the point? I suspected I knew | ||
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out on the street, circling the neighborhood over and over again, waiting to | out on the street, circling the neighborhood over and over again, waiting to | ||
see me. That wouldn’t take long. | see me. That wouldn’t take long. | ||
No, I decided just to forget about it. | No, I decided just to forget about it. | ||
But I couldn’t forget about it. I felt cheated and violated. I was pissed off | But I couldn’t forget about it. I felt cheated and violated. I was pissed off | ||
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jacket and returned to the exact corner where the teenagers had assaulted | jacket and returned to the exact corner where the teenagers had assaulted | ||
me. I wanted my pennies back. | me. I wanted my pennies back. | ||
But when I got there, I was surprised to see that they were all gone. | But when I got there, I was surprised to see that they were all gone. | ||
I glanced around in some nearby bushes, but couldn’t find even one of | I glanced around in some nearby bushes, but couldn’t find even one of | ||