THE BOLAN CHRONICLES: Reading #10

10. Approximate Minutes Reading (AMR): 7

Introduction to Characters:
Troy Caldwell: Jake's former football buddy

THE BOLAN CHRONICLES

Chapter 2

Dean

**The Party**

Jake was off work on Halloween night, and he and Donna had been told that a former football buddy named Troy Caldwell had invited anyone with whom he’d graduated to his parents’ home for a party. As they drove through the neighborhood, Jake kept commenting on how the two of them would never end up in a neighborhood like this. When they pulled up to the house, Donna said, “Jake! Oh my gosh!” The house was dotted with orange lights and tacky Halloween decorations. The garage door hung askew, half-open. The front door was wide open. Smoke slowly drifted out. “Jake, what is all that smoke from?”

“Cigarettes, I guess.”

The music coming from the house was loud. Dozens of people filled the living room, each with a costume and a drink and a laugh. Jake put his arm around Donna and squeezed her, “Looks like fun!” 

Donna mumbled something, and when Jake asked what she had said, she leaned into him and repeated, “I’m pregnant. I’m embarrassed.” 

Jake hadn’t given her condition a single thought. “Don’t worry about it.” Then he added, “Nobody here gives a hoot and holler.”

Donna stayed close to Jake throughout the night. She drank water and Jake drank soda. He had fun laughing with the guys who had played with him on the football team during his senior year. And the more they drank, the more they laughed. And the more they laughed, the more uncomfortable Donna became. 

Jake heard his name and looked up. It was his old buddy, Troy. “What the hell have you been up to, Bolan?” The two high-fived and Troy grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. They began talking about old times, as if they hadn’t seen one another in decades. Jake learned that Troy’s father had divorced his mother after he’d found out that she had been having an affair. 

“And you should see this guy, Bolan!” Troy exclaimed, “He looks like some bum off the streets!” Troy took another sip of his beer and said, “And the dumb son of a bitch is one of those motherfucker gook-killers who fought in Nam!”

Jake just about dropped his soda. Eyes wide, he looked at Donna. She asked, “What is it? Jake, what’s wrong?”

“Oh my God!” Jake exclaimed. He looked at his friend. “Is this guy’s name Bill?”

Troy replied, “Yeah, I think so. Do you know him?”

Donna said, “Is that the guy that you used to work with at the restaurant?”

As if he hadn’t heard the question, Jake began laughing hard, and he patted his buddy on the back and said, “Your dad was smart to divorce her, man! That Gook-hater is a loser! I used to work with him at the restaurant! He stole money from the place and got his dumb ass fired! Looks like your mommy done got herself an unemployed hobo! Not too smart on her part!” Jake looked at Donna and said, “Hey Donna! I made a rhyme! Not too smart on her part!”

Suddenly, Troy was quiet. The look on his face had changed from entertained to annoyed. Jake asked him what was the matter, and Troy said nothing. 

“C’mon, man.” Jake said, “What’s the problem? We’re having fun here! This is a party!”

Troy finally said, “I don’t really think I like you talking about my mom like it’s some kind of joke, that’s what’s wrong.”

“Ah, c’mon, Caldwell! Your mom’s goin’ out with a loser, that’s all. What do you expect me to say?”

Troy set his beer on top of the refrigerator and turned toward Jake. Then he hit him hard in the gut. Donna screamed and Jake doubled over. He grunted and dropped to his knees. Troy said, “Get the hell out of this house, you little prick! And take your pregnant middle-school girlfriend with you too, you perv!” Then he added, “Or is that part of her costume?” And he laughed hard.

The party quieted significantly. As Jake and Donna walked out, a few of his old buddies patted him on the back. Jake ignored them. 

They got into the car and Jake said that he wanted to go back inside and kick Troy’s ass. Donna told him that she was scared. That she just wanted to leave. Jake sat quietly for a moment and thought. Then he reached over and put his hand on Donna’s leg. “Okay. Yeah, okay.” Donna kissed him lightly on the cheek, and they headed for her house.

After dropping Donna off at her home, Jake returned to the Caldwell house party. He parked a block away and waited for over an hour until most of the guests had left the house. He knocked on the front door, and when it was opened and Troy appeared, Jake said, “Time to pay the piper you asshole!” And he grabbed Troy by the collar. He pulled him outside, and the two rolled on the lawn until Jake was able to get Troy on his back, his knees straddling Troy tightly. 

Troy yelled, “I’m drunk, man! I’m drunk!”

Jake trapped one arm with his leg and pulled the other away from Troy’s face. Then he hit him directly on his nose. Blood gushed out, soaking the upper half of Troy’s shirt. Jake stood up and said, “You want more of that, dumb shit?”

Troy lay on the grass, moaning and mumbling. Jake picked up a half-empty beer can and threw it at him. It landed on Troy’s stomach and slowly trickled out. Jake said calmly, “There’s more beer for you, you drunk bastard.” He stood over Troy and put his foot on his stomach. Troy attempted to push it away, but Jake came down hard. Troy screamed. Then Jake leaned over and said, “Nobody talks about my girl like that.” And he spit in Troy’s face. Then he turned and walked back to his car. 

Just as Jake was about to open his car door, a panel van pulled up next to him and slowed. At first, Jake waited, but when the van came to a halt and the engine stopped and the driver’s door opened, he decided that it might be wise to get in the car and lock the door. Jake could only see the silhouette of the driver as he made his way toward him. The stranger raised his hand and said something. Jake cracked his window and said, “What’s that?”

Jake immediately recognized the voice. “Get out of your car, little boy.”

It was Bill.

“I’ve got nothing to say to you, man.” Jake replied.

“I don’t give a shit,” Bill said. And he added, “Get out of that car.”

Jake reached for the keys, but when he realized that he hadn’t yet put them in the ignition, he fumbled for them in his back pocket. Bill’s hand reached through the slightly opened window and grabbed Jake by the neck. “I will choke the pitiful life right out of you, boy, unless you get out of that car, right now.” 

Jake tried to speak, but he couldn’t. He reached over for the lock, but before he could reach it, Bill grabbed the car handle, and he swung the door open and grabbed Jake by the arm. Jake pulled away from Bill’s grip and attempted to grab the door, but Bill swiftly pulled it open and dragged him out and onto the street. “I’ll make this short and sweet, little boy.” Then he grabbed a handful of Jake’s hair and pulled his head up and said, “This is for the Gook comment.” And he slammed his fist into Jake’s face. Jake screamed. “And this, little boy, is for costing me my job.” And this time, Bill hit him harder, and he let Jake’s head smash onto the pavement. Jake screamed, “Stop, you dumb fucker!” 

Jake wrapped his arms around his head and lay moaning on the street. Bill was sitting next to him. And when Jake tried to roll away, Bill grabbed him and pulled him by his shirt until he was inches from his face. Coldly, Bill said, “Oh yeah, one more thing,” Jake’s heart was racing and he panted like a dog. Bill finally asked, “Where’s my girl’s ring?”

Jake replied, “What? What the hell are you talking about?”

“If I find out it was you,” Bill said, “I’ll take you apart.” Then he dropped Jake on the pavement and walked to his van.

Jake heard him speed off, and he lay on the street for a while, his hands grasping the top of his head. He stood and reached up. Blood had soaked the entire back of his head, and his shirt collar was dotted with red. A car passed by and slowed. Jake waved it off and began the slow walk back to his car.

To his relief, his parents were already asleep when he arrived home. He showered and got into his bed, relieved that the night had ended. He wondered for a moment how he was going to explain away the blood on his shirt and the two black eyes that he was sure he’d have by morning, but the wonder and concern diminished by the time he’d fallen asleep.