After getting the off the bus and walking the rest of the way to the creek, I arrived to find Tex there by himself, sitting on a bucket, smoking a joint.
Since he hadn’t noticed me yet, I decided to sneak up behind him to scare him. I started to slowly creep up on him, closer, closer, and closer. Carefully planning each step and as I’m about to grab him…
“Hey, Jay. What’s happenin?"
Completely shocked and surprised, I replied, “How you knew it was me!?”
Tex turned around with a big grin. “Cause you the only one that be tryin to get the drop on me but you noisy as hell.”
We both laughed and gave each other dap before sitting on a log to talk for awhile. He asked about my arm and I told him everything that had happened last night and if he seen Erik in which he hadn’t.
Tex would usually have this strong and confident demeanor about himself but today I couldn’t help but notice something was bothering him.
I asked, “You alright? It seem like you got somethin’ on your mind.”
Tex quickly replied, “It’s ‘cause I do. Got alotta shit on my mind, man.”
“So lay it on me, bro. Maybe I could help.”
Tex shook his head. “I wish you could, youngblood but thang is, they just drafted me to this damn God forsaken war in Vietnam.”
Although, Tex was a member of the DOGs, he was still a good guy and the only friend I had. I couldn’t just let him be forced to go fight in a war that we all apposed. I started trying to think of several ways he could possibly get out of it like leaving the country, pretending to be sick or gay, among other things but it was all to no avail.
Tex started laughing. “Man, I appreciate you tryin’ to help me out but me and my grandparents already prayed on this long and hard and we made peace with it. If it’s where God needs me to be, than so be it. I might not agree with it but like I said before lil man, I’m just a vessel for God to use me to do His will, not mine. Besides I need to get away from here anyway ‘cause the DOGs are running wild, man. This gang was designed for young black folk who didn’t fit in anywhere, to find friends, come together have a place where they could belong. To learn about God, and have a purpose in their lives while also protecting our communities from these racist ass white devils. See the thing is Jay, I think Will is trying to turn them against me. He think I don’t know it but he been wanting my spot for years now. But he doesn’t care about them only himself. He’s only focused on having wild parties, fast girls, doin’ drugs, breaking the law, and only God knows what else he’s been up to. So I have to disband this group before I leave for Vietnam because Will is just leading these DOGs astray. My fight here is over and time for me to move on.”
I tried my best to stop my eyes from tearing up at the thought of losing my only friend to go fight in a pointless war. There was nothing I could say or do to stop him from going and my mind couldn’t escape the fact that he might die. After last night and now this, I couldn’t take it. I then looked over at Tex hitting the joint and asked if I could get a couple puffs to calm my nerves too. We talked more while we smoked all the weed Tex had on him (which was quite a lot) before we both got on the bus heading back home to get ready to go The Dugout.
YOU ARE READING
MTW: More Than Wrestling
Historical Fiction*Inspired by a true story* A comimg of age tale of two brothers, at war with each other since birth. Both headed down very diffiernt paths with one being destined for greatness.
