Islander

Chapter 5: George's Time

I didn't forget my appointment with George. I wasn't going to run away either. I was just going to be late, like I promised.
It was 4:30 and I was in my home.

"Hey, wanna grab a beer or six?"

"I don't drink beers, they taste like puke."

"They make you puke, that's what makes them fun. It's like when you eat too much pizza, you start feeling like puking and the pizza tastes like puke."

"I wonder your definition of fun. I never puked from eating too much pizza before."

"I never tasted a pizza before." He laughed.
Damn this guy was crazy. I mean that's what he's doing here, because he's crazy.

Where am I going with this conversation anyway? I ask myself. Oh yeah, I'm supposed to meet George by 5 for my beating, you know, routine. The way he said "Parking lot, 5 o'clock, don't be late" everyday like he rehearsed it. I scoffed.

I was talking to Jasper. He was an elderly man, big, muscular, thickly bearded and crazy. I mean he was really crazy. He tried counting the sands every night and nobody talked to him, but me.

"Jasper I'll make you a deal."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I'll count the sands for you, if you'll help me out with something."

"Really? What do you want me to do?"

"There's this guy at school. His name's George. He bullies me everyday..."

"I hate bullies. Once, when I was a dog, there was this bulldog that liked to eat my bone and sleep with my mom. He'd bite me when I protested."

"Jasper that was in your dream. You've said it a thousand times."

"But I lived it. It was so real." Jasper's eyes began to water.

"Seriously Jasper? Okay I'm not going go watch you cry." I looked away.

"Hehehe.. I was kidding. So when are you meeting him?"

"Parking lot, by 5" I said imitating George's voice.

"Okay. Let's get you outta that bully then." Jasper said. "I'll go fetch some beer from the tap. Meet you back here in ten."

"Oh Jesus." I hit my forehead with my hand.

The parking lot was empty, like George had towed away all the cars. I went to my usual spot, a particular dark corner. George and his boys were waiting for me, about four of them. I was used to this thing. The first ten times were scary. My heart would throb very fast every time, and my palms would be sweaty. I always had an entire pack of painkillers in my pockets and some tissue in my bag to wipe blood from my nose and mouth. The school's medical centre was used to my case, the usual bleeding faced Adam. As I approached the spot today, I felt nothing. Like I was obliged to get beat or something.

"You're late." George started.

"What's it to you?" I asked.

"Hey you watch your mouth. You're in too much trouble already."

"I don't get it. What's your problem George?"

"You're my problem. You wanna be too smart for your age, you talk too much. You think you got everything because your parents are, or were rich. You even got Alice."

"And so what? How does it pain you?"

"Allow me to demonstrate." George said throwing a punch. It landed on my chin, I felt my teeth clench together and bite my tongue so hard I bled.
"That's how it pains me."

" Then it doesn't pain you that bad." I spat the blood. "So what if I'm smart? What if my parents were rich and I was proud of it? Does it have to affect you?"

"Kids like you like to steal my spotlight."

"That's what this is to you? The spotlight? Hey, I'm a nerd. There's no spotlight to steal."

"Yeah, tell that to your drone's YouTube video. I'm done talking. Boys?"
The others rushed at me like a pack of wolves. Hits upon hits and all I did was laugh in between my moans. Then, we heard tire screeches on the tarmac outside the parking lot. Flashing red and blue lights, and then the cars came in view. Jasper called the cops, I smiled.

"You called the cops on me?" George asked, frightened.

"I didn't. A friend that hates bullies did." I replied.

"No...no you can't do this. My parents will kill me, literally."

"Well you almost killed me the last 61 times you beat me up."

"62 times! But come on man, those are normal stuff for nerds. You can't let the cops take me in."

"You can make a run for it. Oh, you can't. They have us cornered already. Don't worry, Juvy's not so bad."

"Dude, Nigeria doesn't have Juvy. Plus, I'm eighteen. I'm going to jail if they charge me with assault."

"I know that. Isn't that what you want?" I smiled at him and his cohorts.

The police cars parked in front of us. A few policemen came out and handcuffed the four bullies. Jasper helped wipe my face.

"How'd you call the cops?" I asked him surprised. I mean, Jasper was crazy.

"I know a few people that hate bullies like I do." He replied.

"Thanks a lot for helping out buddy. I owe you big time."

"Yes. You were gonna count the sands with me." He smiled.

"Uhhh... About that. Not to worry. I know the answer already."

"What did you just say? You know how many grains of sand there are?" Jasper's face lightened up.

"A number called infinity." I told him.

"What's that? Like a car?"

"No. Not the car. It's a number. It's more than billion, or zillion. It's infinity." I told him.

"Whoaaa.. When did you count?" He asked.

"While you slept yesterday."

"No way. How could you cover the world without me?"

"I have my ways. So what will happen to them?" I nudged my head in George's direction.

"Well, his parents will be called to the station and we'll decide whether or not to press charges. He can go to jail, or we can send him to military school for one year. Then, he'll obviously learn his lesson. But right now, you need medical attention." A police officer said to me.

"Thanks a lot officer, I appreciate it."

"Thank your friend. If he hadn't told us earlier, you'd be dead probably. Also, he really needs to see the inside of a psycho ward."

"What's that like a car?" Jasper asked.

"Stay outta this Jasper." I cautioned.
"I thought it was my decision to make whether or whether not to press charges or send him to military school or forgive him."

"Kid, unlike George, you're still a minor. And your parents are dead. So we'll make the decisions for you." The officer smiled.

"Thanks again."

The cops drove off with George staring out the window. I felt happy, like I had won. I also felt bad, I knew they wouldn't press charges. At least not without my consent. But I also knew Nigerian Defence Academy was a horrible place to be.
I was back home. Jasper kept me busy with all the weird stuff he likes to think about. Until...

"So I was thinking. Infinity is like a number, right? Greater than million or billion or zillion?" Jasper started.

"Yeah. What about it?" I asked.

"So what degree of infinity is it? Like 1 infinity? Or 5 infinity? You know, like we have 1 billion, or 5 billion." He asked. "I want the exact number."

"Oh my God." I exclaimed hitting my hand on my forehead. "I gotta get some sleep man. We'll count the sands some other time." I told him.