orangetoughguy | log post II

I guess not, but you carried a lot of weight.

[Who else would dare take Joe's little black book?

Wait what. We? He wonders if Larry means only himself because out of everyone he got to know Larry was the one who made him feel right where he was. Suppose that's how he got everyone killed, including the old man's old friend. Shit stop thinking about it now, Newendyke. He stuffs another couple bites of steak in his mouth. What a weird anniversary, so to speak, but the kid never went into this thinking happy endings were on the horizon.]

I wanted to be that cool guy you know, when I was a kid. I picked up the way to walk, the way to talk, and it was fun for a little while but it takes shutting up the little guy. It takes bein' a bully and stuffing the little guy in a locker. It ain't worth it.

[Having a bad twin, he means. If only it was easy to be himself, which Freddy thinks he totally is until the G-word comes up.]

[Carried. When he was friends with Joe Cabot a heavy weight on the West Coast for all kinds of shit. Being who he was, doing what he did, in hindsight they all could have stood to be more cautious. What then? Larry knows he wouldn't be sitting here on a night in August sharing a meal with a man he shares a home and a bed with. Joe knew a hell of a lot about Mr. White, more than most sure, but he didn't know that.]

You wanted to be a cool guy.

[Larry leans back to take a look at him. It takes balls to be how he is. Hell, that goes for the two of em.

Plate down he takes out a Chesterfield.]

What would your younger self think if he could lay eyes on you now?

[Freddy has to think about that question. What would that kid stuck in Fresno reading comic books until the next time Rush comes into town say? Definitely not "You're so fucking cool man." He has to laugh a little.]

He'd wonder what the fuck happened, how come I'm not working on iron suits and spaceships yet. You?

[Laughter echoes more because of them out in the open. It is a funny thing to think about though. Larry takes a puff to think it over now too.]

Probably wouldn't believe that I was him. Old. Tired looking.

[Don't ruin your own funny question old man.]

Probably start eating more greens.

Old, well.

[The kid makes a couple shrugging motions like that sort of thing can't be helped when you're forty-three years old and that's a dinosaur to a kid anyway. But tired looking? He shakes his head.]

But tired? Bullshit.

[Forty three is old. Ancient for a child.]

Don't think so?

[Elbow for you kid.]

Well that much is good. Don't want to look beat this side of a baseball game. Or catch at least.

[That's another reason for the location.]

[Oof. He nods his head laughing.] Yeah I don't think so.

[Another sip then Freddy tilts his head.] You wanna play?

Sure I do. I brought the gear.

[And he's in a baseball cap with jeans. Check it out now, Freddy the old man bought himself a decent pair of kicks.]

We got the place to ourselves too. If there's a homeless guy, I got some change.

[That's a joke, Freddy.]

[He's thinking about, not because he'd ever be adverse to playing a game with Larry but because he's wondering what the real game is. Even simple old school guys like Lawrence Dimick can be creative.]

Are there cameras? I wouldn't want to get your loss on film. [That's a joke, Larry.]

Nope. Not this time.

[Though he is looking at a camcorder, Mr. Orange. Not that he'd let you know until a very vital moment. Larry is up off of the chair. His Chesterfield streams smoke behind him as he moves the barbecue. The coals are cooling down. They need their third baseline.]

Want to wager? Whoever wins get's somethin'?

Like what.

[He asks out of habit rather than actually wanting to know. 'Something' in their world pretty much counts for anything and anything is always good. Larry's never done him wrong...except for that one time but it was a long time coming. Freddy had hurt him first. That's all behind them now though ain't it? Proven as such by their about to embark on a game of two-man catch somehow. Right after a meal too. Either way though the kid's on his feet and ditching both shirt around his waist and the cigarette. It's a miracle he can still run and fetch after picking up a nicotine habit, same with Dimick come to think of it.]

Like what he says.

[The old man is grabbing the gear. Yeah. They'll play a one on one.]

What if I said you win my hat?

[Even though he's laughing, smiling and having a good time he knows that this man can hurt him more than any other person he's known. Hell, he has. Freddy's a cop. Not only that, he's the cop that Larry loves and has done so much for and to. They haven't come to blows. That anniversary hasn't come up yet. And the old man is looking to say that he hasn't laid a hand on him in harm for years. Yep. That's what he wants.]

My hat he says.

[Snort. Why would Freddy want to win a Brewers cap, honestly. Although he could win it and then deface it, but the kid's not cruel like that. In the end he'd probably just give the cap back to the old man so what kind of wager is that really?]

I'll think of somethin' better. [The kid shrugs and gestures for the game to get started. Full of steak, booze, and cigarettes, his body is ready for a fast one.]

[Close game. Larry did pack the punch as far as going to bat but Freddy is always faster.]

Good game, pal.

[Huff. Puff. He leans forward, hands on his knees. The night feels warmer on his skin.]

Guess you won.

[No need for guessing though. One shove and he's upright. All of the shit can get thrown in the car. Just the chairs, cooler and the bbq.]

So. Now what?

What can I say? You gave your best.

[He's younger, faster, sharper...but Larry could still break Freddy in two with one punch. He's just lucky this was a ballgame and not a boxing match. Larry would cream him in the latter and not necessarily in the really hot sexy way either.]

First I'm gonna take this. [That Brewers cap? Consider it booty. Except the kid turns it around so the team name isn't emblazoned over his forehead.] Then I'm gonna help you load up the car.

[By carrying this one folding chair and nothing else.]

Sure did.

[He wipes the sweat off of his brow with the wildcat arm. They all got things they're good at. Larry would have ran circles around Freddy back in the day. He'd like to believe. Well, who really knows for sure.

If this were wrestling, boxing, maybe weightlifting he'd beat the kid no contest. The fact of the matter is that Freddy's frame is more slight. Even though he wishes he could forget what it was like to use this bear of a body to do him harm, he knows it would be easy.]

Mighty nice of you to help.

[That saves the old bear at least one trip. He forces the small radio into Freddy's hand. Little Richard's singing about a girl named Daisy that almost drove him crazy.]

Be good to that hat.

Come on don't be a sore loser, I'm not gonna do wrong by it.

[He gives the old man a wink, all in jest. He takes the radio too out of a sense of chivalry or whatever, maybe he just likes yanking Larry's chain. Goes both ways don't it? Little Richard can keep on jiving.]

I guess we go home unless you want a night cap. We could do that at home too. [Thinking aloud, this kid.]

I'm not a sore loser.

[And that doesn't mean that he's not above dumping the other chair on Freddy as he unlocks the trunk. There we go. Chair back. Then the other. Click of the radio. Everything else goes in. Larry pretends he's busy.]

You mean you don't wanna go to that alley down there?

[He tilts his head in a direction.]

Just as well. I think you want to head on home.

Hey watch it.

[As if he doesn't know the way he stows the chairs in there is on purpose fff. Freddy might be smaller but he's just as tough so he takes the blow in stride. Oof. Okay everything else loaded in, trunk shot accomplished.]

What alley? What for?

[Again like the kid doesn't know. Fff. That he suggests home though is a little intriguing.] I do? Are you a mindreader?

[That's over with he shuts the trunk with a clunk.]

Oh. You know.

[To the driver's side now.]

I mean, we don't have to.

[Like he'll it'll be an anniversary without it, not as the old man sees fit thanks.]

Let's say I got a hunch you wanna be there. S'all. Nothing big.

[We're talking price but that's for the old man to know and for Freddy to find out. The old man gets the kid things all the time...hopefully gift giving hasn't lost it's spark. He gave this one plenty of thought.]

[Green eyes are eyeballing the old man from over the roof of the car--yes he can see over it thanks. Then Freddy pops the passenger side open to climb in.]

Okay okay, take me home then.

[He relents because yes he can tell someone's got something special waiting there and no gift giving hasn't lost its spark.] How not big is nothing big?

[Engine rumbles to life. Larry hopes that the noise stalls enough for him to consider the right answer. Don't get the kid's hopes up. They are looking for a third. This won't be the one he had in mind.]

I think you should just see it. Bigger than three feet.

[And it wouldn't be no circus midget or helper of Saint Nick.]

There's something else that's about a foot long and at hand. You can get on that until we get home if you want.

[Casual enough?]

Bigger than three feet...

[The kid's trying to imagine it and several things come to mind, all of which might be severely wrong so he doesn't voice what his overactive imagination conjures.]

What's that?

[The foot long. Is Freddy playing dumb or genuinely stumped?]

[He'll never guess with a clue like that. Just how the old man wants it. That's how surprises should be after all.]

Here.

[One paw grabs one of his and then fixes it right between the old man's thighs.]

Figure out that one.

[Whoa talk about straight to the point, not that Freddy had any doubts. Just to make a point though he sort of feels around the space between those thighs.]

Okay but it's not a foot long.

[Just had to throw that out there, keeping it real, this kid.]

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