Going To Sleep (cont)

The air was not as cold tonight. I had gone home to take a nap and was awaiting Melissa’s call to go fill up two kegs for the party. General Rabbi went to see a band play and I was left alone. Melissa finally came and we filled up the shells. They were off to the clubs, something I never mind missing, and I went to Gerald’s. Diana and Gerald still had a bit of tension, as their problems were not resolved from the night before. When I got to Gerald’s there were a couple of friends from Tallahassee that came down to kick the crap out of some guy. Make love not war I preach but sometimes emotions bring out the ugliness in people. In our culture when manhood is questioned manhood is defended and these people definitely wanted to prove something. Somehow I ended up going to the club with them and it was a good choice.

Being dragged to a place you don’t belong is not a fun thing. Your mood changes, you want to leave, and you question your way of thinking for ever throwing yourself into that situation. Now being dragged into a place you don’t belong and finding Melissa there is a different story. Remember, she manipulates, turns frowns into smiles, and after seeing her there a smile was inevitable. A conversation began, a dance followed. Mind you I have never danced in my life. I didn’t like it. Never been good at it. But the situation was unavoidable. When a good friend asks you to dance with her, you dance with her and putting aside all thoughts of embarrassment I did, not very good, but it’s the thought that counts. The club ended. It was time to get fucked up.

This is when the night turned around, and not even Melissa’s charm could prevent what was going to happen. When you combine a lot of people with alcohol two things can come out of it. Either the whole party flows in unison, a fine rhythm of happiness back dropped with a melody of laughter. Or an epic disaster that even Pandora can’t control ensues. Well Pandora’s Box definitely did not hold this party together. Those people that were looking for their man to fight found him conveniently standing outside the neighbor’s apartment. And with a swift move, fate left the side of their victim and landed in the laps of the attackers.

One man attacked at first and then three more, all eagerly awaiting their chance at revenge (if you can call it that, the origins of the scuffle were not clear). More jumped in and there was definitely nothing that could be done to save the boy. It ended with sadistic laughs and a roar of the “manhood” they were defending. The victim lay lifeless on the floor, no friends to help him. And everyone went back into the party.

One angry friend showed up and the attackers went after him, but nothing happened. It was clear the cops were going to appear so with the swiftness of the wind those involved vanished. The angry friend did not, though. He was furiously screaming at Diana, blaming the whole incident on her. I wish I could have defended her but I have had previous problems with the boy and did not want to aggravate the situation. Besides Diana knew it had nothing to do with her. When there is nobody around to blame people point the finger at the easiest target, it makes them feel like a man. Little does that boy know that he pointed the finger at one of the strongest people there. A waste of words for she was not affected.