Story Time with Zee 02/25/09 - A Dumbass named January

About three years ago I had to do forty hours of court ordered community service. I did my community service at a Bingo Hall which was actually a very good experience for me. While doing my community service I got to know a number of other people that were doing community service including Scott. Scott was not a very bright kid but it seemed to me that his heart was in the right place. It was clear that he was struggling to get on his feet. He slept on the porch of an aunt of his girlfriend and was not working. At the time I lived in a four bedroom house by myself so I offered to let him live with me.

I don't remember the name of Scott's girlfriend but I'll call her Jane. Scott and Jane had a six month old son who was taken away from them when he was a month old because of their drug addictions. At this point in my story Scott had been clean for five months and reported regularly for drug tests. He really wanted to clean his life up so that he could get custody of his son who was staying with Jane's father and step-mother. Jane however was not making very good decisions.

I awoke at about 1 am to knocking on my bedroom door hearing Scott say in a shaky voice, "Zee, I need you. Please. Something is wrong." When I came out of my bedroom Scott explained to me that he just got off the phone with Jane and he was sure that she was at her father's house with another guy. It hadn't been that long after I found out my ex was cheating on me and I really felt for Scott. Jane's father lived about 40 minutes away and I offered to drive him there thinking it would provide good time to talk him down. Jane's father lives in an area that is mostly apple orchards with houses few and far between. When I parked Scott ran in and I just waited in the car. Jane came out and gave me a hug and asked me to come in. It was clear that she was very drunk. She really didn't have much clothes on and as I walked in I noticed her clothing and a guy's clothing scattered around the living room. That is when she introduced me to the other guy there who called himself July. I'm sure that his real name is Julio but I only referred to him as January. January was in his mid-twenties about 5'-6" and appeared to be athletic.

Jane had some story about how January was just a friend and she was happy that Scott and I were there but it couldn't have been more shaddy. I am certain that January was providing the liquor that was getting Jane, who was 19 years old, drunk yet it didn't appear that he was drinking at all. January called one of his buddies to "get a ride home." I know enough Spanish to know that was not what he was saying on the phone to his buddy. He was laughing to his buddy about how he got caught and how there were two guys who came and he was out numbered. I'm thinking, "Fuck. I talked Scott down enough on the way here that he didn't immediately throw down. I really don't want this to get out of control." After January got off the phone he said his buddy couldn't pick him up and wanted to know if he could get a ride to his house. Jane said that she wanted to go back with Scott and I and I agreed to drop January off at his house on the way.

When I got to January's house he got out and went inside. Jane said that her coat was inside and she followed him in to get it. Scott and I sat in the car. Five minutes later we were still sitting and I was trying to talk Scott down. After ten minutes it had seemed like hours and Scott got out and knocked on the door. No one answered so he kicked the door in, went in, and came out with Jane screaming at him for kicking the door in. I got out of the car at about the same time that January came out of his house with another guy who I assume must have been February. There was some construction going on at the house and January took off his shirt then grabbed a brick. February took off his shirt then grabbed a shovel. I'm still not sure why they took their shirts off but it was clear what they had in mind for the brick and the shovel.

Jane jumped between Scott and January who were both ready to throw down and begged them not to fight. There was no one between February and me. I told February in both English and in Spanish that it wasn't my fight but it seemed that he didn't care. At that point I stopped trying to talk my way out of the fight and started thinking about fighting. He had a shovel and I knew that it would hurt like hell to get hit with a shovel and I had no intentions of letting that happen. I figured the best way to prevent a spade on the side of my face was to get in close so that there was no way that he could swing the shovel. I'd move fast and tackle him and if he swung the shovel as I approached I'd slide tackle him to avoid the shovel and to get him to the ground. He was about 15 feet away and I was going to make the first move to get an advantage since January and February's intentions were clear. I took two quick steps before February realized I was coming and I was watching close what he would do as he realized I was coming. I anticipated the shovel being swung but I was wrong. February was backing up quickly so I stopped. This time when I said its not my fight he responded with, "si."

I felt very empowered at this point. I no longer viewed February as a threat. I walked over to my car and opened the passenger door. I grabbed Scott and told him to get the fuck in my car and to my surprise he did. January and February were yelling at me to get the fuck in and get the fuck out of there as well. Jane early told me that she wanted to go with Scott and I was not going to leave her with January and February if she wanted to leave. When Scott was in the car she started yelling to get the fuck out too though. I stood behind my car and asked Jane to come over and talk to me. She again told me to get the fuck out of there. I said I would after she talked to me. She agreed to talk to me if I gave her my cigarettes so I did. I looked Jane in the eyes and said, "If you want to stay here that is your choice but if you want to leave here I will not leave without you." Again she told me to get the fuck out of there so I got in my car and left.