For part one click here
Seven
Robbie smiled at Jack. He was Mom’s new boyfriend, that’s
what he said at least. He mostly slept on the couch during the day and was gone
at night. He smelled, never brushed his teeth, got mom drunk or high and
“fought” in the bed room with her every now and then. Mom never asked if he was ever going to leave and Jack never thought to “prank him”
“I know about your secret" he said. He knelt down closer “I know you like to torture little… things" he continued "I found the little body of that
neighbor’s dog that’s gone missing” he licked his lips like something tasted
good.
Jack wasn’t scared; he didn’t know how to feel about it, he searched his
mind for the appropriate response but none came quickly, so he just sat there
and stared.
"I'll make you a deal" Robbie finally said through
his ugly yellow teeth. “If you play a game with me, then I won’t never tell
mommy about your secret, OK?" Jack nodded his head more out of relief he
didn’t need to fake a response.
"Here’s what we're gonna do." Robbie said as he
pulled out a deck of playing cards. He shuffled them and did some tricks with
them, showing off his skill with sleight of hand. “There are 52 cards here”. He
said as he placed the cards on the table, “But there is one Joker” he pulled
the Joker card off the top and showed it to him. “Do you see the Joker here?"
he asked Jack, who nodded. He pulled
another card off the top “This is a Jack, do you see it?' Jack nodded his head
and smiled.
"Like me" Jack said as he took the card to looked at
it.
“That’s right, and it’s really useful too, but here’s what
we are gonna do, I’m gonna shuffle this deck of cards and see what comes off
the top.” so he shuffled the deck and drew a random card. Then he did it again and again, pulling off
different cards. Jack was getting bored and thought this was a dumb trick.
"Is that it?’ he
said.
Robbie laughed, "Now I think you’re the joker, funny
guy" he shuffled again and said "Now you try", Jack reached over
to take the top card but before he could Robbie placed his hands over the
cards. "Hold on funny man" he said "This here’s the game, if you
can draw a card from the top and it's not the Joker card, then you win and I
won’t tell about the dog, but, if you draw the Joker I win and you have to do something
for me, deal?"
"What thing?" Jack asked suspiciously.
"Anything thing I say, Jack, You either play my game or
I tell about your game. Get it?"
Jack thought he did, He didn’t really care about getting in
trouble but it was so inconvenient when his mom made big deals about things so he agreed. Robbie removed his hand
and Jack drew the top card. He turned it over, it was the Joker Card.
Robbie slapped the table “Oh man! What luck, go get me a
beer" Jack went and got the beer. Robbie shuffled. “Let’s go again” he
said. Jack drew again, and it was the Joker again.
Robbie laughed again and said "Oh man! You must like
that card, it’s attracted to you boy." Robbie Told him to go get chips. Then Jack pulled another Joker card and Robbie made him do push ups, then he drew another....
Robbie got up from the table “You’re a dumb kid” he said as
he went to the couch “But you’ll be alright” He laid down and drifted quickly
to sleep.
Jack grabbed the deck of cards and thumbed through it. There
was only one Joker card. And every time he shuffled and took the top card it
was a different card every time.
“Stupid game” he said out loud. But at least he didn’t have
to worry about Robbie telling on him. He sighed, got up from the table and went to get rid of the dog’s body
just in case.
The golf course was cold and muggy this morning. Bruce’s Dad was shaking hands with three other men, Bruce was told they were business associates,
which he thought meant lawyers. Mr. Fox was here too, Bruce knew him from home
office meetings and business parties at the mansion.
“How is the future CEO of Wayne enterprises?” Mr. Fox said
to Bruce, as he always did.
“Good” Bruce said as he always did.
“Are you ready to beat us all today?” he said seriously.
“Yes sir” Bruce replied “Alfred put me in golfing
lessons”
“Already?” Mr. Fox said surprised looking over at Alfred who
was acting as Bruce’s Caddy.
“The staff insisted Master Bruce’s passions needed
direction.” Alfred said flatly. Tomas Wayne interjected.
“He has quite an aptitude and attitude toward athletics so
we thought it wouldn’t hurt to add a few sports into his routine.” He ruffled
Bruce’s hair lovingly. “Why don’t you tee off first Bruce and show these old
timers how it’s done.”
Bruce poked his tee into the soft grass and shivered, it was
cold and crisp as he placed the ball on the tee; it fell off a few times but he
refused help, receiving approval from the older men. His clubs were hand crafted and were just his size, and
he imagined himself as a grown up working with his Dad; he was ready to make the
big deal.
He scrunched up his face trying to remember all the steps, and Alfred reminded him from time to time. Then he swung with all his might. He
strained to see how far he had hit the ball, but Alfred informed him he missed.
The older men chuckled, one said “It would’ve been a birdie”
Bruce didn’t remember that phrase and thought the man was making fun of him; his
face turned red.
“Take a deep breath” Alfred said calmly. “Feel the cool air on
your skin and try again”
He did and missed. He was still thinking of the guy who was
teasing him, who laughed again. Bruce didn’t know the man but wanted to throw
the club at him. He hated to be teased.
“Bruce calm down” his father told him. “Take your time we
are in no hurry”
“Speak for yourself” Bruce heard someone mumble, he didn’t
know who said it but he imagined it was the same guy.
He lined up again, took his breaths, he could hit the ball ever time when he was at the range, with the instructor, why couldn’t he hit the ball now? He looked
hard at the ball, and hated it right now. He took another breath and swung with
all his might. He lost his grip on the club and it went flying out the fairway,
twenty feet, the men laughed and clapped. But the ball was still on the tee.
Alfred had gotten quite good and telling when Bruce was
about to flip a loo, as he coined it, so he intervened “Why don’t you chaps
play on through, Master Bruce and I will play catch up”
Tomas roughed Bruce’s hair again. “Keep at it kiddo!” he
said jovially “You have a great swing, Son” then he took a knee and drew Bruce
into a big loving fatherly hug and whispered in his ear “I’m really proud of
you, you missed and controlled your temper, I know you wanted to lose it, but
didn’t. That take courage son” Bruce fought the urge to cry.
“Thanks Dadd..” Bruce caught himself as he eyed the man he
hated “Dad” he corrected.
“Don’t worry bout us” Alfred said jovially “We won’t be far
behind”
“I’d put my money on passing us right up” Mr. Fox said with
a wink.
Bruce watched them tee off, then go, he was watching the man he hated, something
was wrong about him, not just the way he laughed, Bruce couldn’t put his finger
on it, but he was dangerous.
“Right” Alfred said “Your instructor will be proud you didn’t
hobble anyone Master Bruce, let see if we can’t get that dogger up in the air”
“Who was that man?” Bruce asked as he teed off again “The
one who was laughing at me, who was he?”
“Ah…” Alfred thought as he sifted through Bruce’s golf bag
looking for the right club. “He’s an business associate of sorts of your
fathers” he finally said “Try this one” he handed Bruce a black polished driver.
Bruce got into position trying to line up and stand correctly,
it felt better this time with out anyone watching him. “Is he a bad guy?
Alfred?”
Alfred raised an eye “What made you figure that, Master B”
“He looks and acts like a bad guy” Bruce said.
“Well” Alfred smiled “You might be right, or a lawyer”
Bruce swung, missed. Stood there a minute and started screaming
beating his club on the ground before throwing it as far as he could.
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