But they all went on, some of them running now. The two boys holding Joy Rae let her go and sprinted off as Joy Rae hurried over to her brother.
What’s this about? the teacher said. She put her arm around the little boy and lifted his chin to see in his face. Are you all right? Talk to me. She wiped at the blood with a handkerchief. His eyes were red and there were bruises starting on his cheeks and forehead and the front of his shirt was ripped open. What’s this about? She turned to DJ. Do you know?
No, he said.
Who started it?
I don’t know.
You don’t know, or you’re not telling me?
He shrugged.
Well, you’re not helping anybody by not telling.
I know who it was, Joy Rae said, and named the big boy who’d been out in the ring.
He’s in very serious trouble then, the teacher said.
She led Joy Rae and her brother into the school building, but DJ lingered on the playground until the bell rang.
AFTER SCHOOL HE WAS WALKING HOME THROUGH THE park next to the railroad tracks when two boys appeared from behind the rusted WWII tank that served as a monument. They rushed up at him across the newly mown grass. How come you told old lady Harris on me? the big loudmouthed boy said.
I didn’t.
You told her I made those little kids fight.
I never told her anything.
Then how come I caught hell from her and Mr. Bradbury? Now I have to bring my mom to school tomorrow. Because of you.
DJ looked at him, then at the other boy. They were both watching him.
I’m going to kick your ass, the first boy said.
Yeah, how’d you like to get your ass kicked, the other one said. He gave a signal with his hand and a third boy came out from behind the tank, and they took turns shoving him until one of them grabbed him around the neck while the other two hit him in the head and sides, then they threw him down and held his face in the grass.
The first boy kicked him in the ribs. You lying sack of green shit. You better learn to keep your mouth shut.
Living with a old man.
Yeah. They probably fuck each other. The boy kicked him again. You been warned, he said, then they walked off toward downtown.
He lay in the grass looking at the spaced and orderly trees in the park and the clear sky through the trees. Blackbirds and starlings were pecking in the grass around him.
After a while he got up and went home. In the little dark house his grandfather was sitting in his rocking chair in the living room.
Is that you? he called.
Yes.
I thought I heard somebody out there.
It’s only me.
Come in here.
In a minute, he said.
What are you doing?
I’m not doing anything.
7
WHEN THE PHONE RANG IT WAS HALF-PAST SIX IN THE evening on a Saturday and Raymond got up from the kitchen table where he and Harold had been eating a supper of beef steak and pan-fried potatoes and took up the phone in the dining room where it hung on the wall on a long cord, and on the other end it was Victoria Roubideaux.
Well now, is that you? he said.
Yes. It’s me.
We just was finishing supper.
I hope I didn’t interrupt you. I could call later if you want.
You didn’t interrupt a thing. I’m just glad to hear from you.
How’s the weather there? she said.
Oh, you know. About like always this time of year. Starting to turn off cold at night but it’s still nice in the daytime. Most days it is.
He asked her how the weather was for her, there in Fort Collins next to the mountains, and she said it was dry and cold at night there too but that the days were still warm, and he said that was good, he was glad she was still getting some warm days. Then there was silence until she thought to say: What else is going on at home?
Well. Raymond looked out through the curtainless windows toward the barnlots and pens. We took those yearling steers into the sale barn last week.
The ones from over south?
That’s right.
Did you get your price?
Yes ma’am. Ninety-one seventy-five a hundredweight.
Isn’t that good. I’m glad.