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I remember this one time.....

I was passing through P park on Ocean Parkway with my girl and her friend. It was about 8pm. So I'm waiting for my girl's friend to come out of her house (she lived across from the park) and I knew I shouldn't have been there. See because I hung out with different kids. Kids that hated the Ave. P boys so I was playing with fire a bit. But shit I was just passing through. No harm no foul right?

Surrounding me, he pulls out a knife. They kick me off my bike (Dyno). I say chill out, relax, no need for the knife, put it away and what seems like 20 minutes later he puts the knife away. Then out of nowhere....BAM!!!!! A straight shot to the mouth. I'm woozy, I'm bleeding all over the place. When the blurriness goes away I ask for mercy. I was a small kid at age 13, say maybe 115 pounds, tops. And there were at least 10-13 of them. I tried to run but I had no shot. They surrounded me the same way sharks surround a bucket of chum. My girl and her friend ran were screaming for them to stop.

Down to the floor I just covered my head and hoped for the best. As far as I was concerned I was ahead of the game, I mean shit I talked him out of stabbing me right? It might have lasted anywhere from 2-4 minutes. The result was 2 cracked ribs, a retardedly busted lip (he put a piece of glass between his knuckles when he popped me in the mouth) that I still bear a scar from to this day and bruises everywhere from all the kicks.

I get home. He's in the kitchen, having a snack. What happen? Here come the tears, I'm crying like I just got my balls waxed. WHO DID THIS TO YOU? JESUS CHRIST I HOPE YOU FUCKING KILLED WHOEVER DID THIS TO YOU!!!! LET'S GO. Go where I cry out. GET IN THE FUCKING CAR. Did I have a choice? Of course not.

Pull up to the park. They are all still there, this time more of them. Which one he says....Which one busted your lip like that, it's hangin off you know! I point, that one. Get out of the car. NOO! Cmon NO!!! ANTHONY GET OUT OF THE FUCKING CAR! Screaming toward the wolfpack, hey you, get over here. Yeah you. So they all come over...but tentatively. They see the man has a crazy look in his eyes. Who did this? Pointing at my face. He says it was you.
Your a tough guy huh? Jumping a 13 year old. Your real fucking tough.

Fight him! What? You and him. Right now, one-on-one. If anyone tries to jump in I'll toss them into the fucking street. Couple of kids in the background run away....I ain't fighting him I say. Why not? Realizing for the first time that I was scared and totally fucked up from getting my ass beat like Tina Turner he says ok, fuck it. I'll fight him. You know what (he starts taking off his jacket) I'll fight all of you, right now!! LETS GO, ALL AT ONCE (making the fighting stance). No one takes his offer. He says fuck it, walks to the car, gets out a wooden bat (1982 Robin Yount bat, I think) and starts chasing kids through the park. They all scatter and run. Far. He swings it wildly, almost got a couple of them. I was afraid he would catch one of them. I never visited anyone in jail before.

On the way to the hospital he tells me that when I get better I'm going to fight that kid one-on-one no matter what. No excuses. I nod. Three weeks later I did. The kid was 17, easily had 30-35 pounds on me. But I was possessed that day. Possessed. Despite the size advantage I beat him up pretty bad and all I walked away with was a knot on my forehead. He was so proud.

As if I was an Olympic fighter. He said I made you fight that kid so that you understand that you can't fear anyone. Fear is a weakness. There's nothing to be afraid of in life. There's no fight that you can't win.

When I was born he got a tattoo on his arm. It was a boxer, with my name under it. It was awesome.

I love you Dad. You were a magnificent son of a bitch.

RIP