by Jack Tunney
“That would be me, ma’am.” Nappy stepped forward, extending his hand. “I’m Napoleon Johnson. And you are?”
“That’s my sister Dorothea, Mr. Johnson,” the youth nicknamed T-Bird said. He had stopped sparring and leaned on the top rope, breathing heavily. “Go on home, Thea. What you doin’ here embarrassing me like this?”
“I want you out of there right now and I mean it. You haven’t been embarrassed yet, but if you don’t mind what I say, you’ll know what being embarrassed really is.” The young woman rounded back to Nappy. “My name is Dorothea McBricker and I want to know why you have these young boys beating up on each other when they should be in school.”
“Ma’am, the time for this ring and sparrin’ session done been paid for. You got a problem, you need to take it up with the man who paid for it.”
“So, you don’t take any responsibility for encouraging delinquency in minors? In fact, you shouldn’t be allowing boys their age in here during school hours in the first place.”
“Stop callin’ me a boy,” T-Bird shouted. “And go on home.”
“Don’t you dare speak to me in that tone of voice.”
“She’s right, son,” Levi said. “You need to take that bass outta your voice.”
T-Bird glared poison at Levi. “Mind your bidness, man. This is between me an’ my sister. An’ don’t be callin’ me son. I don’t know you.”
Dorothea McBricker turned to Levi and said wrathfully, “My brother’s right. This is a family matter and we’ll settle it ourselves and thank you to keep to your own business!”
“Hey,” Levi said. “I’m only trying to help, Miss McBricker. And, brother or not, he’s got no call to be yelling at you like that. You’re a lady.”
That appeared to mollify Dorothea McBricker some. She ran her eyes up and down Levi’s compactly muscular 5’10” worth of a hundred and fifty pounds. “You seem like you might be what passes for a gentleman around here. Why are you letting these boys hang out in here beating on each other when they need to be in school getting an education?”
“First of all, ma’am, boxing is hardly a waste of time.”
“You can save your breath, Mr. … ?”
“Kimbro, ma’am. Levi Kimbro.”
“Mr. Kimbro, my father and three of my uncles boxed. They taught me and my brothers how to box, so I know all about the virtues of the sport. And I have no problem with Teddy coming here to spar, but after school.”
“I ain’t wastin’ my time here, Thea. I’m getting’ paid for sparring with Billy.” T-Bird McBricker waved a gloved hand at Billy Rico who had moved to the center of the ring where he shadow boxed, keeping warmed up while the family drama played itself out.
“I don’t care. Get out of that ring and put your clothes on. I’m taking you to your school myself to make sure you get there. Afterwards is your own time and you can waste it any way you want. But you’re going to go to school if I have to ...”
“Hey, hey … it’s too early for all this hollering and yelling, ya’ll.” The pure velvet and honey voice, delivered in a smoky South Carolina accent came from the throat of Duke Williamson.
He had entered the gym as if it were a grand ballroom. Duke Williamson’s sartorial elegance had been legendary in Brooklyn for years. It was said he changed his thousand dollar imported Italian suits three times a day. This particular suit was sapphire blue with a matching homburg sitting atop Duke’s head at a rakish angle. Even the brass head of his walking stick matched the color of his suit. Duke Williamson moved with the stylish grace of a panther, leading with his lethal charm, but backed up with plenty of guns and muscle he could call up with the snap of a finger.
Levi watched him approach warily. At his back were his usual entourage of flunkies – including his sportin’ girl Lillian, who had lasted longer than most.
Levi had heard stories Duke was supposed to be married to a white woman beautiful enough to be a movie star. Supposedly, he kept her in a mansion somewhere way out in Long Island. Levi, however, didn’t believe any of it. Duke spent too much time in Brooklyn to be married and had too many women.
Duke’s right hand man, Curtis Sapp, stayed at his elbow. Sapp never said or did much. There were stories about him as well. The most popular one being he never forgot a thing he saw, heard, or read. Duke used him as sort of a human filing cabinet. It was said he had all of Duke’s business dealings committed to his freaky memory, so Duke had none of his illegal activities on paper anywhere. It was all in Sapp’s head.
Two of Duke’s top leg breakers spread out to take up positions in the gym where they could watch the entrance and cover their boss. They eyed everybody in the gym, communicating quite clearly that it would be wise to just go on with their business.
The final member of Duke’s entourage was also the largest. Standing at an even 6’ 2” and two hundred sixty pounds, Calvin Ballantine scowled at the world with a face he’d frightened folks with all his life – starting with the doctor who delivered him.
Calvin Ballantine was just pure flat out mean. Nobody except for Duke had any affection for him at all. He didn’t take pleasure in women as much as he used them up and threw them away. Even though he drank liquor like most men drank water, nobody could ever remember seeing him drunk.
The one thing everybody could agree on was he was the deadliest and most dangerous fighter in Duke’s stable, as well as his personal bodyguard. Nicknamed, Deathblow, he had killed two men in backroom brawls in the last five years. Calvin had lasted a lot longer than most in the backrooms.
Duke shrugged off the ankle length leather trench coat draped across his shoulders like a cape. Lillian easily caught it, casually threw it over her forearm. Duke walked on over to Nappy.
“What’s the rumpus, Nappy? I come to watch my newest investment spar.” Duke’s bright eyes went from Nappy to Levi. “Hey, Dancer … heard you whooped Cornbread last night. You think you’re finally ready for my main man here?” Duke waggled his head in Calvin’s direction.
Levi forced a smile. It was easier than he thought. “I don’t think I’d be ready for ol’ Deathblow unless I had a couple’a .45’s the ring with me.”
Duke laughed, lightly punched Levi in the shoulder. “Anytime you want to stop wasting time with punks and fight a real man, let me know. I’ll make it more than worth your while. So, what’s the holdup?” he asked, returning his attention to Nappy.
But it was Dorothea who answered. “The holdup is that my brother should be in school. You want somebody to spar with your man, you find somebody else.”
Duke held out his gloved hand. “And you are?”
The young woman didn’t so much as look down at the hand. “Dorothea McBricker. Teddy’s my brother.”
“Thea! My name is T-Bird! How many times I gotta tell you? T-Bird!”
Dorothea frowned. “And Teddy should be in school. And as long as he lives with me, he will be going to school.”
T-Bird jumped back into the fray. “Yeah, well, once I start workin’ for Mr. Williamson for real, I’ll get my own place! Ain’t that right, Mr. Williamson?”
Dorothea whirled back to face her younger brother. “You’re not working for anybody until after you finish school!”
“Before we start planning out the future, can we deal with today?” Duke said smoothly. “Such as, I paid your brother fifty dollars to give my boy Billy a good workout, and I intend to get my money’s worth.”
“I’ll give you your money back,” Dorothea insisted.
“Fine.” Duke again held out his hand. “Fifty bucks, if you please.”
Dorothea’s eyes narrowed in anger, but her voice softened. “You know good and well I don’t have fifty dollars on me. Working folks don’t walk around with that kind of money.”
Duke turned away from her. “Go on back to sparring, boys. And don’t take it easy on each other.”
“Wait a minute!” Dorothea laid a hand on Duke’s arm. Calvin Ballantine growled like an angry Doberman and too
k a couple of steps forward. Curtis Sapp waved him back. Sapp hadn’t yet seen the woman Duke Williamson couldn’t charm.
“I said my brother isn’t going to spar with your man.”
“Miss McBricker, your brother and I entered into a business arraignment. We shook hands on it. He agreed to spar with Billy for fifty dollars. Now unless you, or somebody else, is going to give me my money, T-Bird is going to spar. I don’t intend to stand here all day and argue about it either.” Using the brass head of his walking stick, Duke lightly brushed Dorothea’s hand off his arm with a look communicating better than words it would be best if she not do touch him again.
Dorothea turned to Nappy. “Can you give him fifty dollars? I’ll pay you back next week, I promise.”
Nappy spoke around the cigar stub in his mouth. “Baby sister, either you’re crazy or you think I am. I don’t know you from Bathsheba. How do I know you’ll come back with my money?”
“I give you my word!”
Nappy snorted and rolled his eyes.
In desperation Dorothea stepped over to Levi and looked up at him with pleading eyes as she said, “Can’t you do something? Please? Can you lend me the money or talk to this man? I don’t want Teddy getting mixed up with these people!”
Normally Levi would have followed Nappy’s example and minded his own business. Especially when it came to anything having to do with Duke. But there was something about this firecracker of a girl that had affected him the minute he laid eyes on her. He had to admit, he admired her for the way she’d stood up to Duke. She had steel in her spine for sure. Father Tim would have liked her.
“Duke.”
Duke half-turned. “What’s up, Dancer?”
“How about I spar with your boy?”
Now he had Duke’s full attention. The gangster’s eyes glittered warily as he walked over to Levi. “You? Why?”
“Because I don’t have fifty dollars on me. Otherwise, I’d give it to you so we could stop wasting the morning with all this here jaw-jackin.’ Nappy’s got a gym to run, this young lady has got to get her brother to school, and I’m sure she has a job to get to. You’re a busy man. I’m a busy man. Seems to me the best way to settle this is for me to go a couple rounds with your boy. It’s just sparring, right?”
Duke cocked his head to the side, looking at Levi with eyes that seemed to be dissecting the thoughts in his brain. Finally Duke said, “Get on out of there, T-Bird. Go on with your sister.”
“That ain’t fair, Mr. Williamson. That ain’t fair at all.”
The honey and velvet left Duke’s voice to be replaced by a ugly whip crack of pure rage, “Boy, you make me repeat myself, I’m gonna make you wish you hadn’t. Now, getcher tail outta that ring, put your clothes on and go with your sister. And mind what she tells you, hear?”
Everybody had fallen silent, startled by the sudden change in Duke’s attitude and voice. It was as if he’d opened up a private cage somewhere in his soul and let a snarling beast out to romp. Just as suddenly, he smiled and his honey velvet voice came back. “T-Bird, if you want to work for me there’s certain things you have to learn. One of those is you can’t be a leader until you learn how to follow orders. Another is not to disrespect your own family. Now, you get out of there, get dressed and go on to school like your sister says. Come by the liquor store and see me after school is out. We’ll talk then.”
Dorothea looked as if she were going to object, but Levi caught her eyes and, with a tiny shake of his head, indicated she should let it alone.
Duke nodded at Levi. “Okay, Dancer. Climb on up in there and give my boy a real workout, then. And thanks.”
Dorothea smiled gratefully at Levi. “Thank you, Mr. Kimbro. I really appreciate it.”
“You want to thank me, have dinner with me later on at Smackey’s Diner.”
“Oh, I … I ... Look, I’m not that kind of girl …”
“Damn, woman, I’m not asking you to run off with me to Tijuana and get married. You do eat dinner, don’t you?”
Dorothea smiled. “Yes. Yes, I do. Very well. I’ll meet you for dinner at Smackey’s. Six-thirty?”
“I’ll have a booth ready for us. Best go on now and take your brother to school.”
Said brother was not in a good mood at all. He gave Levi a look of undiluted death. Levi had the feeling he and T-Bird were not destined to be the best of friends.
Nappy said to Levi, “You sure you know what you’re doing, man?”
“What’s the harm, Nappy? We’re just sparring, is all. We go around three, four rounds and I give the kid a love tap, knock him on his ass just enough to give him the idea maybe he should call it a day. And I get a date with a pretty girl out of it. What could go wrong?”
ROUND FOUR
It didn’t take long for Levi to change into the appropriate gear. Nappy put a sparring helmet on his head. Made sure it was comfortable.
“I think you’re crazy to do this, man.”
“You worry too much. This will all be over in ‘bout a half hour.” But Levi had to admit, he didn’t like how Duke was whispering to Billy Rico. The young man threw an unfriendly look at Levi over his shoulder.
Levi called across the ring, “You know this is just some friendly sparring, right, Duke?”
Duke flashed a brilliant grin full of beautiful teeth he’d no doubt spent a fortune on. “Yeah, Dancer, yeah! I’m just telling Billy here that he’s getting in the ring with a real pro, is all.” Duke slapped Billy on the shoulder and stepped off the ring to take a seat on a nearby bench to watch.
Nappy himself rang the bell and Levi headed out to the center of the ring. Billy Rico went right to work on his midsection, which wasn’t bad. Most inexperienced young guys concentrated on the head, trying for the one big shot to seriously stun or knockout an opponent. They didn’t appreciate the value of laying the foundation for a later round knockout by working those ribs, taking the air out of an opponent.
Levi pulled his elbows in and let the boy have his fun so he could look good in front of Duke. Billy had some power there, no doubt, but he’d have more if he had some extra muscle on him. Billy kept on hooking rights and left to Levi’s ribs.
“Don’t be afraid to mix it up, kid. Throw some jabs at my head just to keep me guessing,” Levi said before he could stop himself. He hadn’t meant to give out free advice, but what the hell. Long as he was in here, might as well.
But Billy didn’t see it that way. “Tend to your fightin’ an’ I’ll tend to mine.” Then he let rip with four quick southpaw jabs, enough to make Levi guess maybe he was underestimating this kid.
Levi went to the left, then to the right, demonstrating the light footwork that had earned him his nickname. Billy bobbed and weaved, trying to target someplace on Levi to hit. But suddenly, Levi had become as elusive as a shadow on a mirror.
Billy did the wrong thing then, pursuing Levi instead of hanging back and forcing Levi to come to him. Levi send him some strong jabs to remind him to keep his distance. Not strong enough to really give him pause, but just enough to let him know he should respect the length of Levi’s arms.
Billy banged his gloves together, deciding to step up his game and go right for Levi’s head with a flurry of straight punches that Levi blocked with his forearms.
Nappy rang the bell and the fighters returned to their respective corners. Nappy gave Levi a drink of water. He rinsed, spat, and said, “That wasn’t a three minute round, Nappy.”
“So? Besides, I thought the kid could take a minute to cool off. He’s takin’ this a little too serious. You should teach him some respect.”
“Nah. Let him have his fun. He ain’t hurtin’ me none and I’m trying to make him look good for Duke.”
Nappy grunted and gave Levi a strange look, but he let it go. He climbed down from Levi’s corner and rang the bell for the second round.
And just like that, Billy came across the ring like a shot, throwing a solid roundhouse right at Levi’s head. Levi stumbled backwar
d, almost went down before catching himself, barely managing to stay on his feet.
The blow had caught Levi totally by surprise, and Billy had put everything behind it. If Levi hadn’t had a helmet on, and if Billy had that extra fifty pounds behind it, it would have knocked Levi out for sure.
“C’mon, punk! I got more for you!” Billy waded in with body blows that had real anger-fueled heat behind them. “Tryin’ to make me look bad in front’a Mr. Duke? I’ll bust yo’ ass!”
Levi pushed the younger man away. “Man, you done gone crazy? We just sparrin’ here!”
“Mr. Duke told me you think you such a big man! Get your jollies outta makin’ people look stupid! I got your stupid right here!” And Billy Rico gave him another smashing roundhouse right.
Levi tasted blood. He’d had enough.
He stepped in and slammed his right fist square into the younger man’s breadbasket. Billy staggered backwards, spitting out his mouthpiece. One hand went to wrap around his stomach while the other went out to try and get some support from the ropes. But it was no use. Billy Rico went down like the Titanic, desperately gasping for air and wondering why he had no feeling in his entire body.
Nappy was already in the ring, turning Billy Rico on his side. “Just breathe easy, son. You just got the wind knocked outta you. Feels worse than it actually is. You just gotta get some air back in. Breathe, now. Breathe.”
Levi stalked over to the side of the ring where Duke Williamson sat on the bench, smiling slightly, removing a cigar from a platinum cigar case. Levi yelled down at him, “What kinda games you playing at, Duke? What did you tell that boy that craziness for and get him all worked up?”
“I don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about, Dancer,” Duke answered smoothly. “All I saw ... all anybody here saw was you lose your temper at a kid just trying to get some expert practice from a so-called professional who damn near sent him to the hospital.”
“The wind’s just knocked outta him and you know it!”
Duke shrugged. “Damn shame, man. He’s just a kid. Wasn’t no threat to you. Kid had family down in Florida to whom he was going to send money.”