“I apologize. I have been kind of careful these days and I just took a big hit during PE.” I said holding my stomach.
“No, no. I am not saying you should intentionally hurt yourself so you can come see. Just the opposite. I am actually astounded that you haven't been hurt more. Especially after Gusty was here talking to me.”
“What did Gusty say?” I asked with great curiosity.
“Well he told me that the principal’s son is trying to kill you. He also told me that you got that boy Brutus in trouble with his father and he is going to kill you twice. I don’t believe this of course but if that boy’s intentions are set on you, all I can say is that be careful or you will be in here more often.” He said with a dismissing wave as he entered my information in his log.
~~~
Julian: After that I know Brutus stopped sitting at our table. He sat next to the football players and was louder than ever. It was just the five of us, cause if I remember correctly Claudia went away from the table as well. Which made Cali very sad, being how Claudia used to be her best friend.
Anthony: Yes, lunch those days got much quieter than it use to be. There was one day where it rained really hard and made all the grass muddy. That was one of the worst days, because that is when I lost all hope of ever becoming friends with him again. That cloudy late November day.
~~~
I was walking on the narrow path in between the main 10th grade building and the gym building. I said earlier how small this path is, only about two bodies wide. Well, this day that it was raining hard and the ground was a swamp, this was the day that Brutus thought it was a good idea to take the long way around the school to get to his class so he could personally escort me to the gymnasium.
“So, Tony…” he said very monotonically to me. Looking down on me with over a foot between our heights. Him towering over me and only giving me a third of the pathway, he got closer to the point that I wasn’t under the metal roofing above the pathways anymore and I was getting rained on. At that point he stopped me and we were both late to class. It was just us two.
“Tony. You have taken this school by storm and are becoming the most popular kid. I can’t let a black kid like you take the spotlight from the star of the school. I will give you one chance to stop all this. Resign from the play and stop talking to people. Or else.” He said clutching his first. I felt more fear than ever before.
“I will do no such thing Brutus, you were my friend and now you are being mean and betraying my trust.” I said trying to pull away from him, but he had a firm grip on my shoulder now.
“My father is away on an expo in Tennessee. The poor vice principal is in charge. So right now is the perfect time to make things normal again. You won’t work with me here so I guess I have to do this. To put you in your place as the N***** you are.” (I am going to censor that because it might offend some people.)
I was shocked but I had no time to react because at the time his knee was lodged in my stomach, and his fist was knocking me into the wet, muddy grass. The hard and cold November rain. I laid there for a good five minutes after Brutus spat on me and walked away. The last words I heard before passing out was “Don’t tell anybody or else I won’t hold back.”
Then Everything Went dark.
CHAPTER 7
Anthony: So as I awoke, I was in Mr. O’s office and I woke up to you, Cleo, Cali and Gusty around me seeing what happened. I had missed the rest of school and I was told that I had the flu and a cracked nose.
Julian: Yes, I actually hadn’t told you about this yet. After Brutus knocked you out and came late to global, which he had with Gusty and Cleo, they saw that he was drenched. When they saw that, this is Gusty’s words, Cleo bolted for the door and left class without a word. Gusty ran after her (with the teacher’s permission of course) and found her trying to carry your unconscious body out of the rain. Eventually they got you to the Doctor's office. Cleo had been by your side the whole time, she never went back to class.
Anthony: Well, I knew the last part because she told me when you and Gusty left after I woke up.
~~~
“I immediately knew something was wrong when Brutus walked in late with a wet jacket clutching his fist. He was getting really uneasy to be around. I came out and found you unconscious outside the gym.” Cleo was told with an apologetic tone.
“Thank you, Cleo. Thank you a lot. Brutus knocked me out and the last thing I remember was the rain in my face and my face hurting. Thank you again.” I said smiling at her.
“Well I guess I should go. I really hope you feel better Anthony.” She quickly stood up and grabbed her things. I tried to get up but all I could do was sit up to feel her embrace. (Here it comes…) and at that point I felt the warm embrace of her lips touching mine. All pain was gone and all I could think of was her. She backed away and then she speed walked out the door without another word. At that time, I was carefree.
Chapter 8
Julian: So there is a great part of the story. Someone who cared for you. I was surprised that it took so long for her to show how she really felt. Even before we met you she told me that you were “cute.”
Anthony: Well it was a mutual feeling with her. We did eventually go out, but we actually didn’t see each other until the play.
Julian: Should we go to that day?
~~~
This was the big day for all of us. No one had really seen Brutus since the incident and the play was today. The show was completely sold out and everybody was congratulating all the performers. Although this wasn’t even close to my first performance, I felt more pressure than ever before. Especially at the time I was very on edge from the Brutus thing and now I had to perform well for Cleo and, and, and, and…
(We had to take a break at this point for a little while cause he was starting to hyperventilate. Almost had a heart attack.)
The play was after school. What I found most enjoyable was that the actors didn’t have to go to class that day. So no Mr. Helmsley, ms. Thyme, nobody. Just a final rehearsal and last minute calming. Brutus was there but he was silent until he had to speak a line. It was quite frightening to say the least. Not one word to any of us, not even Claudia. We did two full run-throughs of the play and the director was speechless.
“It is like I’m watching a Broadway performance, my children!!!” Mr. Farchaus said applauding from the back of the auditorium. “Simply stunning. I am proud to say this is the best work I have ever directed.”
~~~
It was 5:58 PM. Two minutes before show time. Mr. Farchaus was about to give his pre show speech. We were all backstage waiting for our cue to start. I wasn’t going to go out until Scene 2, Act 1 of the play so I still had time.
Applause.
“‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.’ This is my favorite quote for any play. In the 15th century, a brilliant man named William Shakespeare created the most well known plays still acted out today. That quote was from my favorite piece of work, the play we are performing tonight. Julius Caesar. Shakespeare was inspired about the Roman Emperor's life, and made a masterpiece performance. Enjoy.” He departs with bow and the curtains fall closely behind him. The performance was completely intoxicating for the audience. I saw it in their faces.
The first half went smoothly because me and Brutus were never close to each other in any scene. Intermission came around with no drama except on the stage. Then **** hit the fan close to the end. In the final scene, Caesar is assassinated by all the male actors, and his final words are “Et tu, Brute?” He clutches Brutus as his life leaves him and the curtains fall.
That is how it was suppose to be. But here is where it all comes together. I am the one who convinces Julius Caesar to go get assassinated and Brutus pulls him down to be stabbed. Brutus purposefully grabbed me and attempted to assassinate me. It was not until I was pulled aw
ay from Brutus did I realize that I was bleeding from where he stabbed me. What surprised me the most is how everyone in the theater thought it was part of the play, and how the actors spoke as if they were nobles of ancient Rome.
Julian ran up to me and said “Oh the tragedy, noble Cicero has been stabbed by one of our own. Quickly, get him to the infirmary of this building.” And everybody walked off stage and the curtains fell.
I had started to fade to black again when I heard Mr. O arrive with a medkit. Brutus had done it now, I heard the security guard taking a hold of him and everybody trying to stop panicking. I had Cleo down sitting next to me with my head in her lap. You were helping Mr. O trying to stop the bleeding and wipe it up. I heard Mr. Farchaus giving the final speech.
“Alas, it was not Caesar that they killed that night. The noble Cicero had fallen prey to the fury of Brutus and it shocked the nation. Eventually they got Caesar, and stabbed him 37 times before he died. But Cicero had what was coming to him, and that is the tragedy in which lies the play. Thank you all for coming and good night.” He bows again and walks behind the closing curtain.
A roar of applause comes from the audience. That is when I faded out of conscience.
Chapter 9
I awoke in my bed at my house. I woke up to the smiling faces of many. Gusty’s chubby and bright red face, Cali’s over-hyper face smiling brightly. Claudia’s relieved face. Cleo sitting right by my head monitoring my breathing.
Julian: Don’t forget I was there.
Anthony: Yes, you had been making food for everybody down stairs with my father when I woke up.
Julian: You were asleep for two days before you woke up. It turned out that Brutus had stole a big needle from Mr. O’s office and put it into the tip of the foam knife and was planning to take you out discreetly.
Anthony: After that everybody at our school was very nice to me and it felt just like New York. My dad started to get happier because the other students started to convince their parents that racism and discrimination is wrong.
Julian: After that nothing eventful happened, right?
Anthony: Yes. I tried to make the basketball team but it was a boring experience and I didn’t even make JV. I did end up going out with Cleo after Christmas break and I am still with her up to this point. And aren’t you dating Cali still?
Julian: Yes. After that event I asked her out and became the new “ top dog” of the school. Back to the big picture, you lessened racism in the town after Brutus was expelled from school and moved to his mother’s house in Texas.
Anthony: Well I did. During senior year more people of color (including Mr. O’s whole family) all moved into Bigton and the city has doubled in population. Then I wasn’t the only non-white kid. My dad did tell me that the only way to overcome racism is by facing it head on and saying that it’s wrong. Confrontation is the key to overcoming.
~~~
Anthony’s story addresses a major issue still in the world, which is occurring as we speak. Although Anthony reduced racism in our small town of Bigton, we should be aware that it still exists in the United States and around the world, and we have to help the community in any way we can. I am Julian Lockhale, and I thank my friend Anthony Cedar. Thank you for reading.
The Mississipi Predicament Page 3