Just In A Name (Part 6): critique certainly welcome

I did not sleep well and woke up quite early coughing and sneezing and feeling chills come and go throughout my body. I found my mom's old thermometer. I was just a tad over 102. I definitely had the flu. I couldn't remember the last time I had the flu, but I knew the drill: Plenty of fluids, chicken noodle soup and rest. I rummaged around for some cold medicine and found a prescription bottle in the back of the closet next to the cough syrup. I took a couple of these pills and it wasn't long until I was in la la land. I don't remember much after that because I went out and did not wake up again until just after Midnight totally soaked in my own sweat. My fever had broken and I was really hungry. I ate then went back to bed and slept another five hours.

I would later find out these were pain pills my dad had been given for an abscessed tooth. My mom told me she had put these pills next to the cough syrup because they were for the mouth. I guess that's logical.

Although the fever had broke, I still felt weak My throat was bit scratchy, but it seemed the cold had left with the fever. I certainly didn't want to give this to Peggy Sue, so I called her, told her this and decided just to kick back and watch TV a couple of days. I started thinking about my future. Should I get a job or go to the university? I needed a car, but I would wait till my dad got back. He just might know someone with a good set of wheels at a decent price. I started looking through an old newspaper and found the auto section. I was just shocked at the price of the new cars and realized the $6,000 I had saved up wasn't going to get me much. I started wondering if I had made the right decision not to re-up in the Army.

Right after the evening news I heard a commotion outside. I looked outside the window and saw Peggy Sue all dressed up with a young man, I guessed was her boyfriend and he and old man Jenkins were jabbering about something. In a way it was funny because Mr. Jenkins was thin and not very tall, but Peggy Sue's boyfriend was over 6 feet and looked like he was a weight lifter. Peggy Sue was physically holding back her dad who had his fists clenched, but the boyfriend just stood there laughing as if he were having the time of his life. Peggy Sue finally got her dad to go back inside and she came back out, pointed her finger at her boyfriend and said something. Whatever she said sure wiped the smile off his face. She got in the car and off they went.

I could see why Peggy Sue liked this guy. He looked like he was about my age, had a good build and had a cherry red Camaro, which is a chick magnet. I wasn't in any position to compete with those wheels and realized it wasn't likely I would get past first base with Peggy Sue.

I hadn't seen Peggy Sue since the day I had gotten the fever. It was Saturday afternoon and I was rather bored. I don't know why I did it, but I went and got three tomatoes out of the frig, went and sat on the front porch and started juggling them. I wasn't even thinking about Mr. Jenkins. A few minutes later the red Camaro zipped into the driveway and out popped Peggy Sue and her boyfriend. She waved at me, but he just ignored me as they went inside. Next thing I knew her boyfriend came out of the house and started walking towards me with his fist clenched. I stopped juggling the tomatoes and sat there waiting wondering what in the world this guy wanted. I could tell as he got closer that he wasn't a happy camper.

He walked up to the porch and in a rather loud voice said, 'What the hell is wrong with you?' I looked at him and said, 'Is that how your momma taught you to speak to strangers?' His face turned red and he was now shaking with anger and said, 'You're a real smart as, aren't you? You got Mr. Jenkins all upset and I'm going to make sure you don't upset him any more.' With that, he ran up onto the porch and I just sat there looking at him quite prepared to kick him in the balls, if I needed to. He just stood there glowering at me. He then said, 'I don't want you sweet talkin' my girl no more.' I put the tomatoes carefully to the side and stood up. I slowly said, 'You don't tell me who I can to talk to.'

The last thing I wanted was to fight this guy. First off, I had no idea of his fighting ability and the one lesson the Army had taught me during Kempo lessons of my jungle training was to always try to find out your opponents fighting capabilities through defense before striking your foe. Before I had time to set my feet, he took a swing at me, which I tried to avoid, but he had grazed my face with his fist. He had swung at me so hard he had lost his balance. I jumped off the porch and got set for his next move. He said, 'Don't you run away from me you little coward.'

I stood there in my set position and waved him to come forward. He came at me swinging. I easily blocked his punches and then he lunged at me. I sidestepped him and gave him a blow to the back of his head, which caused him to fall face first into the side of the porch. He quickly jumped up swearing at me and told me he was going to kill me. Blood was running down his face and he looked like a wild beast. He lunged at me again and I sent him flying back into the porch. He got up again swearing at me and I said, 'Look, I don't want to hurt you, but if you attack me again you will wake up in a hospital.' I could see the look of fear and hesitation come into his eyes. His fist were still clenched and I was wondering if he was going to attack again. He unclenched his fist, swore at me and then walked back to Peggy Sue's house. I sat back on the porch and about ten minutes later Peggy Sue came over and very angrily said, 'I never want to speak to you again.' Before I could say anything, she turned around and ran back home. It had been a day of trouble, but this trouble was small compared to what I'd soon be facing.