knew they wouldn’t cos they didn’t want to. So a struggling seethe of blows of fists and efforted breath; head-jolting, yelling, women screaming, arm-flailing, fist-pumping, head-butting. Just another day at the office, eh Sonny? Hahaha. Makes me sick, Jube. I know it does, that’s what I’m laughing at, lil man. What, it’s funny? Sure is, man; I mean here you are, in this place of all the places, and ya hate fighting. Clicking his tongue. Bit like a doctor who don’t like blood. Sonny’s eyes on the fight, he wasn’t sure why, shrugging at Jube’s observation.
The fight spread alright. Must be thirty ofem going to town there, Sonny. And there’s Corky, who else? Jube’s tone excited, swallowing his beer in hasty gulps so not to miss any of the action. Then through his teeth and in Sonny’s ear muttering about he’d be in there it wasn’t for the fighters being Maori, near every man jackofem; they’d eat me alive, Sonny, your brown cousins, I’d be the new target to take their Wednesday frustrations out on. Racism, see, Sonny, it’s the other side of racism ya never hear about in this country, it’s always your lot claiming it’s done – Oh, did ya see Matty throw that fucking right! Oh man, now Corky’s heading for Matty.
The fight separated itself off, from those who were in, to those who weren’t. And those who weren’t, neck-craning, eye-googling. Those who were, an encrazed, struggling mass of bodies. And some of them quite clearly like they’d found something, and the something was stardom, being a star, being centre stage, so loving it. Loving it. Look at em, Jube, they’re just kids, kids in men’s bodies showing off. Right, Sonny, right, but what a show, hahaha. Best scrap I seen in ages. Just lookit Corky. Man, no wonder he was one of the kingpins at Parry. At Corky throwing big lefts and rights at any head he saw, toppling them like ninepins.
Oh-oh, here comes the boss, Jube at the sight of the giant figure of the publican wading his way through the crowd and bellowing as he came: BREAKITUP! BREAKITUP! I’M BARRING EVERY ONE OF YOU! BREAKITUP! And the spectators groaning, Oh boss! it’s only a lil ole fight. Men, as well as the hardshot women only to be found here.
Mr Reid got to the action and promptly felled someone with a huge right. And everyone went quiet for just a second then let out a huge OOOOOOhh! at once. At the boss his power. His hitting power, but too his courage to walk right into the thick of it, specially with dudes like Corky who didn’t take no prisoners. So Bull Reid flung a few more bodies aside, hit another dude who shaped up to him – flattened him – then it was only Corky, as the others slipped off into the crowd or picked themselves up and got snatched to safety before the dreaded sentence of being barred could be passed on them by Mr Reid.
Corky? Go fuck yaself, Bull. This is none a your business. Between me and these guys. Corky, the giant raised his hand to Corky in his fighting stance. Mistah Reid, man, I never gave you no hassles, you know that. Corky, Reid was shaking his head, this is my pub. You unnerstan? Yeah but, Mistah Reid, I was only defending myself, come on. Corky looking around him, into the crowd that’d melted into one and all looking his and Mr Reid’s way. Corky the manslaughterer – twice he got found on the lesser charge.Twice he’d done time for it. Sonny, I think Mr Reid might be gonna get his beans here. Is that so? And you’d like that, Jube? Well, you know, Jube grinning but with eyes only for the confrontation, be good to see how he goes with someone like Corky.
Corky, you are barred for three months. Aw, Mistah Reid, I was – Three months, Corky; don’t make it worse for yourself. Even from the distance Sonny and Jube could see the hurt in Corky’s eyes, and it was an odds-on bet someone’d step out on Corky’s side. Which was Dangerboy, who bulled his way through the crowd to stand with Corky, his half-dullard
The fight spread alright. Must be thirty ofem going to town there, Sonny. And there’s Corky, who else? Jube’s tone excited, swallowing his beer in hasty gulps so not to miss any of the action. Then through his teeth and in Sonny’s ear muttering about he’d be in there it wasn’t for the fighters being Maori, near every man jackofem; they’d eat me alive, Sonny, your brown cousins, I’d be the new target to take their Wednesday frustrations out on. Racism, see, Sonny, it’s the other side of racism ya never hear about in this country, it’s always your lot claiming it’s done – Oh, did ya see Matty throw that fucking right! Oh man, now Corky’s heading for Matty.
The fight separated itself off, from those who were in, to those who weren’t. And those who weren’t, neck-craning, eye-googling. Those who were, an encrazed, struggling mass of bodies. And some of them quite clearly like they’d found something, and the something was stardom, being a star, being centre stage, so loving it. Loving it. Look at em, Jube, they’re just kids, kids in men’s bodies showing off. Right, Sonny, right, but what a show, hahaha. Best scrap I seen in ages. Just lookit Corky. Man, no wonder he was one of the kingpins at Parry. At Corky throwing big lefts and rights at any head he saw, toppling them like ninepins.
Oh-oh, here comes the boss, Jube at the sight of the giant figure of the publican wading his way through the crowd and bellowing as he came: BREAKITUP! BREAKITUP! I’M BARRING EVERY ONE OF YOU! BREAKITUP! And the spectators groaning, Oh boss! it’s only a lil ole fight. Men, as well as the hardshot women only to be found here.
Mr Reid got to the action and promptly felled someone with a huge right. And everyone went quiet for just a second then let out a huge OOOOOOhh! at once. At the boss his power. His hitting power, but too his courage to walk right into the thick of it, specially with dudes like Corky who didn’t take no prisoners. So Bull Reid flung a few more bodies aside, hit another dude who shaped up to him – flattened him – then it was only Corky, as the others slipped off into the crowd or picked themselves up and got snatched to safety before the dreaded sentence of being barred could be passed on them by Mr Reid.
Corky? Go fuck yaself, Bull. This is none a your business. Between me and these guys. Corky, the giant raised his hand to Corky in his fighting stance. Mistah Reid, man, I never gave you no hassles, you know that. Corky, Reid was shaking his head, this is my pub. You unnerstan? Yeah but, Mistah Reid, I was only defending myself, come on. Corky looking around him, into the crowd that’d melted into one and all looking his and Mr Reid’s way. Corky the manslaughterer – twice he got found on the lesser charge.Twice he’d done time for it. Sonny, I think Mr Reid might be gonna get his beans here. Is that so? And you’d like that, Jube? Well, you know, Jube grinning but with eyes only for the confrontation, be good to see how he goes with someone like Corky.
Corky, you are barred for three months. Aw, Mistah Reid, I was – Three months, Corky; don’t make it worse for yourself. Even from the distance Sonny and Jube could see the hurt in Corky’s eyes, and it was an odds-on bet someone’d step out on Corky’s side. Which was Dangerboy, who bulled his way through the crowd to stand with Corky, his half-dullard
Similar Books
The Thomas Berryman Number
James Patterson
My Cousin's Keeper
Simon French
The Spy Princess
Sherwood Smith
Soft in the Head
Marie-Sabine Roger
The Promise of Love
Billi Jean
The Pentrals
Crystal Mack
Claimed By Shadow
Karen Chance
Unfriendly Competition
Jessica Burkhart