Adrian Del Valle - Diego's Brooklyn by Adrian Del Valle Read Free Book Online Page A

it was a four foot one. Well, the can was under the water sitting upright at the bottom and when the kid dove in, his head hit the can with so much force, it went right inside. It was wedged in so tight, he couldn’t pull it back out.”
    Larry found that frightening. “Did he drown?”
    “Well, whaddya think,” Jose snapped.
    Larry’s head shook vigorously . “I’m not diving, that’s all. I’ll go in, but I’m not diving. The heck with that. Hey Jimmy! I’m swimming to the end of the pier.”
    “I’ll beat ya,” Jimmy shouted.
    Bill walked to the end to meet them and to watch the ferry make its way against the tide toward its berth at Battery Park.
    Jerry came alongside.
    “I thought yawl was still in the water, Jerra?”
    “I’d rather stand here with you, Mr. Jackson. I like looking across the river at all those skyscrapers in Manhattan. The way they seem to come up right out of the water like that…that’s really keen.”
    “Is you never been on that ferry nayther?”
    “Nope! My mother doesn’t go anywhere.”
    “What about yo’ dadda?”
    “He works a lot of hours. I don’t see him much and when I do he’s either on his way to work, or on his way to bed.”
    “Ah sees what you mean. Wale…you can go with us when we take the cruise. Yawl want to come?”
    “Wow! That would be great, Mr. J. I’ll ask my mom.”
    “Yawl do that, son. Let me know, ya hear? Now doncha swaller up non o’ that there water.”
    Tall and lanky, the sight of Jerry running to jump in seemed comical. Bill didn’t laugh.
    Now that’s a nice boy.
    “Aren’t you going in,” said Larry, wiping the brackish water from his eyes.
    “No, son, but I sees that Jimmy beat you to the end.”
    “That’s because I let him.”
    Jimmy smirked. “You’re a sap, Larry. I beat you fair and square and you know it. Watch me beat him back, Mr. J.”
    The afternoon went by quickly. By late afternoon, everyone had built up an appetite. On the way home, they started to take the same streets, but turned right onto Clinton for no better reason than to go a different way. They were soon walking through the Italian neighborhood of Carol Gardens.
    “This is a nice neighborhood,” said Jose.
    With the cool down of late afternoon, and it being Sunday, there were a lot of people outside, sitting on stoops to get away from the heat of hot apartments. Large trees gave ample shade and everyone seemed to know one another. Folks sat at tables filled with snacks and liquid refreshments or leaned over fences in conversation. No one said hello or waved or acknowledged the boys or Mr. Jackson’s presence in any way.
    “That guy over there keeps staring at us,” said Larry.
    “So don’t look at him,” said Diego.
    Jimmy turned from looking at the same guy. “You know what? There’s a couple of guys talking to him right now, and they’re all looking this way.”
    This time Diego took a look. “Keep walking and don’t turn around anymore.”
    “Boys, now don’t pay‘m no never mind and they won’t trouble us none.”
    Bill couldn’t have been more wrong. He and the boys turned the corner with the intention of returning to Amity, the same street they first took on the way to the piers. Walking along busy Court Street, they heard loud voices coming from behind. They grew louder as four teenage thugs caught up to them. One had a chain wrapped around his arm. As he spoke, he unraveled it.
    “So what were you assholes doin’ on my street back there? You don’t live here. None of youz do.”
    “We’re walkin’ back from the piers…that’s all,” said Diego.
    “Oh yeah? Well you shoulda went a different way…and whose the coon with ya?”
    “That’s Bill, the cop,” Larry blurted out. “He’s escorting us to the precinct.”
    “Precinct? You fat piece o’ lard. The precinct is way over dataway.”
    Jimmy cut in. “Look guys, we’re not bothering anybody.”
    “Oh, no? Well guess what? We’re bodderin’ youz!”
    The