The Kings Of Cool

178

Here’s a story about Chon and his dad:

Chon’s mom took off the day John came home from prison, but she came back a few days later on the pretext of picking up her juicer but really just to bust balls.

Bad timing, because John was coked up and pissed off and the two of them got into a fight. Not an argument-a fight — and John pushed her up against the wall and raised his hand.

Fourteen-year-old Chon stepped in.

Shoved his dad aside and yelled, “Leave my mom alone!”

John smirked. “What? You a man now? You the man?”

Chon stood his ground.

Which was a mistake because John hit him with a closed fist, right in the face. Chon’s head snapped back with the impact. Chon put his hands up and rushed forward, but, as Taylor screamed, John beat the uncouth piss out of his kid. Pushed him backward over the arm of the sofa and punched him in the face, the head, and the body. Rolled him onto the floor and kicked him a few times. And when Taylor tried to pull him off he turned on her.

Chon tried to get up off the floor but couldn’t, and finally his mom ran out the door. John came back, loomed over Chon, and said, “Don’t you ever raise your hand to me again. You give me respect.”

Chon didn’t call the cops or Child Protective Services. What he did was, he waited for his old man to pass out that night, then quietly opened his father’s bureau drawer, found his. 38, and pressed the barrel into John’s temple.

Big John’s eyes opened.

“You touch me again,” Chon said, “I’ll wait until you’re asleep and splatter your brains all over the wall.”

Big John blinked.

Chon pulled back the hammer.

“Unless you want me to do it right now,” he offered.

Big John slowly shook his head.

Chon eased the hammer down, put the gun back in the drawer, and went to his room.

His father never laid a hand on him again.