short story

[Janine_G]

Sometimes I like to share very simple, short stories that are provoked by scenes or events I have observed.  This is one of those.

Jackson pulled the honda into the parking lot of his mother's bar.  The Tinker Toy, as it was called, was a restaurant and bar that his mother had bought a few years earlier and turned enough profit for the two to lead a reasonable life, but his mother worked hard, working as the bartender, bouncer, and of course, the owner/manager.  His mother had not had an easy life.  She had become pregnant with Jackson at the age of 16, Jackson's dad was killed in a crime of some sort so Karly had turned to exotic dancing to make money, and she made good money.  She was a rough one though and got into a few two many fights, ultimately getting fired and then she got a job as a waitress at the Tinker Toy, ultimately buying it from the previous owner. The new job certainly didn't reduce the number of fights Karly got into, and Jackson had always been impressed by his mom's toughness.  In the years he could remember, he had never seen her lose a fight, though she occasionally got banged up.  Now 36, Karly had less to worry about since Jackson had his own job and was putting himself through school.  They shared the Honda, and he routinely picked her up from the bar after he finished work himself.

Tonight was no different, but as he pulled into the empty parking lot of the closed bar, he saw his mother on her hands and knees, blood in a puddle underneath her face, and another woman standing over her, clearly banged up, but clearly in better shape than his mother.  A few feet away, an older woman stood watching the two. It was clear to Jackson that his mom was getting her ass-kicked.  He sped up and parked and leapt out of his car as his mom struggled to her feet as she and the other woman began to fight again.  Much to his surprise, the other woman was really beating the crap out of his mom.  As he began to jog towards the fight, two men got out of a cadillac escalade that was in the shadows and intercepted him. 

"Uh-uh, buddy." one said, holding him.  He was a monster.  "Your mom and Linda are just getting finished up and you're going to stay out of it.  We've been expecting you.  This isn't your business."

"What the fuck?" Jackson growled as the men held him.

"Your mom let the wrong person put his dick inside of her, and now she is paying for it."

He watched as Linda punched his mom in her stomach, and then kneed her several times between the legs.  Karly went down again and Linda kicked her in the chest several times. 


He heard his mom groan and utter her plea, "I can't, please, you win...I can't fucking fight anymore, you kicked my ass." 

"Apologize to Anne." instructed the woman named Linda.

"I apologize, Anne! I fucking apologize!"

"Damn straight, bitch."  And the men let Jackson go and then the entire group climbed into the escalade and drove off. 

Jackson ran over to his mother to check on her and she bloodied and battered.  She apologized to her son, who helped her up and started to clean her face with her shirt.

[Dan Zone43]

I'd love a longer version from start to finish.

[Dan Zone43]