The Big Boss

“Crumbs! This stupid game is broken,” Darrell said, throwing down the controller of his video game. “I’m going to see what’s to eat.”

Mom was laughing with her party friends, so Darrell managed to slip into the kitchen without being seen. He was fishing in a Cheeto bag when she appeared, carrying a tray of empty glasses. “I told you to stay out of here!” she hissed.

Darrell popped the Cheetos into his mouth and opened the fridge. “I’m thirsty,” he growled, grabbing a Pepsi.

“That’s it!” Mom said, jerking him by the arm. “Now go outside and keep out of my sight!”

“Kicked out again,” Darrell muttered as the door slammed behind him. But he didn’t really care. Now he could spend the afternoon however he liked.

“Hey, Darrell, look at this!” Joseph called from across the street.

Darrell looked up just in time to see a small glider sail toward him. He ducked his head, but instead of diving into the grass, the plane turned and headed back toward the darker-skinned boy.

“Oh, sweet! It has a remote!” Darrell dashed across the street to stand beside his friend. “Let me drive ‘m.”

“I don’t know,” Joseph said, slowly. “It’s kinda hard to turn and Dad said to keep it above the street.”

“Ah, that’s no fun. Watch this!” said Darrell, taking over the remote. He shot the plane up high over the house.

“Don’t get too high,” Joseph said, looking worried. “Dad said to keep it low.”

“So he’s your Big Boss, eh?” Darrell sneered, sending the plane in a wide circle. “Dad this and dad that. I guess I can think for myself.”

“My Dad isn’t a big boss. He’s my friend,” Joseph said confidently. “He’s teaching me how to fly the glider so I won’t crash it. We’re going to take it over to Elmer’s Bluff this evening.”

Darrell didn’t answer. His eyes were on the little red and white plane. “Watch out, or I’ll bomb you!” he hollered, as he pulled it down in a dive that skimmed over the car next door and up over a tall fence. The plane disappeared in the neighbor’s back yard.

“Hey, what’d you do that for?” Joseph shouted.

“What’s the fuss?” Darrell was annoyed. “Just climb over and get it.”

Joseph shook his head. “My dad told me to stay off the fence. There is a big dog in there.”

“That’s dumb,” Darrell said. “You’re just chicken! The dog isn’t around.” Darrell stuffed the controls in his pocket and scrambled up the chain links like a cat. He knew how to take care of himself without any old daddy to tell him what to do.

“See?” Darrell said, picking up the glider. “It’s not hurt a bit. I’m going to fly it to the old semi by the empty lot.”

“No, you can’t!” Joseph said. “We have to stay in front of the house. My dad said so.”

“He’s not my boss, so I don’t care,” Darrell replied.

Joseph turned and ran off to the house. “Squealer,” Darrell muttered. “If his old daddy tries to make me do anything, he’ll be sorry.” He flew the glider over the fence and landed it across the street..

Darrell was stuffing the controls back into his pocket when he heard a door slam. Loud barks filled the air as a huge brown dog bounded towards him.

“Get out of my yard, you rascal!” a lady shrieked, and Darrell didn’t have too much trouble obeying. With a snarling dog at his heels, he launched himself over the fence in record speed.

“You Okay?”

Darrell looked up from his crash landing to see a tall dark-haired man standing over him. Joseph’s dad.

“I’m fine,” Darrell muttered, scrambling to his feet. His knees hurt and his hands stung, but Darrell wasn’t going to admit that. He eyed the man warily.

“Joseph says you take my air-o-plane,” the man said, crossing his arms.

“What airplane?” Darrell asked, spreading his hands. He glanced at the smaller boy standing beside his father, and glared at him. Joseph’s dark eyes gleamed back.

“My son not lie to me,” the man said, and his deep voice reminded Darrell of the cop that had given Mom a ticket for speeding. “Where you put it?”

Darrell rolled his eyes and looked around in mock surprise. “Put it? Man, those air-o-planes are too big to hide!”

Joseph’s dad didn’t say a word, but the look in his face made Darrell feel really stupid. Like the way his cat Micky looked when he jumped into the hedge and missed the bird. He would have to think up a story quick to save face. Joseph’s frown gave Darrell an idea.

“Oh, I know!” he shouted, rather too loudly. “You must mean that little glider Joe was playing with!” Darrell slapped his leg, and pointed across the street. “He left it over at my house!”

Joseph was only too glad to run and fetch it, but his dad was not so easily distracted. “The controls in you pocket,” the man said. “Give it to me.” Darrell’s heart beat fast. He was caught.

“Uh… yeah, Joseph let me have it,” he mumbled, pulling the remote from his pocket. “You want it?” Darrell tried to smile.

“Yes,” the man said, and the look in his eyes made Darrell squirm. “You don’t take. You ask me. Okay?” Darrell looked away. “Stupid glider,” he muttered, as Joseph came running up. “Why would I want it?”

He was turning to go when a heavy hand was laid on his shoulder. A quiet voice said, “No okay, no go.”

Darrell thought of running. The strength in that hand made him change his mind.

He could kick and bite, but that might get him in more trouble.

Darrell felt like a fly caught in a spider’s web. The more he wiggled, the tighter grew the grip on his arm.

“You going to obey my dad? Just say you will,” Joseph said, but Darrell wasn’t listening.

“Let me go!” he whimpered. “I didn’t hurt nobody! Let me go!”

Joseph’s dad squatted down and took Darrell by both arms. “Look at me.” The commanding voice was quiet, but Darrell squeezed his eyes shut. He used that trick on his mom when she wanted to bawl him out.

Nothing happened. Finally Darrell glanced up. Joseph’s dad didn’t even look angry! “I not hurt you. You listen, and I be your friend,” he said with a smile. “You say, ‘Okay,’ now?”

Darrell pressed his lips together and studied his captor’s face. It was brown and strong, with a friendly smile under those piercing black eyes. One thing for certain, Joseph’s dad expected an answer.

If there was something Darrell had never done, it was to give up something he wanted. If he gave up his will to Joseph’s dad he wasn’t going to get anything. Nothing? Deep down inside Darrell realized that there was something that the man might give him. “I be your friend,” he had said.

A friend sticks with you in trouble. A friend believes in you and watches out for you. Darrell didn’t have any real friends. He was a bully and a show-off, and the guys he ran around with knew it. Now here was someone tougher than him. Someone Darrell couldn’t trick or cheat. Would this big man really be his friend?

“I—I’m sorry I took the glider,” he said at last, looking down. Blood was oozing from a scrape on his knee and a sniffle suddenly got in his nose. He had never felt so small and helpless before.

Joseph’s dad let go of his arms and stood up. “All right,” he said. “Let’s shake.”

Darrell looked up, surprised. Was Joseph’s dad really holding out his hand to him, the street bully? The brown fingers were strong, but the grip on his hand was a kind one. Darrell felt the warm squeeze all the way down to the cold empty place inside, and he managed a wobbly smile.

Joseph’s dad must have noticed his scrapes then. “We fix you up at the house,” he said, leading the way. “Then maybe you like to come with Joseph and me on my truck?”

Darrell grinned. “In the semi by the empty lot? That would be great!”

He had made peace with the “Big Boss,” and had found a real friend.