Ritchie

History of Tomorrow

That afternoon was a hot summer day. Everything was drowned in everyday tiring activity – work. The sun in the sky burned like a hot coal and bit in the face, while the shade pleasantly cooled the surroundings off. You can barely see a normal person on these streets of the neighborhood.

Iʼm not saying they are not here, you just will not see them. Every other person is either a thief, a killer, a criminal wanted for crimes, a drug dealer, a dependent drug addict or an illegal immigrant there.

But then New York changed a lot. The criminality of Bronx, Harlem, Brooklyn, or Queens has dropped significantly. People are starting to feel safer here.

However, these four big poor town districts constantly and probably more and more hate uniformed police officers.

Police officers, who in people’s view, use a disproportionate brutality against local residents. Both sides are constantly attacking each other. Gangs lose most battles, but law enforcement officers also record life losses. No wonder that the Bronx is still the most dangerous district in America.

This is the story of a barely twenty-year-old boy Jonathan ’Joyʼ Ritchie in the role of a policeman and his older colleague Stanley Greenwood just before the retirement.

They received a fake report of a trade strike on 150th street in the Bronx. It was already the fifth report this week. In particular, Joy did not have the feeling of enjoying this eternal return to a place where nothing was happening. He had boiling blood and thinking of a snake. A star sign in which he was born.

Stanley Greenwood looked more like a hippo. He was a bit overweight, older and looked forward to the retirement. His fat did not allow him to run, so he had to roll. Stanley spent all his life working, even though he was happily married over last twenty years.

His hair dripped, gray and white strands began to appear quickly. The skin around the whole body shrank like a rubber carpet that is time to replace.

Stanley preferred to drink hot coffee. He prayed every time he was forced to pull out and use a gun. He remained faithful to his wicked colt.

Joy Ritchie maintained a perfect figure and a great sporty look by constantly practicing kung-fu martial arts at home in the gym or in the garden. He often trained in the afternoon and blindfolded. Still, he did not look like an ordinary ’copʼ.

There was something mysterious, pleasant about him that attracted people. Perhaps, it was a golden earring or a distinctive tattoo on his back and shoulders.

Maybe it was a golden ring with the darkest stone that ever existed in this strange world. Joy inherited the dark hair of his father, black as coal. He had a nice nose, narrow lips, tanned and very soft skin and smaller ears, dense eyebrows and the same gruesome eyes of a snake beneath.

Joy’s sifu saw him in a dream as the great mighty Sanho Kanh, who descended from the sky to avenge two deaths.

The Master also told him about the Chinese warriors. Joy spent a lot of time with him, thanks to training, from the age of thirteen.

But when old sifu (kung-fu master of martial arts) died when Joy was sixteen years, he never went on in the arts and never tried to find a new master. He just repeated what he had learned. He would be able to defend himself, but if another powerful fighter crosses his way, who in his training had reached the black belt of the master, Joy could be in trouble.

Joy was also slowly getting used to Stan. They have been partners for a short time. Stanley did not like him at first because of his overbite and bravery. Joy, on the other hand, kept telling Stanley that he was too fat. He made fun of Stanley all the time.

On the same day, when Stanley and Joy rushed back to help the supermarket, Joy noticed two masked robbers as they were running out of another supermarket on a different street.

“Look at them!ˮ Joy frowned, waiting at the crossroad.

“Damn,ˮ Stanley grunted, reaching for the radio transmitter.

The feeling of nervousness cluttered over his back like a cold wind. He did not have the bad feeling of robbers like Ritchie sat behind the wheels of the car.

Stanley did not really like it. He would rather watch the burning down of kindergarten!

The robbers jumped to a prepared getaway brown Ford near the sidewalk. They ran out of the scene like a ball flash.

Joy did not hesitate and followed them. Stanley switched on the blue and red lights on the roof. Ford and the police car raced together.

Joy did not even hold back.

“Ritchie, this is not your Ferrari, this one does not get a hundred in six seconds, man!ˮ Greenwood said as he poured coffee on himself.

This is not a good sign! Joy did not answer and stared at Ford. He enjoyed the wild chasing car in the city. The robbers finally noticed them.

Suddenly policemen lost the brown Ford out of sight. Ritchie hesitated to go in or out for a moment. He kept going straight. Stanley announced the car number at the switchboard. The warehouse and the fallen factory appeared in front of them, which has been abandoned for years.

Getaway Ford stood alone on the grassy part at the former gatehouse with broken pieces of glass. Joy broke hard on a nearby road so the dust wave rose up to two meters high but immediately settled back. He pulled the silver pistol Smith and Wesson out of the case, inherited from his father. It was not the usual service weapon the police receive.

He jumped out of their car, made a couple of graceful jumps to the robbery vehicle. The hot air blew through the door.

Nobody was there anymore. Stanley shook his head as he could not follow super fast colleague, hardly climbing out.

Ritchie was already in control of the rotten entrance of rusty metal of the warehouse. Stanley grabbed quickly his colt to make sure they both stay out of trouble.

Joy waited for him hidden in the sitting position near the door. Stanley was upset. He felt like an unnecessary old man, who should rather stick to the fireplace with warm socks on his feet. He just was not too fast for a young guy.

Ritchie acted quickly, but often hurriedly. Some of his pieces could cost him a life because they were really dangerous.

Stanley acted with experience, slowly, and deliberately, so he called for the reinforcements on the switchboard. He was also responsible for that guy.

“Iʼll take the front door. Take the back door,ˮ Joy commanded.

“Sure,ˮ Stanley muttered with great effort, he ran to the wall and headed for the rear entrance.

Ritchie penetrated inside the large building. He searched for the smaller rooms with boxes kicking of the doors that looked like former offices. It looked scary because of the dust and spider webs. Then he hid behind one of the nearest concrete columns in the giant hall that touched the roof structure.

The place was empty. He did not hear any steps, just his own steps. Ready to fire to everything every second that was moving, he went on. He stopped at the posts and listened from time to time. Silence.

Only small part of the daylight penetrated inside through small, dirty, high-rise windows. In addition to the strange nervousness, there was a great abandon and impurity in the air. Stillness.

No one has been working for years here, which is a great shame. Investors are simply not interested in this warehouse.

No one will maintain it anymore. They all wait for the building to fall down alone in order to build the most modern warehouse full of technical excellence.

Stanley was horribly angry that the young boy gave him the order and he did it without thinking. He hated the abbreviation of his name ’Stanʼ and did not know why.

Ritchie possessed an admirable characteristic that he unconsciously shortens each name into the smallest possible form. Stanley simply did not like that. For instance, his sister, who is just nine years old and named Deborah, Ritchie called her ’Debʼ.

Stanley quietly snapped. In a moment, he walked breathlessly around the building in constant prudence. One never knows what can happen in this job. He stepped out of the stairs of the rear entrance. Then he found out that a huge rusty lock was hanging on the door. The area was too large and spacious for the two men who were looking for two criminals. There were many innumerable places to hide.

Ritchie was extremely careful. Everywhere he looked, the barrel of the gun lined his sight. He blended well with the surroundings in black uniform.

Darkness sat in every corner. No one anywhere.

“Where are the bastards hiding?ˮ Ritchie whispered.

The policeman thought the robbers probably had rubber soles when he heard the shotgun charging behind his back about four meters away. He stumbled.

After all, he searched the smallest corner! Ritchie asked himself when Stan was about to come here.

“Hey, sucker!ˮ someone shouted to silence. “Hands over your head and throw the gun away! Now!ˮ

Joy was slowly and curiously spinning. He was not afraid, however, threw a gun just a few yards apart. He saw his face.

The unmasked robber was a smaller Japanese or Chinese man with black, curly hair in a long ponytail on the back and held a short version of the shotgun in his hands nervously.

Ritchie immediately recognized him! It’s the same man who brutally killed his friend Eddie when they played in an abandoned warehouse many years ago. At that time criminals were disturbed in a strange business. Eddie was shot and died and Joy saw it.

At that time, however, the police officer did not suspect that drugs were hiding in one of the two briefcases. He was only thirteen years old boy.

At once, Ritchie raised his arms to the height of his shoulders. They gazed at each other. Joy prayed for Stanley not to come right now and tried to use psychological techniques in which he was relatively good.

Ritchie wanted to take revenge. His hands roared him. His brain was filled with hate and anger.

“Thefts and murders, that’s a hard conviction,” Ritchie squeezed out of himself tensely.

He would have liked to twist the robberʼs neck.

“Shut up!ˮ the Japanese robber said in perfect English. “Iʼm, not a murderer, but if you’re not quiet, I can become one easily!ˮ

“You killed a little kid ten years ago, or do you have such a short memory?!ˮ

“What do you know about that?”

“You would be surprised,ˮ Ritchie hissed angrily.

He wanted to make all pain to go away.

“You cops are one big waste and one has to regulate it,ˮ the robber answered.

“This kid wasn’t cop! He was just eleven.ˮ

The long-haired robber got anxious. “Where have you heard such a crap?”

“I can see and hear well,ˮ Ritchie objected.

“No, you’re just a stupid pig who knows nothing!ˮ said the robber. “Gotta go, no time for talking.ˮ

Stanley wiggled cautiously with the colt in his hand in the backside when the sharp, loud shot of the shotgun sounded somewhere in the front of the building.

“Ritchie!ˮ he screamed in dismay.

Stanley was screaming and rushing as fast as he could to the places where the sound of the gun had led him.

“The stupid boy has done something,ˮ the older policeman flushed with anger.

The abandoned awful warehouse went again silent as if nothing had happened. Stanley heard the car leaving immediately somewhere outside. The engine bustled, the wheels wailing. Only the dust smoke was left behind.

Stanley was really afraid of the boy for the first time. He did not like him very much, but at that moment he felt like they were taking his heart out of his body.

He would probably stop working with the police due to the wrong procedure in the intervention and the young man would lose his life unnecessarily. Stanley ran through the large hall to help. He sometimes seriously intended to hold a diet or something, but he never found so much courage.

Stanley accidentally saw a silver weapon lying on the ground in the dust and the fallen plaster in one of the halls with the pillars. He rushed to it but is very cautious. Until he saw the blood in front of him.

A huge puddle on the ground. Red fresh blood flowed from behind the corner of the column. Stanley held his breath and his heart exploded as a locomotive stinging at the full boiler.

He dropped to that place. Ritchie was lying there, wet fluid flowing from him, and dyeing his uniform. The boy was hit in the chest.

“Oh my God!ˮ

Stanley knew that he had to do something for his colleague. So he put his finger on the colored neck, fortunately, the boy is still alive. He reached quickly for the transmitter and reported a serious shot of the cop.

In a moment, it was heard that the backups and an ambulance had just arrived at the place. The experienced rescuers immediately loaded him on a stretcher and hurried to the nearest hospital. Stanley went with them.

The colorful, loud, whistling horns of ambulance told everyone that something had just happened. The actual condition of the young policeman seemed quite hopeful until Ritchie stopped breathing and his heart failed.

“You must not die!ˮ Stanley shouted to his partner desperately.

The medical doctor calmed him by wearing a partner a bulletproof vest that probably prevented the bullets and saved his life…

Ritchie’s mother Kelly a beautiful woman with straight long pale hair on her shoulders was still working. She has been employed by the insurance company with her sister Julie for nearly twenty years.

Thirteen years ago, she married a colleague Adam and they have a beautiful girl named Debbie.

“Kelly put those papers from Mrs. Horn into a B folder. We will not need them anymore,ˮ a female colleague told her and handed the stack of papers over a table.

“Count on it. Yeah, and what about Mr. Rossovich? Shall I also put the data in the B folder?ˮ

“Not yet.ˮ

“All right,ˮ Kelly put the papers on the table.

The phone rang.

“The Insurance Agency SOPHIA, Kelly Ritchie speaking. Can I help you?ˮ

The ladyʼs voice came through.

“Hello. Iʼm Dana McAllison. Iʼm calling for the house insurance. I had a lot of work yesterday.ˮ

“Yes, of course,ˮ Kelly replied. “Your insurance will be handled by my colleague Laura Dens. Hold the moment.ˮ

She waved to another colleague. “Laura! Mrs. McAllisonʼs calling you because of the house.ˮ

“Thanks.ˮ

Every day was the same thing at work - answering the phones, handling business matters at lunch, meeting various important people.

Her husband Adam, a black-haired man with thin glasses on his nose in an elegant suit, just passed by to his client so Kelly smiled at him.

The phone rang again.

“The Insurance Agency SOPHIA, Kelly Ritchie speaking. Can I help you?ˮ

The manʼs voice came out.

“Hello. This is Captain Morris from the police department. Are you the mother of Jonathan Ritchie?ˮ

“Yes,ˮ Kelly agreed.

Her heart exploded.

“Iʼm really sorry. Your son, Mrs. Ritchie, was very seriously shot a while ago. Doctors from Montefiore Medical Center Moses Division are currently operating him.ˮ

Kelly felt like without a hitch. She did not say a word on the phone and hung up. The transparent tears were running down her face suddenly. Laura had noticed it and turned her head in Kelly’s direction.

“Kelly, did something happen?ˮ

“They shot Joy,ˮ Kelly said, lifting herself from a chair slowly. “Iʼm going to the hospital right now.ˮ

She went to her sister Julie’s office and stepped in without a knock.

“Julie, Iʼm going to the hospital. They shot Joy,ˮ Kelly explained quickly.

She rubbed wet tears.

“Okay,ˮ Julie, a younger woman with extra-long dark hair, replied to her and continued to work. “Then call me how he is.ˮ

“Okay, thanks. May Adam go with me, please?ˮ

“Of course.ˮ

When Kelly came out of Julie’s office, she saw her husband. He sat on the desk and talked to his colleague.

Kelly went to them. The tears were dried; only her voice told that she was crying.

“Adam?ˮ she addressed him.

“Yeah?ˮ he looked at her face, marked by constant pain.

The colleague immediately left them alone.

“Joy was shot.ˮ

Adam blinked and hugged her. He sometimes waited for better news. He would be very pleased with the announcement that someone had finally killed Joy. He could not do it himself. Kelly sobbed again.

“It will be fine,ˮ Adam said calmly.

Although Joy was not his son, he did not like him. That is why he did not try to interfere with life. He could not interfere. He had no influence on him. Joy always had his own opinion and nobody could take it away from him. The same as his father, Jonathan LeGay. They were very similar in this.

Kelly and Adam went to the hospital together. They asked Karina, a personal cleaner and nanny, to tidy up the house, cook and to pick Debbie out of school.

Originally they wanted to pick her up themselves but now was not the best time. It was not a good idea to see her brother lying on the hospital bed half dead. They did not know how his injuries looked and how he felt. At the same time, they wanted him not to die.

They walked inside a card register. There are a lot of people, nurses, doctors, cops everywhere around. Kelly calmed herself down for a moment, sinking four handkerchiefs already.

Adam asked a fat-faced man with a beard at the card register. “Please, our son was shot. He’s a police officer, his name is Jonathan Ritchie.ˮ

“One moment, Iʼll have a look. When did he get here?ˮ

Meanwhile, as the man scrolled through the book and looked at the cards, an old gray-haired gentleman in black police uniform came to them, bobbing the hat in his hands.

“Please excuse me, I heard you were looking for your son Ritchie?ˮ gentleman spoke nicely.

Kelly turned her head.

“Yes, I am his mother Kelly Ritchie, and that is my husband Adam. They called me that Joy has been shot very seriously,ˮ she introduced them.

“Iʼm his partner, Stanley Greenwood,ˮ the police officer said.

“Really? Joy mentioned you,ˮ Kelly remembered suddenly.

Adam asked eagerly. “What happened?ˮ

“Come on, Iʼll show you the waiting room,ˮ Stanley offered.

And they all walked down the corridor somewhere to the back.

“You know, I wasn’t there when they shot him. I was in the back of the old warehouse. He went ahead. Then I heard one shot. I was going there and found him lying in a pool of blood. I saw a lot of things, but this hurt. I admit that he kept clinging to my nerves. He taught me, mocking me, commanding, still ahead of me. This struck me. I began to feel like stupid, unnecessary and old. He was impetuous; he did not listen to any advice. He thought he was a superman or something! His wounds really terrified me. I was not ready for this to see. I do not think him either...ˮ

Stanley clarified his feelings, talking slowly. Joy almost died in his arms! And he will be to celebrate the twenty-third birthday in August. Parents went to the waiting room without people.

This was where the nurse in white walked by.

“Excuse me where Jonathan Ritchie is?ˮ Adam asked with distrust.

“Are you relatives?ˮ

Adam quickly shook his head. “Yes, we are.ˮ

“Theyʼre still operating him. Dr. Bradon will tell you more soon, ˮ the nurse replied, then disappearing.

Kelly sat in the chair, Adam and Stanley stood still. In fact, Adam was all the time chasing the waiting room here and there, nervously.

“Iʼm glad I met you,ˮ Kelly remarked.

Stanley smiled.

“Me too. Joy did not talk much about you. He always just mentioned that he had a family, but that’s all. He never talked about himself or about you. Just for a couple of months, we’re working together, he only mentioned GAIN, Eddie, Debbie and refused to show me the tattoos. He said that only sifu saw it. Who is sifu?ˮ

Kelly sighed deeply.

“GAIN, that’s his father’s nickname. He was a pilot, a military pilot. He died when the boy was born. Eddie was his best friend. Somebody shot Eddie when Joy was thirteen years old. He saw it. Debbie is a sister. She is going to celebrate her ninth birthday.ˮ

“Sorry, I did not know. I thought Mr. Adam is his father.ˮ

“Itʼs alright,ˮ Kelly grinned. “Yeah and donʼt take that tattoo thing seriously. He did not show me as well.ˮ

Stanley listened carefully.

“Sifu is the master of Kung-fu martial arts. When Joy came home with the tattoo, I found out. Hereʼs the earring. Sifu told him about the legends of Chinese art and saying he saw him in the dream as the mighty Sanho Kanh, who once again descended from the heavens to avenge two deaths. Once upon a time in the course of the thirteenth century, the young Sanho Kanh went to look for the murderers of his brothers. On his way he met two brave warriors, I think Do Nho Mai and Dinh ba Rui … You are not interested, are you?ˮ Kelly spoke nicely, then stopped suddenly.

“Yes, Iʼm interested in. Tell me something about Joy. Perhaps I get to know him a little bit better,ˮ Stanley thought.

Kelly took a breath.

“Sanho Kanh fell in love with a beautiful girl, and fortunately he never did his revenge, although he was very close. The two guards remained in his service. The Sanho Kahn’s spirit returns to the Earth every hundred years to try and take revenge again and embark on a journey. In China, it is said that the spirit is embodied in the person born under the sign of the Serpent and the Tiger. But it must be a young man, and he must be actively engaged in combat sports, just like Sanho Kanh himself.ˮ

Stanley inhaled deeply.

“How do you know all that information, Mrs. Ritchie?ˮ

“As soon as I learned about the tattoo, I went to the master,ˮ Kelly spoke in a serious voice. “I did not find him, but there was a message at the door. A message, actually, it was a small thin book. She was determined to me. I do not know, apparently it was the master. I read a story about a warrior and remembered every detail. Perhaps I understood why Joy had been identified with him. I even believed the legend for a while.ˮ

Stanley lowered his eyes.

“Didn’t he really shows you the tattoo?ˮ

“I saw it after some time,ˮ mother whispered. “He has got a big snake and a tiger on his back, and something written in Chinese. Two guards are proudly lying on his shoulders. They should protect him from danger.ˮ

“It does not seem to have helped him today.ˮ

Adam agreed tensely, moving from side to side. “That’s right.ˮ

“You said that Joy was present at the murder of his friend Eddie?ˮ Stanley continued his question.

He intended to learn as much as possible.

“Yes. You know, I had a lot of work that day, I could not leave for the toilet. It was getting dark. Suddenly I looked at the elevator as if I waited for him. When I saw Joy wholly moistened with rain, the time stopped. He did not say anything. He just came to me and hugged me. Of course, I reported it to the police. They rushed there and found the body of a little boy. They wanted Joy to testify but I did not allow it. The case is still unsolved. The police did not catch the murderers. I was afraid that we could have problems. I was also afraid the murderer will go after Joy and wanted him to be dead. They probably did not know they had a witness. That was the only luck. We would not be able to hide anywhere. I even talked to a psychiatrist. Joy is extremely brave. I never saw him cry. Actually, he goes from one drama to another one. That same year I married Adam, and Joy got a new father and a sister.ˮ

Stanley rubbed his forehead.

“Did Joy tell you what happened?ˮ

“He said that someone killed Eddie in their warehouse,ˮ Kelly stared at the wall for a minute. “Please understand, his heart is hiding many secrets. I thought all this would have some trouble or lasting consequences, but he did not. Joy is perfectly fine. He started learning kung-fu. He never told me about it. Besides him, nobody knows anything. Because nobody was there! He only suffers from his father’s loss. I still feel it.ˮ

Stanley asked curiously.

“He probably does not talk to you much, does he?ˮ

Kelly smiled. “No. And I did not try to change it. Adam may be a little bit angry, but I respect Joy. Especially his privacy. He guards him like an eye in his head.ˮ

“May I know if you do not mind how his father died? Crashed into the car?ˮ

Kelly went quiet for a second.

“Yes, his father was involved in a serious car accident,ˮ she said quietly and moved a little on an uncomfortable chair.

“Iʼm so sorry,ˮ Stanley drew in a shame. “I had no idea about Joy’s past. I tipped him over to a foolish, cocky bastard to whom his mother was wiping the butt. Obviously, I was wrong.ˮ

“It does not matter. When you see him for the first time, you will get that impression. Someone feels sympathy at first glance, someone is uncomfortable.ˮ

Stanley shook his head.

“Probably because of that earring,ˮ he said. “And his horrible behavior.ˮ

Kelly laughed nicely.

“That earring is a good grip on girls. The truth is that he found it in the warehouse when they shot Eddie. Joy wears it as a proof of eternal friendship to Eddie.ˮ

“I did not know anything. I was so mistaken.ˮ

Mother looked at Adam.

“Joy has reasonable and logical justification for everything he does,ˮ she made it quite clear. “Nothing is done without any explanation. Tattoos, rings, earrings, kung fu, these are the things that have reason to wear them, have them and do them.ˮ

“All I want is to wake him up right now so he can scold me for my big stomach,ˮ Stanley joked a bit.

“It would be great. Losing a son is hard. At least, after all, weʼve been through together.ˮ

“I fully understand you, Mrs. Ritchie, and I also have family.ˮ

“So you know what Iʼm talking about.ˮ

“Absolutely,ˮ Stanley assured her.

Two hours passed not stopping. Adam, Kelly, and Stanley were already tired of waiting. The surgery lasted too long.

Adam drank a dozen cups of coffee in between. He wondered if he would finally get rid of the boy. Kelly fell asleep for a minute. Stanley was going through their last joint action again in his mind and looking for where the mistake had happened.

A man in blue surgical clothes with a veil rippling around his neck finally came out of the operating room. The hair was barely visible but big glasses with black frames were distinctive to him.

The doctor asked looking at Adam.

“Are you relatives of Ritchie?ˮ

“Yes,ˮ Kelly woke up immediately.

The surgeon talked without any doubt.

“I am doctor Bradon. The operation has succeeded despite the large amount of damage that the shotgun bullets have done. The bullet wounded the right lung. The heart is stabilized, the vital organs working normally. Lucky it was that he had a bulletproof vest.ˮ

“What about the lungs? Will he live?ˮ Stanley demanded a clear answer.

The doctor thought.

“The right lung was affected, but not to such an extent that it was unable to work and continue to perform its function. Which means that if there will be no postoperative complications, he will survive.ˮ

“What complications?ˮ

“Sure, complications may occur during treatment. An inflammation created in the lung lobe or at the site of the shot can be surgically removed,ˮ the doctor in blue clothes explained to the amateurs.

“I want to see him,ˮ the mother got nervous.

“Unfortunately, not today. He needs a lot of rest and you too. Come tomorrow. By spending the night with him you will not help him much. Goodbye,ˮ the doctor dismissed professionally.

Then he left immediately.

“Goodbye and thanks,ˮ Kelly called to him.

There was a fear hanging around which suddenly fell out of the people. Kelly began to smile a little bit, Adam took a deep breath. Stanley may not have a bad feeling anymore.

“Shall we take you home, Mr. Greenwood?ˮ Adam offered politely.

“No, thank you. Tomorrow I will come again! Goodbye,ˮ Stanley waved, putting a hat on his gray hair and running out of the hospital.

Kelly smiled merrily and left with Adam, too.

The next day the sun shone like a brick of gold in the shade. The thermometer accurately showed about seventy-three degrees Fahrenheit. It was already an afternoon. People were coming back from work, the street kids swooping as the school bell ringing of the last lesson. Kelly immediately went to see Joy as she finished at work. Adam had something else, he will come later. She did not take Sister Deborah with her.

The mother was introduced to a room by the doctor. Joy lay on a bed, his nose trickling through his hose for breathing. He had a tightly padded chest with a white bandage. He did not pick up the heavy eyelids.

Kelly sat beside the bed, grasping her warm palm and gripping her in her palm. She stared at him with an impassioned glance. She just loves him, even if he is cocky and foolish.

“Joy?ˮ she tried to wake him with a thin voice.

The young man opened one eye, then the other one.

“Hi, mom,ˮ he greeted.

“How do you feel? Is it better?ˮ Kelly asked.

“What happened?ˮ Joy could not remember.

“They shot you.ˮ

“Where am I?ˮ

“Youʼll be amazed, but in the hospital,ˮ Kelly said ironically.

Joy moved and immediately felt pain. The injury from yesterday was really serious. And pretty painful too!

“Shall I give you something?ˮ Kelly reached for her son.

“No, I am fine. Where is Stan?ˮ

“Heʼs coming, he promised last night.ˮ

“Nothing happened to him?ˮ

“Nothing. But he was worried about you.ˮ

Joy scoffed at this sentence, not trusting his ears.

“What are you laughing at?! Mr. Greenwood is a really nice person. Maybe he saved your life, you should thank him,ˮ the mother said.

“Him?! He does not like me very much, you know?ˮ

“But he likes you. Believe me. It does not matter that he is a bit more obese, but he has a golden heart. You will not meet such people in the streets! Mr. Greenwood is a decent person. But you look like a bastard and you are a bastard!ˮ Kelly poked him.

“All right, yeah. I thank him, I will appreciate him, but he will not make me a good boy,ˮ Joy insisted.

“Maybe he will,ˮ she nodded, though she was absolutely certain of the opposite.

“Oh, it hurts me. I wanna relax and you can go home safely,ˮ Ritchie commanded mother.

It was obvious that he felt great pain.

“Should I call a nurse or a doctor?ˮ

“No, I can survive the pain!ˮ

“Do you want me to go home?ˮ Kelly was surprised.

“No worries. And no visits, please! And say hello to Deb,ˮ son ordered like a general.

“Debbie has painted a picture to please you, perhaps I have it somewhere,ˮ the mother searched her handbag.

Then she took out the white paper. When Joy looked at it, he remembered sister’s little soft face and the long golden curled hair that hung to the waist.

Doctors took his stitches out in a week. He spent some time at home and, but wanted to go to work again! Stanley had already visited him in the hospital several times. Now they have become quite friends.

Bronx, Harlem, Queens, Brooklyn are still there without him. Actually, they have stayed there until today! The streets remained still the same - full of dirt, blood, and hatred. The garbage lies on the ground, nobody picks it up. Young teenagers hang around, smoke, and take drugs. They often get angry at smaller kids or try to bully them. They steal anything and then break it. They are willing to kill each other.

Thereʼs nothing to do. Teenagers are often bored from the morning to the evening. They sometimes join a local gang that is popular in their neighborhood.

The gangs make trouble; they might get a higher turnover than a small corner shop. They protest against immigrants, blacks, and white.

Young people want to belong somewhere so the gang can provide it and they are recognized or appreciated like never before. Most of them stay on the street for the rest of their lives! There is no good, no prospect of a better life.

Only a few teenagers try to pursue honest work somewhere else, but they do not know anything besides violence. And so teenagers end up in crimes for various misdemeanors, such as heavy bodily harm, theft, possession of narcotics...

Who would not want to beat a boss at least once when he gives you a miserable salary?! Or to steal him something worth more than your poor salary?!

The truth is that the person who tries these things begins to think about the easy and nice package of money that is being offered by criminals whispering in the ears as a sounding song can never stop.

Joy wondered if police caught those who robbed the store and shot him with a shotgun. Captain Morris shook his head, waved his hand, put on a wonderful smile and said they were on the track. But Joy wanted to catch them categorically.