It's 1971 and Roman runs into his first of many bullies he'll encounter in life, but he also meets a special girl who becomes his first kiss as Roman learns what it takes to stand up for someone.
It's 1971 and Roman runs into his first of many bullies he'll encounter in life, but he also meets a special girl who becomes his first kiss as Roman learns what it takes to stand up for someone.
1971
It was summertime, the evening void of the slightest breeze. The Cicadas humming was loud enough to drown out the marching band practicing in the nearby stadium, dusk was knocking on the door, but the red ball sun still held on to the day refusing to let go its grip… not just yet the sun refusing to fall below the horizon.
Across the rolling hills of Ocala, follow the signs for McIntosh, and Micanopy, pass Millionaire’s Row - some of the finest horse farms in the country - to a sleepy little college town. Nestled next to the university in between the dark, whiskey - colored waters of Lake Alice was a forest of hardwood trees laden with Spanish moss that surrounded a cluster of apartments.
Roman sat at the edge of the lake throwing rocks into the dark, glassy surface. He pretended they were hand grenades, small explosions as the rocks made impact, the water splashing upwards, the red-winged black birds that nested among the thick cattails, exploded skyward.
It wasn’t long after Roman, now age seven, and his family had moved into one of the apartments that he had the misfortune to meet the complex’s worst bully. Bighead Hugh was probably a year older than Roman, a throwback from a bygone era where man had just learned to stand upright.
On that particular day Roman was under the jungle gym in the playground behind his apartment building. He had been hanging upside down letting the blood flow to his head pretending he was an airborne trooper sky-diving towards earth when the upside down version of Bighead Hugh appeared in front of Roman.
Roman tried to recoil from Hugh’s rank breath and yellowed teeth only inches away from his own face. Often when Hugh laughed, he sprayed spittle on anyone within range, and sounded more like a hyena than the freckled, red-haired wild eyed kid standing there in front of Roman.
“Well… what a sight… if it ain’t Roman Carol … It’s Carol right? I can’t remember… are you a girl posing as a boy? Or a boy pretending to be a girl? Maybe we should take your pants down and find out… what do you think guys?” Big head Hugh said menacingly.
His guys, a ragtag group of kids all younger than Hugh, all in varying degrees of mental development from slug to Neanderthal… cackled and howled as if that was the funniest thing they had ever heard.
“Shut up dumbass”, Roman said and knew the instant those words rolled off his tongue he’d regret it. As Bighead’s posse all took a collective gasp, a look came over Bighead Hughs face that made him look to be smiling… ‘course he was upside down… so probably not, Roman thought.
Bighead Hugh’s punch caught Roman perfectly in the throat. Roman dropped from his perch atop of the jungle gym his only thought was that this is what it must be like when your parachute doesn’t open… and crashed face first into the ground.
Hugh was on top of Roman instantly punching and kicking. Roman couldn’t catch his breath… holding his throat and choking… Roman broke away and started to run desperately trying to breathe.
Bighead Hugh started laughing… he picked up a small rock off the ground and threw it at Roman as he ran away… Hugh’s posse did likewise… as the rocks started to pepper Roman Bighead Hugh and his gang could be heard yelling… “Run Carol Run… run home to your crazy mama… you little girl!”
When Roman was able to draw some air in to his lungs as he limped home, rubbing his throat he couldn’t help but think what a great punch Bighead had thrown… whether by accident or on purpose, hit somebody in the throat and the fights over… who can fight if they can’t breathe? Roman mentally made a note, next time he got into a fight he’d have to use that… and if he was lucky… it would be with Bighead Hugh.
It didn’t matter what Roman told Rev. Rob or Mora… it always came back to the same thing. Use your head, not your fists… to settle disagreements. Rev. Rob had often said. What would Jesus do? Punch someone in the face? I don’t think so… Mora had said more than once. They didn’t understand how mean the other kids could be… they didn’t realize how much pain his middle name was causing him as he tried to break into a new social circle of friends.
Roman didn’t want to hang out and play kick ball or whatever with the other boys, especially now since the new girl, Candy and her family moved into the same apartment building as Roman.
After Bighead Hugh, the neighborhood bully, told everyone she was his girlfriend, which was a bunch of bull as far as Roman was concerned. Candy didn’t know Bighead Hugh even existed. “She’s mine, Carol… go find another girlfriend to play dolls with” Hugh said to Roman.
“If I catch you hanging around her… don’t make me kick your butt all over again,”… Hugh sneered. He obviously under estimated Roman’s stupidity, he wasn’t going to let a bully as stupid as Bighead stop him.
She was only two days older than Roman… to hear her voice… for her to say his name… to get close enough so he could smell the shampoo scent of her yellow-gold hair… she mesmerized him. Playing kick ball with the other boys seemed stupid now that Candy had entered his life.
That summer was the first time Roman had kissed a girl. They were on the playground by the swings… it wasn’t like in the movies, Roman thought. He was so excited he could hardly breathe… just like being punched in the throat but way better.
He was pushing her in the swing then next thing he knew he leaned in and kissed her on her cheek… Candy giggled. “What was that for?”
“I dunno… I just wanted to.” Roman was blushing, his face turning red.
Candy hopped off the swing and stepped in front of him, inches from his face. Roman stood stock still not sure what he was supposed to do or say… then she slowly leaned forward and gently kissed him right on the lips. Candy’s lips were soft as a feather and tasted slightly of cherry Kool-Aid.
“There… that’s a kiss to remember… not some peck on the cheek”, Candy said shyly. They had no idea how what they were doing… but that didn’t matter to Roman and Candy. They acted like they knew what they were doing. As they walked out of the playground… there stood Bighead Hugh and his mindless minions blocking their way down the path.
“What are you two little love birds doing?” Hugh asked. Roman knew exactly what Bighead was thinking, what was Roman doing with his girlfriend?
Candy crossed her arms over her chest, her lip twisted in a sneer and her eyes had gone hard, a look Roman imagined she had practiced many times standing in front of the mirror in her bedroom. She lifted her chin as if pointing it at Hugh and said without so much as a hint of fear in her voice… Why don’t you just leave us alone, you jerkoff!”
He didn’t seem that put off by her barbed remark and instead looked directly at Roman as if seeing him for the first time. In that moment Roman knew exactly what Bighead was thinking.
“Run!” Roman yelled at Candy and pushed her away from Bighead and his gang of misfits. In a flash Hugh and the others were on top of Roman… who was punching and kicking… throwing wild punches at anything he could. He was overwhelmed by them… the kicking and biting… like a pack of wild dogs they attacked him, pinning Roman down on the ground he was unable to move.
He struggled against them as Bighead grabbed Candy and had her in a bear hug, she wasn’t able to move. “Let me go you! Get your hands off me!” Candy screamed at Bighead.
Roman felt a surge of adrenaline and struggled like a demon to free himself from the hands of Bighead’s posse. He landed a wide-open kick to someone’s crotch… they folded and went down. He was able to free one hand and jammed his thumb into the eye of the kid on top of him. A scream… then he was free. Roman rushed Bighead Hugh and grabbed a fistful of his dirty, ginger colored hair and pulled his head back… then with his other hand ready to punch Hugh in his throat… from out of nowhere a fist knocked him down. The punk Roman had poked in the eye apparently was still in the fight, evidently the one eye was all he needed to fight…
“Run, Candy! Run!”Bighead Hugh outweighed Roman by another kid, he threw a hammer-like fist towards Roman’s head that knocked him down. Bighead jumped on top of Roman’s chest, his hands were clinched around Roman’s throat.
As Roman looked into those crazed eyes like some pint sized madman- he knew Hugh was insane enough to try and kill him. Then like a summer thunder storm from out of nowhere… Erin Rose appeared. She rushed in like a typhoon raging at full force knocking Bighead Hugh off Roman…. ER punched him in the face… Hugh’s nose ruptured like a bloody fountain. Roman scrambled to his feet.
Erin Rose quickly sent the rest of Bighead’s gang scattering with a few swift kicks, threatening to rip their eyeballs out. They were terrified of her.
Hugh slowly got to his feet, he was swaying slightly… he wiped his nose… “You broke my nose!” Hugh screamed at her. Erin Rose made like she was going to hit him again and Hugh bolted away, his gang chasing him jeering and laughing at how he got beat up by a girl.
Roman stood up, coughing and wheezing, trying to breathe… he brushed himself off and looked at his sister. “Thanks” he croaked in a raspy voice. His throat was soar… he needed some water. Candy ran up to Roman and hugged him tightly. “I’m so glad you’re alright” she said and kissed Roman on his cheek. Candy turned to ER and said, “You’re a pretty cool sister… Roman’s lucky.”
“Yeah… he’s lucky all right… he just needs to learn how to take care of himself. I won’t always be there.”
Roman smiled weakly, “I guess I’m a lover… not a fighter”, he said and reached for Candy’s hand. “Come on, let’s get some ice cream.” Roman, Candy and Erin Rose began walking across the playground.