Page 2 of Bastain

The girl was standing on the front porch when he got there. Her dad was sitting in one of the many deck chairs, drinking a glass of something that was about clear. He thought it was either tea or lemonade. After shaking his hand, the girl and he got into his car and made their way to the venue. Since she didn’t want to eat at a restaurant, they headed directly to the school.

He tried having small talk with her, but she was either too shy to respond or, like him, didn’t want to go on this date either. As soon as he pulled into one of the many parking places, she turned to him. He thought for sure that she was going to ask to be taken home, but she smiled at him.

“Thank you for doing this, Mr. Smith.” He told her that she should call him Bastain. “All right, Bastain. My dad isn’t happy, but I’m glad that you’re going with me. But he knows what’s going on. They’ll not bother me if you’re there with me.”

“Why do they pick on you?” She said it was because she was awkward and tall. “I did notice that you were tall. Do you by chance play basketball?”

“It’s my senior year. I’ve been playing ball since I was just ten. I’ve always been tall. But I think it’s great that you’re taller than I am.” He was just over six foot five, and she was only a couple of inches shorter than he was. “The boys’ basketball team is the worst to me. They think it’s funny when they pull on my clothing.” He said they’d not do that with him around. “I didn’t think so. You just protect me long enough that we have the first dance, and I’ll be all right. They’ll have their own dates to contend with, other than me.”

“I’ll stay until the end.” She nodded and got out of the car. He did as well and escorted her into the building. “Don’t forget, I’m Bastain. And not Mr. Smith.”

Right away, he could see the bullies. It looked to him like there were about six of them standing beneath the basket net in the large room. Standing taller, hoping that he’d not have to get physical with any of them, Bastain kept an eye on them while they got something to drink at the long tables of food and drinks.

As soon as the music started, he danced with Shelby. She was a good dancer, and it was nice that he didn’t have to look down at her too much. As they were finishing up on the dance floor, two of the bullies came to approach her. He waited beside her to see what they’d do.

“Hey, Legs. Who you dating? He looks like he’s older than my mom.” He’d probably dated this boy’s mom, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t think being called Legs was all that bad until he reached out and grabbed a handful of her hair. “I should snatch you bawled for coming to the senior dance. You were told not to come. You’re going to sully the other girls that show up.”

“Where’s your date?” The kid looked at him as he removed his hand from her hair. “You heard me. Where’s your date tonight? The six of you come together? That’s so nice that you’re so open with your sexuality.”

“What business is it of yours? You’re one of them Smith men, aren’t you? Come here to protect Legs, did you?” He said that Shelby didn’t need protecting, that she could do well on her own. “Who’s Shelby?”

“My date.” The boys were circling them now, and it wasn’t until he looked around to see if the other parents chaperoning the dance were going to do anything. They turned their backs on them and walked away. “So this is how it’s going to be, is it? I’m going to have to take care of the six of you all on my own.”

“You think you can take us on, mister? I think not. My daddy is the mayor of this town, and he’ll make sure that you never get anything from here again. You just stand back and let us have our fun.” He yanked on Shelby’s hair again, and all Bastain did was grab his arm. He didn’t squeeze it like he wanted to, but did toss it off Shelby. “You just bought yourself a whole lot of trouble, mister. I’m going to make you pay for touching me.”

“He didn’t touch you.” He didn’t have to turn around to know who was behind him. His mom. Why she was there was anyone’s business, but he put his fists up when the kid did. “Bastain, I’ve called the police.”

“They won’t do a damned thing to me. Do you know who I am? I run this school, and the sooner you get out of here, the better it’s going to be for you.” The kid and his buddies laughed. “I’m going to knock the shit out of you, and you’re going to let me. Because you know why? Because I’m Nathan Howard.”

“Never heard of you.” Mom came around to stand in front of him. “Mom, please don’t do anything that will get me into trouble. Because the moment he touches you, I’m going to go to prison for killing him.”

“He’s not a fool that would touch me. He only picks on women who are weaker than he is. He knows that you’re going to kill him if he touches either of us.” Some of the other kids came to stand around them. None of them moved when Nathan was pushed back from Shelby by his mom, but Nathan laughed. “What’s the matter, Nathan? Have you bitten off more than you can chew?”

“I’m not afraid of you, old lady.” The kids who weren’t with the bullies backed up. “You should go on home and mop your floors like a good old lady does.”

“I’m not afraid of you either. I used to babysit your parents. You’re no different than your father was when he was about your age.” Bastain was careful where he stood. One false move and he’d really be in trouble with the police. He begged his mom to please stand behind him, but she only shook her head. “I’m going to be fine, son. I promise you that he knows better than to touch me. Shelby is going to be fine, too. You want to know why?”

“I really do. Come on, Mom. You have to be careful.” He heard the doors open behind him and didn’t bother looking again. One of the other kids said it was the police, and the bullies with Nathan seemed to scramble. “Mom, we’ll just let the police handle this. They can bust up this little party, and we can be on our way.”

“Hello, Jamison.” Bastain closed his eyes when he heard the laughter of one of the men behind him. His mom didn’t just call the police, but she’d called in the Feds, too. “This young man seems to think that he can do whatever he wants because his daddy is the mayor. Did you have a look into the things that I told you about?”

“Yes, ma’am, we did. There was a lot more in that office than you even guessed.” Mom nodded but didn’t move. “Bastain, you here to protect your momma? I think she’s got this under control all on her own.”

“I’m just here to protect a girl from being hurt by the bullies around here.” The police fanned out, and he got a good look at them. There were only three of them, the local police, three men that he trusted, but it was the Feds that looked like they were going to be doing a great deal of business in the school gymnasium. “Would you mind telling me what’s going on? I surely would like to know.”

“Nathan is twenty-one years old. Did you know that?” He didn’t know why they thought that he’d know anything about the kid, but kept his mouth shut. “He’s been asked to stay off of school property for the last sixteen months. He’s a might old to be hanging around with kids that are minors.” So was he, but he again didn’t say anything.

“CarolAnn, where are your other sons? I’m sure that they’re not too far behind Bastain here.” She told him they were waiting in the parking lot to see how things turned out. “Did you not trust me to get things handed?”

“I did, but that little pisser there has been hurting some of my friends, and I didn’t think you’d care all that much.” He told her that she wounded him. “I should have beaten your bottom more when you were just a kid is what I should have done.”

“Mom? What’s going on here?” She told him. Right there in front of everyone who had shown up. Even the parents who were chaperoning the dance seemed to have gotten a set of balls when the Feds showed up. “So he’s been selling drugs on school property, and you knew it? Mom, why did you set me up with this without telling me?”

“I was afraid that he’d hurt Shelby. And no matter how much you balked at the idea of coming here when you’re older than they are, you’d not allow him to harm anyone. Most of the kids in this room have been bullied by Nathan and his friends.” She asked what the Feds had found. “Oh, that’s a good one. Shelby’s mom works for the mayor. And since she’s been working there, she’s been working with the Feds. Who do you think was getting the drugs for his son to sell?”

Nathan was arrested, but not before spitting on his mom. As soon as he was cleared to go to his mom, Bastain punched Nathan in the face. He was considered an adult, and Bastain had told him not to touch his mom. Shelby was still laughing when her dad showed up. Bastain just stood there waiting for someone to tell him what he had to do when his mom came to stand with him.

“You could have told me.” She said that it was more fun pissing him off. “So that’s how it works, does it. Next time you piss me off, I’m going to think that the Feds are going to show up. How did you get them here in the first place? I’m sure that’s a good story.”