Insolent
Legacy Name: Insolent

Insolence

Ma always tried to make sure I had schooling, but jobs are hard to get so sometimes we had to live in the car, when we had one. It was always just Ma, me, and Junie, my little sister. A lot of times it was me and Junie hiding nearby when Ma was working. Usually at a diner, sometimes in a factory. Whatever she could get. She'd dropped out of school when she had me, and Junie arrived not long after Pa got locked up. He's not due out until I've finished school. If I ever do.

Watching Junie play in dirt with broken dolls gives a guy time to think. Ma keeps insisting I stay in school as much as we can, but what's the point? She was real insistent I learn how to read and write well. She's embarrassed she can't, and has me help her with government forms and such. I can already read 'n' write as good as most people. I know maths too. I need to bring in some money, but no one will hire me as I'm short for my age and look younger so they don't believe me. It's frustrating.

So I'm starting to think pa might have the right of it when he said life wasn't fair and you got to grab what you can. Preferably from someone rich who wouldn't notice missing things. I'd visited him in prison when ma didn't know. He said the only thing to regret was getting caught.

I'd met a few people who lived that way, living on the streets. Pickpockets are too swift for me to try. Other things take a gang of a few fellas to get them done. I didn't trust any of them enough that they wouldn't take my share. The only thing I could think of was robbing someone or a house. They can do fingerprint things so I thought maybe robbing a person in a dark alley was the best option. I had a pretty large knife I'd managed to get.

I had to psych myself up for a few weeks. But one night, when ma told us we may have to sleep in the car again as the landlord had put rent up again, I'd had enough. I was upset and told ma I needed to go walk it off. I walked around for a while, my hand on my knife in it's sleeve in my pocket. No one knew I was carrying it.

Finally, near the train station, I saw him. He was medium height, actually a little shorter than me. With a hat and very fine coat, hunched down due to the cold. Walking off into the dark roads nearby. The only others who got off the train went the other way. I sped up my walking, and pulled the knife just a couple of metres away.

I said "stop if you want to keep living" (I thought it sounded cool). But he didn't stop. Or even turn.

"STOP," I said, louder.

I was so completely shocked when he turned around fast and hit the arm then hand holding the knife and caused me to drop it. Then this guy kicked me in the guts. As I bent over, unable to breathe, I felt his hand in my hair pulling my head up to his face."Do not," he said, "do that unless you are prepared to die."

I realised how stupid I had been. What the heck did I know about robbing anyone? Maybe I'd been too close, or too loud or.... Then I realised I could die, right now. No one would know. My ma would eventually find out cos I had my wallet on me. Also a stupid move, I realised. All these thoughts when you're trying to breathe again is really uncomfortable.

He threw me away from himself and I ended up crawling on the ground, unable to get up due to a damned painful wrist and the breathing thing. He lent over and picked up my knife. I'm gonna die! Ma I'm so sorry! I tried to crawl backwards while keeping him in sight.

He signed and looked at me. He didn't look like he wanted to kill me but I couldn't trust it. He tapped the knife flat on his other hand.

"Now, what the hell am I gonna do with you?" he stated, "Can't let you keep trying to kill yourself."

That confused me, "But I wasn't!? I just need money!" I said.

"Aw damn what for? Drugs? Debt? Knocked up a girl?" he sounded quite unimpressed.

I got a bit cranky, "Hell no! My ma and my sis shouldn't have to live in the car again! I mean, I can, but they need indoors. Sis hasn't even got over that pneumonia she had a couple months ago." I paused, and the guy said nothing. "I don't know how else to get the rent money, no one would give me a job," I said, finally wilting under the strangers stare.

After a while, the man gave a big sigh. He squatted down near me, despite me trying to inch away, quiet like. "How old are you, kid?" he asked, in a quiet voice.

"13," I said, sitting up taller.

"Damn you big for 13, but it explains why your clothes are a bit short," he mused, looking me over. "What's your name?" he asked.

"They call me Insolent," I muttered. I hung my head.

"Hey," he said, causing me to raise my head and look him in the eyes, "I asked for your name, not your occupation."

That made me chuckle a bit. "Jack," I said. I just didn't have the energy any more to be sarcastic or a pain in the butt. Besides, he still had my knife.

"Alright Jack," he said, "I'm going to make you a proposition. How about you come back with me to see where I live and..."

"oh HELL no," I said, backing up faster and bumping into a fence to the side of the footpath.

He made an open palm 'calm down' motion. "No, no, no, this is all above board! Jack I want you to come to my house daily and I'm going to train you and pay you for it." he said, in a soothing voice.

I looked at him sideways, "train me as what?"

"Well that's gonna count on what I figure you're good at. It'll help you find work, and I can put in a good word. After all, a man trying to take care of his family needs to know what's what," he stated, and it made me feel real proud to be thought of that way.

I thought on his offer. "Alright" I said, "but no funny stuff or I'm gone."

"Fair enough," he said, "shake on it?" and offered his hand. If I shook, it was an agreement. What did I have to lose? And he was going to PAY me? I shook his hand firmly.

He yanked me up to standing at the end of the shake, surprising me. He laughed. Cautiously, I followed him to his big house. My eyes widdened at the size and how lush it looked. "Now," he said, "Be back here tomorrow morning at 9am exactly." he said. I nodded and looked at him. In the brighter light I saw he looked older than I thought, and felt a bit stupid for getting beaten by him. But maybe he'd teach me how to do that too!

Over time I found out that James was a retired Marine. I'd had no chance against him. He was also a retired businessman, who had a decent amount of time on his hands. I'd reminded him of himself before he joined the marines.

The first few days were exhausting, as he fought with me in different ways (I had NO clue what nunchucks were then), and also tested my reading and writing and school stuff which I did say I thought was a waste of time. He's just given this lopsided smile.

A few days later he said he wanted to take me home and meet my mother and sister. I wasn't too happy about that as I wasn't going to school but James' place instead. I didn't want Ma to be disappointed in me, or worse, use the wooden spoon. I was already sore from James' workouts. But he was really insisting so I gave in. He'd already given me a whole $20 to get some groceries for Ma. I'd told Ma I found it on the ground. We'd had meat that night!

He drove me there which was amazing as his car was so neat and clean! I was ashamed of where we lived as it was a dump. Too many families and people hanging around. I'd been proud I didn't go into the gangs because my Ma begged me not to, as that's how Pa ended up in prison. But as we pulled up, there was no disgust on his face.

I went to walk right in but James insisted on knocking on the door, because "manners" apparently.

Ma opened the door, saw James and me, and immediately asked "oh no, how much trouble is he in?" looking worried and tired all at once. I went to object how she assumed I'd done something when I realised how exactly I had met James. I kept my mouth shut.

James took off his hat and said in a kindly voice,"I have taken Jack into my employ, Mrs Smith, and wished to meet his family he speaks so much about."

Ma looked unimpressed, "And what are ya emplying him for then? Anything illegal? I know your type, trying to use young kids and.."

"MA!" I protested, "James isn't like that, he's helping me!"

She squinted at him, "Why?"

He shushed me when I would protest. "Mrs Smith, he reminds me of myself when I was his age. Life was tough, but I didn't even have such a supportive mother. If I hadn't gone into the Marines, I would have likely been dead before I was 20. I want him to have a better start to life than I did. I went into bad situations and just after turning 18, I was caught. The judge said I could join or I could go to prison. The rest is history." he smiled, "I intend to see to his education and training to defend himself, and provide a stipend to avoid temptation."

"If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is," Ma said. "What's the catch?"

James laughed. "I can be grumpy and difficult. My word is law for this boy and I will push him hard."

Ma relaxed a bit at that. "Well," she said, "let's see how it goes." Then shook his hand and looked him fiercely in the eye.

The next day James drove me home again, and asked Ma if she and sis as well as me could move into his large, empty house. When she protested, he said he needed someone who could cook and/or clean. Plus it would make things easier for my training. Sis could go to a different but local school. Ma declined, and I was a bit disappointed.

He came again the next day, saying how he'd never married or had children, but liked to think that Ma would be similar to any daughter he might have had. She laughed but still said no. He kept bringing me home every day and I could see Ma softening, especially when he brought food and she saw how gently he treated my little sis. After a week she accepted. After all, the rent was going up and we were running out of time to find a place. Within 2 days he'd hired people to help us move and had us all tucked into the little cottage out the back of the house.

in progress

He's become insolent to anyone in authority. His attempt to rob the wrong person results in a chance to be taught by an ex marine and learning how his insolence shows disrespect for others, but himself most of all.

Credits

Credits: Profile and Code by: Ringo | Background image from Freepik