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It was the first day of school and the gray sky watched Count and I trudge the three blocks to Beyford Junior High "Do you always have this ?" Count bemoaned

"Excited," I answered

"Good for you," he mumbled

"Count?"

"That's the naet your ass kicked I got you covered Yes, the chicks will love you You're froh to think you're from Hollywood Play it up, tell them you're related to Toe Street

He grabbed me and yanked me back onto the curb The world was filled with the squeal of breaks and the smell of burnt rubber Over the blare of a car horn Count barked, "Duet yourself killed?"

"Asshole," I roared The driver flipped

"You're the asshole," Count barked

"F you, we've got the right away"

"How do you figure?"

"Pedestrians always have the right away"

"Maybe in Hollywood Golden Boy, do that here, you'll end up six feet under"

'That's screwed up" I bitched

"Welcome to the real world," Count said It wouldn't be the last tiht whilelate again - she asked "What do you know about that blind black man?"

"Who?" I pretended not to know Russell

"You know the black s and cigars I walked past hi on the bench across fro Like he was fooling anyone, the drunk Anyway, today when Shannie was…" She pronounced Shannie's name Shan-knee

"Shay-knee" I corrected

"Yeah, her… she was dropped off by a van this afternoon and not five minutes later the black ine what happens behind their walls"

That's where Russell was going, I thought During sixth period - Social Studies - I looked out theand saw hi back in forth in front of hi about?" she asked

"Russell Shannie introduced us He's kind of a fixture in town"