jg.paintedhouse-第16章
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With that； Dewayne was able to tear himself away。 If I could be trusted to walk the streets alone； then so could he。 As we walked off； Mrs。 Pinter was still barking instructions。 We went to the Dixie； where the older kids were hanging out and waiting for four o'clock。 In my pocket I had a few coins…five cents for the matinee； five cents for a Coca…Cola； three cents for popcorn。 My mother had given me I he money as an advance against what I would earn picking cotton。 I was supposed to pay it back one day； but she and I both knew it would never happen。 If Pappy tried to collect it； he would have to step around Mom。
Evidently Dewayne had had a better week with the cotton than I had。 He had a pocket full of dimes and couldn't wait to show them off。 His family also rented land； and they owned twenty acres outright； a lot more than the Chandlers。
A freckle…faced girl named Brenda lingered near us； trying to start a conversation with Dewayne。 She'd told all of her friends that she wanted to marry him。 She was making his life unbearable by following him around at church； shadowing him every Saturday up and down Main Street； and always asking if he would sit by her at the movies。
Dewayne despised her。 When a pack of Mexicans walked by； we got lost in the middle of them。
A fight erupted behind the Co…op； a popular spot for the older boys to gather and trade punches。 It happened every Saturday； and nothing electrified Black Oak like a good fight。 The crowd pushed its way through a wide alley next to the Co…op； and in the rush I heard someone say； 〃I'll bet it's a Sisco。〃
My mother had warned me against watching fights behind the Co…op； but it wasn't a strict prohibition because I knew she wouldn't be there。 No proper female would dare to be caught watching a fight。 Dewayne and I snaked our way through the mob； anxious to see some violence。
The Siscos were dirt…poor sharecroppers who lived less than a mile from town。 They were always around on Saturday。 No one was sure how many kids were in the family； but they could all fight。 Their father was a drunk who beat them； and their mother had once whipped a fully armed deputy who was trying to arrest her husband。 Broke his arm and his nose。 The deputy left town in disgrace。 The oldest Sisco was in prison for killing a man in Jonesboro。
The Sisco kids didn't go to school or church； so I managed to avoid them。 Sure enough； when we got close and peeked through the spectators； there was Jerry Sisco punching a stranger in the face。
〃Who's that？〃 I asked Dewayne。 The crowd was yelling for each fighter to hurry up and maim the other。
〃Don't know；〃 Dewayne said。 〃Probably a hillbilly。〃
That made sense。 With the county full of hill people picking cotton； it was only logical that the Siscos would start a fight with someone who didn't know them。 The locals knew better。 The stranger's face was puffy； and there was blood dripping from his nose。 Jerry Sisco ripped a sharp right to his teeth and knocked the man down。
A whole gang of Siscos and their ilk were in one corner； laughing； and probably drinking。 They were shaggy and dirty with ragged clothes and only a few had shoes。 Their toughness was legendary。 They were lean and hungry and fought with every dirty trick in the hook。 The year before； Billy Sisco had almost killed a Mexican in a fight behind the gin。
On the other side of the makeshift arena was a group of hill people； all…yelling for their man…〃Doyle；〃 it turned out…to get up and do something。 Doyle was rubbing his chin when he jumped up and made a charge。 He managed to ram his head into Jerry Sisco's stomach； sending both of them to the ground。 This brought a cheer from the hill people。 The rest of us wanted to cheer； too； but we didn't want to upset the Siscos。 This was their game； and they'd e after anybody。
The two fighters clutched and clawed and rolled around in the dirt like wild animals； as the yelling got louder。 Doyle suddenly cocked his right hand and landed a perfect punch in the middle of Jerry Sisco's face； sending blood everywhere。 Jerry was still for a split second； and we were all secretly hoping that perhaps a Sisco had met his match。 Doyle was about to land another punch when Billy Sisco abruptly charged from the pack and kicked Doyle square in the back。 Doyle shrieked like a wounded dog and rolled to the ground； where both Siscos were immediately on him； kicking and pounding him。
Doyle was about to be slaughtered。 Though there was nothing fair about it； it was simply the risk you ran if you fought a Sisco。 The hill people were silent； and the locals watched without taking a step forward。
Then the two Siscos dragged Doyle to his feet； and with all the patience of an executioner； Jerry kicked him in the groin。 Doyle screamed and dropped to the ground。 The Siscos were delirious with laughter。
The Siscos were in the process of picking him up again when Mr。 Hank Spruill； he of the tree…trunk neck； stepped out from the crowd and hit Jerry hard； causing him to fall。 Quick as a cat； Billy Sisco threw a left jab that popped Hank in the jaw； but a curious thing happened。 The jab didn't phase Hank Spruill。 He turned around and grabbed Billy by his hair and without any apparent effort spun him around and flung him into the grouping of Siscos in the crowd。 From the strewn pack came a new Sisco； Bobby； aged no more than sixteen； but just as mean as his brothers。
Three Siscos against Hank Spruill。
As Jerry was getting to his feet； Hank； with unbelievable speed； kicked him in the ribs so hard that we heard cracking。 Then Hank turned and slapped Bobby with the back of his hand； knocking him down； and kicked him in the teeth。 By this time Billy was making another lunge； and Hank； like a circus strongman； lifted the much skinnier boy into the air and flipped him into the side of the Co…op； where he crashed loudly； rattling the boards and windows； before falling to the pavement on his head。 I couldn't have tossed a baseball any easier。
When Billy hit the ground； Hank took him by the throat and dragged him back into the center of the arena； where Bobby was on all fours； struggling to get to his feet。 Jerry was crumpled to one side； clutching his ribs and whimpering。
Hank kicked Bobby between the legs。 When the boy yelped； Hank let out a hideous laugh。
He then clutched Billy by the throat and began lashing his face with the back of his right hand。 Blood was spurting everywhere； it covered Billy's face and was pouring down his chest。
Finally； Hank released Billy and turned to the rest of the Siscos。 〃Anybody want some more！〃 he shouted。 〃e on！ Get you some！〃
The other Siscos cowered behind one another while their three heroes floundered in the dirt。
The fight should've been over； but Hank had other plans。 With delight and deliberation； he kicked each of the three in their faces and heads until they stopped moving and groaning。 The crowd began to disperse。
〃Let's go；〃 a man said from behind me。 〃You kids don't need to see this。〃 But I couldn't move。
Then Hank found a broken piece of an old two…by…four。 For a moment the crowd stopped its exit to watch with morbid curiosity。
When Hank hit Jerry across the nose； someone in the crowd said； 〃Oh my God。〃
Another voice in the mob said something about finding the sheriff。
〃Let's get outta here；〃 an old farmer said； and the crowd began leaving again； this time a little quicker。
Hank still wasn't finished。 His face was red with anger； his eyes flashed like a demon's。 He kept pounding them until the old two…by…four began to shatter into small pieces。
I didn't see any of the other Spruills in the crowd。 As the beating became a butchering； everyone fled。 No one in Black Oak wanted to tangle with the Siscos。 And now nobody wanted to face this madman from the hills。
When we were back on the sidewalk； those of us who'd seen the fight were silent。 It was still happening。 I wondered if Hank would beat them until they were dead。
Neither Dewayne nor I said a word as we darted through the crowd and ran toward the movie house。
The Saturday afternoon movie was a special time for all of us farm kids。 We didn't have televisions； and entertain
