Tony's Anger

Tony's Anger

“HEY JERK-OFF, don't cut in front of me!”

Tony and Robbie turned around and looked at the light skinned black man wearing a mask behind him on the line. They were on line in the supermarket waiting to pay for their groceries.

“You talking to us?” said Tony to the black man.

“Yes, I was talking to you. You cut in front of me!”

“I don't think so, we were in front of you the whole time home-boy,” said Tony in an angry tone.

“Don't give me that man, you cut me.”

“I don't think so homie,” replied Tony, continuing in his angry tone.

Tony and Robbie turned around and proceeded to the cashier. The black man behind them mumbling under his breath with a scowl on his expression.

Tony paid the cashier and packed the groceries into the plastic bags. They removed their masks and they proceeded to the car.

Tony and Robbie were two men in their mid thirties who were of Italian decent. They were both over six feet tall and physically fit. They lived in East Haven, Connecticut, USA. East Haven was predominately Italian. Recently, blacks started moving into the neighborhood and many of the Italians of East Haven didn’t like it. Many of the Italians felt hostility towards the blacks. They felt that when the blacks moved in the drugs, gangs, and crime were soon to follow. They also also felt that the property values would lower because many of the Italians owned their own home.

While Tony was driving down main street towards his home, Robbie asked: “How is your new girlfriend doing?

“Just fine. I am taking her out this weekend to the Village diner in West Haven. She likes it there,” replied Tony with a smile.

“Don't you feel awkward going out with Natasha, after all she is half black!” asked Robbie.

“At first I did feel awkward, and I didn't think I could fall for a girl like Natasha. But I fell hard for her Robbie. And you know me bro, I never liked blacks. Especially since I have been using Facebook and watching all those Black Lives Matter protests, riots and looting. I hate them now more than ever. I think many of them are loud, obnoxious and arrogant.

“Have you met her family yet Tony?”

“Not yet. Next Saturday I am going to a barbecue at Natasha's house and I will meet the brother and mother. The father was killed in a drive-by shooting many years ago in the Bronx. He was just standing in the park as an innocent bystander.”

Tony made the left onto Gerrish Avenue and drove one block to his house on the left.

“I am glad no blacks live on my block,” said Tony.

“Give it time bro,” replied Robbie.

********************************************************

Wednesday, at the bocce ball courts at the South Shore beach, Tony and Robbie were sitting on the bench watching the older Italian men play bocce ball. It was the tall lean man throwing the blue colored bocce ball at the smaller pallino ball. His blue bocce ball came within an inch of the pallino. All the spectators cheered the throw.

“This is the life pal...sitting under this tree watching a good game. What do you say Tony?”

“You’re right...this is the life No work, just watching our paisans playing bocce.”

“Can I ask you a question Tony without you getting upset?”

“Sure. Ask away!”

“How do your parents feel about you having a black girlfriend?”

“They don't know yet. My mother would be OK with it but my dad...big problem.”

“Are you ever gonna tell them bro?”

“Not now. I want to see how the relationship goes.”

“I am going across the street to get a Manhattan Special...I'm thirsty, do you want one?” asked Tony.

“No thanks.”

Tony went across the street to the corner grocery store and went in. He paid the clerk the two bucks for the coffee soda and walked out. Outside of the store a tall muscular and fit black man in his twenties was holding hands with a gorgeous young white woman also in her twenties. The woman was wearing a bikini bathing suit and she also was slim and fit. With brown hair and a pretty face she could have been of Italian decent. Tony became jealous and enraged seeing the black man with the White woman. He just stood there and glared at the black man. The couple knew the stranger didn't like to see them holding hands, so they dropped their hands to their sides and walked into the store.

Tony walked across the street towards the beach and the bocce ball courts.

Tony sat back down on the bench next to Robbie and took a long drink of his Manhattan Special.

“Nice and cold bro,” said Tony to Robbie.

“Hey, did you see that darkie with the lovely white chick holding hands?” asked Tony.

“Sure did. That really disgusts me. She probably is going out with him because of that long black snake between his legs,” replied Robbie.

“What the hell is this neighborhood coming to,” asked Robbie rhetorically.

********************************************************

That same day, at about 10:00 P.M., Tony and his girlfriend Natasha decided to go for a walk around the neighborhood. They walked from Natasha's house on Townsend Avenue, to the deli on the corner of Dodge Avenue. They had to walk about a half mile on a hot evening to get to the store.

“How is your mom and brother doing these days?” asked Tony.

“They’re doing well. My mom is scheduled for her knee surgery next week and my brother got a new job working for Amazon,” replied Natasha.

“Does your brother know about me yet?”

“Yes, but he is not too happy about you being white.”

“When am I gonna meet him?”

“He'll be there at the barbecue Saturday.”

“Your brother is not too happy about me and you going out together. He is half White! What is his problem.”

“My brother considers himself black. He encountered plenty of prejudice against him when he was in the Navy.”

When they were walking towards the twenty-four hour grocery store at the corner of Dodge Avenue they saw from a distance, four black teen aged boys hanging outside the store. As Tony and Natasha walked closer, they could hear loud, violent rap music blasting from a beat up Honda. Two of the black youths had sagging pants and they were all yelling and cursing at one another.

“You smell pot?” asked Tony, as they got closer to the store.

“Yea, sure do. These kids are probably stoned,” replied Natasha.

As Tony and Natasha walked by the youths, one of the youths called Tony a Honky. Tony just turned to the youth and gave him the middle finger. The youths were probably jealous of an attractive black woman in the company of a handsome White man. Tony and Natasha put on their masks and entered the store.

At the counter Tony told the clerk that the teens out front were causing trouble and smoking pot. The clerk told Tony that he would tell the manager. Tony and Natasha exited the store and avoided the teens. They walked around the teens as to not start a confrontation with them.

While walking back to Natasha's house: “Those damn hoodlums smoking pot in front of that grocery store listening to that violent rap music...disgusting!” said Natasha with disgust on her expression.

“Now you know why I don't want blacks moving into East Haven,” replied Tony

We moved out of New Haven because of that same reason. We moved from the crime, the drugs, and the gangs,” said Natasha

“Those hoodlums make me so angry,” said Tony.

“East Haven is still a good neighborhood. It is about seventy (70%) percent White, about twenty black, five (5%) percent Asian and five (5%) percent other. If the demographics continue to change and the Whites continue to move out and blacks continue to move in, in about five years East Haven will be overwhelmingly black. The crime, drugs and gangs will come to Eat Haven as well,” stated Natasha.

“Hopefully East Haven will remain a good neighborhood,” said Tony.

They reached Natasha's house and Natasha opened the door. Natasha's mother greeted them and told Tony to have a glass of iced tea with them. Natasha's mom, whose name is Betty, was still attractive in her sixties. She had gray hair put up in a bun. She led them both to the patio in the back of the house.

Tony and Natasha both took seats in garden lounge chairs and waited for the iced tea.

“I wish my brother Billy was here to meet you. He is still working. He has been working the late shift and working plenty of over-time. He is only twenty-five years old but he wants to save to buy his own house in a few years,” said Natasha.

“Does your brother take after your mom or dad?” inquired Tony

“Surprisingly he looks a lot like my mom. He has her green eyes but personality wise he takes after my dad. My dad was very conservative and politically opinionated. He was a staunch democrat. My dad was in the Navy also. That is where he picked up his drinking habit. Thank God Billy doesn't drink.”

Just then, Betty walked out with three tall glasses of iced tea and a bowl of oatmeal cookies on a tray and placed the tray on a round, black wrought iron table. Betty sat down in the empty garden lounge chair.

“Ahhh, this is nice. Just to relax and sip some cold iced tea on a hot summer eve,” said Betty with a contented look on her face.

Tony took a long drink of his iced tea and took a bite of a cookie and said to Betty: “Yes, this is nice. Not a cloud in the sky. As a matter of fact, we haven't had any rain all week and my lawn is turning brown.”

“Tell me Tony...where do you live?” asked Betty

“I live on Gerrish Avenue...not far from here. Do you know where it is Mrs. McFadden,” replied Tony.

“Please call me Betty. Yes I know where it is. I have a girlfriend who lives on that block. How long have you lived there. Do you own or rent?”

“My mother and father own the house. I was born there twenty-five years ago.”

“Are you working now Tony?” asked Betty.

“Right now I am collecting unemployment compensation. I got laid off from my job at WB Mason. The stationary company laid me off because all the schools are closed and the schools don't need any stationary. As soon as the schools reopen I should start working again. This COVID-19 is really causing hardships for many people..”

“My cousin in Florida has tested positive for the COVID-19 but she doesn't have severe symptoms,” said Natasha.

“Are you planning to get your own house some day Tony,” inquired Betty.

“When I get married and have the down payment saved up. Probably in about three or four years,” answered Tony.

“Are you planning on living in East Haven?” asked Betty

Not sure yet. I like Maine or Vermont. Maybe I will live there if I can get a job there.”

“The reason why I ask you that is because many White families are selling their houses in East Haven. Did you notice the “for sale” signs on two of the houses on this block?” asked Betty.

“Sure did Betty. Do you know why they are moving,” asked Tony.

Natasha answered: “Hey mom, I saw Mary a few days ago and she told me they want to move to a warmer climate.”

“Could be, but since those other two black families have moved on the block, those two houses went up for sale. Plus, down by the beach where some black families have moved in are loads of “for sale” signs on the houses in that area,” said Betty.

Betty continued: “Tony, the three of us, me, Natasha and Billy are here all alone. I am ashamed to say, but I don't want any more blacks to move into East Haven. I am not prejudiced and I understand that many black families are nice but I am fearful of the crime and drugs coming into the neighborhood.. I would hate to move, and I put every penny that I got from my husbands life insurance policy into this house. I don't think I could afford to move again. All I want is to live in an integrated, stable neighborhood that is safe.”

“Don't worry mom, we'll manage. Even if we have to get a big attack dog,” Natasha said jokingly.

********************************************************

The next day at about three in the afternoon Tony was in the dry cleaners picking up his tan, collared, Chambray, short sleeve shirt. He was planning on wearing this shirt, with a pair of tan khaki shorts for Betty's barbecue Saturday evening.

“Do you see how dark the sky has become?” asked the woman clerk behind the counter.

“Sure do. There is a severe thunderstorm warning for the area for the next four hours. We are supposed to get two inches of rain. It will be good for my parched lawn,” replied Tony.

The clerk gave Tony his shirt and Tony paid with his debit card. Tony bid the clerk goodbye, smiled and left the store. When he got into his car, streaks of lightening were emanating from the dark storm clouds above. There was loud thunder and it began to rain.

All of a sudden his cell-phone rang unexpectedly. Natasha was on the phone and there was tension in her voice.

Tony, we are in trouble. There is a bad storm right now and we got a flat tire. My brother and I are in Durham. We are on a desolate road going North on Route 10. Can you come and help us? My brother is having trouble changing the flat.

“How far past are you guys from the Dunkin Donuts on Route 10?” asked Tony

“We are about five miles north of the Dunkin Donuts,” said Natasha anxiously.

“Sit tight, I will be there in about twenty minutes. I will be driving my brown pick-up truck and I will bring my tools with me just in case.

“Hurry Tony, I'm scared of this storm.”

Tony hung up and drove home to get his pick-up truck and tools. The rain was starting to come down and the sky was an ominous purple. Tony got into his truck and hauled out of there towards Natasha and Billy as quickly as possible. He drove onto the highway and got off at the Durham exit. He knew these roads, so he knew exactly where Route 10 was. He was doing fifty miles an hour on a twenty-five MPH speed limit road. There was a torrential downpour. Tony had the wipers and the defogger on high but he still had trouble seeing the road. He finally reached the Dunkin Donuts. Five more miles to go he thought. Tony just hoped the roads wouldn't wash away especially at the bridge up ahead. In about two miles he reached the bridge. The roads were passable...thank God. He continued for a few more miles until he saw Natasha's car off to the right. The car was down an embankment with the hazard warning lights on. Tony pulled over behind the car and put on his flashers.

Tony could see through the fogged up windows Natasha and her brother sitting in the car. Tony called his girlfriend and told her to wait a little while so the rain could ease up. After about twenty minutes the storm passed. Tony got out of his pick-up truck and walked towards Natasha's red Chevy four door sedan. Billy got out of the car with Natasha. When Tony's and Billy's eyes met there was instant recognition.

“It's you, the idiot in the supermarket!” said Billy to Tony.

“You accused me of cutting in front of you and you called me a jerk-off in the supermarket'” replied Tony.

Natasha...get him out of here before I do something they send me to jail for,” said an angry Billy

“Listen Billy, Tony drove all the way from East Haven to help us. He treats me nice and I care for him very much,” interjected Natasha.

Billy's green eyes blazed. He couldn't see his sister going out with a White man.

“Listen to me Billy. Natasha's car is stuck down an embankment and she has a flat. You will need to get the car out of that ditch in order to change the flat. I am here now with my tools and a rope to pull you out of that ditch or you can call a tow truck, wait two hours for them to come and then pay them about two hundred dollars or more. The choice is yours.

“Let him help us Billy. I don't have two hundred dollars for a tow truck and I have to get back home right away. Mom needs me to drive her to the doctors,” pleaded Natasha.

“OK, fine...let's do this,” said Billy.

In twenty minutes, Tony and Billy working together got the car out of the ditch, and fixed the flat. Natasha was back home shortly there-after.

********************************************************

The next night, at Natasha's barbecue, many of Betty's friends and family were there. There were an equal number of blacks and whites there. Some of the Black families bought over fried chicken, chitlins, collard greens, black eyed peas and more. On the grill was ribs, hot dogs, hamburgers and steak. There were many other foods and drink there. Some of the guests were drinking wine and beer; some were drinking soda or iced tea. The music played: Frank Sinatra's my way was playing low. Betty was walking around her yard mingling with her neighbors, and family. Natasha was by her side.

“Billy and Tony should be here shortly. I am so glad they have become friends and that they went to the pier to do some fishing together. Too bad they couldn't go to the bowling ally; it was closed because of the virus,” said Natasha.

“Yea, it's great to see them together. Maybe this is the beginning of a strong friendship,” said Betty happily.

Just then Tony and Billy walked into the back yard. Tony was sunburned and Billy was carrying a big Striped bass.

“Look what we caught everyone,” said Billy excitedly. “We can clean him and put him on the grill,” he continued.

Billy put the fish down on the grass and he and Tony went over to the wine. Tony poured himself and Billy a glass of red wine and proposed a toast.

“To our friendship and great days fishing.”

Everyone at the barbecue, Blacks and Whites alike, raised and touched their glasses. It was going to be a wonderful evening.

End