Settling the Score

Today, completely out of the blue, I remembered a story from my childhood. 

In my neighborhood, there was a child whom everyone called "Buchee".  This fellow was a lot older than me, about three or four years older.  Therefore, if I recall correctly he must have been a young teenager when these events happened.

Buchee lived near my maternal grandparents, who lived two blocks from where I lived.  Every time I visited my grandparents I had to walk by Buchee's house and we would exchange hellos and sometimes we would tease each other lightly, nothing offensive.  I would visit my grandparents daily after school therefore I would walk the distance every day and most days Buchee and I would exchange friendly words.  

One evening a group of children, including me, were playing cards on the sidewalk, a few doors from my grandparents.  These games could be very competitive and the currency used at that time was crystal marbles.  At some point, the stakes were very high and the pool of marbles was considerable.  Buchee was participating in the game, but suddenly, he grabbed as many marbles as he could with both hands and ran away.  Acts like this one were common among kids in these kinds of games and to prevent these losses kids would "hire" other children as security guards and these guys were paid with an agreed-upon amount of "marbles" per game.  

After we recovered from the shock of Buchee's assault we gave chase, but Buchee was a big guy and could run faster than all of us.  We chased him to his house but he hid inside and there was nothing we could do.  We knocked at the door and complained to Buchee's parents that we had been robbed however they were not sympathetic and we had to leave empty-handed.  That day the game security guards were not paid and instead had to hear our most incendiary complaints about their inability to stop the crime.  In fairness, they were also overtaken by how fast the entire incident unfolded.

That evening was not the first time I had been robbed but for some reason that time I was furious and was not willing to accept my fate.  The next day, on my way to my grandparents I came across Buchee and told him to hand back the marbles, to which he refused.  His response was that he had the marbles in his pockets and if I really wanted them back I had to take them from him.

Rage came over me and I entered Buchee's house garden to take the marbles back at all cost.  Buchee was stronger than me and he beat me.  I gave it all but, I had to leave defeated, sore, and without my marbles, but I was not discouraged.  The next day I came across Buchee and the outcome was the same; a bloody battle and no marbles for me.  The following day the same thing happened, and the next day, and the next day.  

Everywhere I would see Buchee I would attack him without even saying a word.  This could happen on the street, in the park, walking by the river, at the local grocery store, and anywhere.  Sometimes I would pounce on him give him a couple of punches and run away.  It was total war.

When I was completely confident that I could defeat him I planned the final battle carefully.  For the decisive encounter, I selected a trail that Buchee used to take on his way home from school.  The plan was simple: ambush him in the trail and make him pay.

The day of the final battle I went straight to the trail after school and waited hidden in the bushes.  When I saw Buchee approach I pounced in front of him and told him "I want my marbles back" standing in front of him with my fists closed as hard as I could.  Buchee looked at me horrified.  The look of his face did not make me feel good but I was determined to recover my property.  "Return my marbles and there would be no more trouble"; said I firmly looking straight into his eyes.  He agreed.  I felt that The Code had been applied - no punches required if I felt that victory had been achieved. We walked together to his house in silence.

When we arrived, he entered the house while I waited outside. After a few minutes, he came out with a small sack of crystal marbles.  "I do not have all the marbles you say I took.  This is all I have" - said Buchee.  Perhaps he left part of his collection in the house but I felt bad for him and took all but five marbles which was the minimum amount accepted to participate in a marble card gambling game.

After I felt my honor restored, I did not have a single bad feeling for Buchee.  The next day on my way to my grandparents I saw Buchee and we exchanged greetings, just as if nothing had ever happened.  We continued to play together in many games.  However, I never forgot that he had taken my marbles but I got them back.

I do not know why I remembered this story today and saw all these events replaying in my mind.  Perhaps I never told Christina and will need to wait until I have an opportunity to tell her.