The House That Ignorance Built...

The following is another sordid tale, of a brief moment in my life.
The names here have not been changed to protect the innocent.
Screw the innocent, they should grow a backbone.

Late one night, in and or around 1986, my friend and roomate Mike and I were walking home from a late night out dancing.
We lived up at 14th and SW Clay, in a building aptly nicknamed the "Imperial Armpit".
Many fun times were had here over the years.
This is not one of them.

Mere blocks from home, we came across Beefa, and some lucky lady, leaving our building.
We chatted, and laughed, since we all had a good buzz.

While walking away, I mentioned to Beefa that the T shirt he was wearing was mine, and it would be great if he would give it back to me one day soon.
I am sure many of you have dealt with the drunken Beefa before, and realize how big of a mistake I had just made.
Also, I must assure you that the drunken Beefa of today is but a tiny spark of the one of yesteryear.


(The above video is courtesy of R. Kelly, long may he reign as El Presidente!)

Somehow, in asking for that tshirt back, I had struck a nerve in that young boy.
Even after imforming him that it was a one of a kind t shirt, from my brother- in- law's surf shop in Huntington Beach, he stuck to his guns, and refused to admit fault.
This turned to Beefa getting very pissed off, and trying to get me to fight him.
This is one thing I know better than to do. I did not have a baseball bat, or anything heavy enough to knock him down, and I know better than to straight up fight him.
He pushed me, and he shoved me for a while, trying to knock me down and assert his authority.
I successfully avoided the fight, which I surely would have lost, and we walked on home, traumatized.

What is the point to this story, you may be asking about now?
The point is to show how the depth of true friendship can persevere, no matter how shallow it may appear at times.

For, within the next couple of hours, I heard a knock on my door.
When I opened it, there stood a much subdued and appologetic Beefa, with my t shirt in his hand.


As much as I know, and have seen from this burly, angry man, that stands out in my mind as one of his shining moments, and that has helped endear him to me for life.

Without friends, all you are left with is enemies....