Bleach Monster, Part VI

March 18, 2013

Murray sailed the Staten Island Ferry with his brother-in-law, Robbie. This weekend was going to be a break from his usual life.  He had things to do on the old home front of Staten Island. He chatted with Robbie.  But he pretty much lost himself in reading material.

The boat sailed and they trekked to Robbie’s home via train and car.  It snapped back into Murray’s head how much he hated going to and from the Island.  It wasn’t a bad place to grow up. However, it was so damn inconvenient to travel to and from. Plus it is somewhat backward from the rest of the City.

But he was going to a farewell party and hitting his old health club in between.  Overall Murray was in a good place. He was back to handling his special powers well. His sister, Danit was doing well with hers.  Danny was no longer getting bullied.  He was working hard to stop others from having this problem.

Murray had things to do. Danit was nice enough to lend him a car for the day or two he’d be on Staten Island.  As he jumped into the car his mind drifted back to his old days.  He thought of the crazies he hung out with then.  He wondered how different they are from the nut jobs he now spent his time with.

He had great pizza, worked out and slept in his mom’s house.  Next day did similar. Eventually he made it over to the catering hall for the farewell party.  His closest friends were there. This party was a farewell to place he grew up in.  It was being shut down and merged into another being.

Would it be a stronger one? Perhaps it would be.

Murray was wondering if this was the time to confront Danit about her powers. He knew she was trying to take a young lad under her wing to train him.

They were good friends as brother and sister. But he knew she wondered about him and how he’d control his powers.  He still had thoughts of going after the superficial people.  But back on his home base he should be ok.

Everything was great. He was excited to walk into the party.  All of the people he grew up with were there. People came from all over the country to say goodbye.  Thankfully he got a ride home to Queens.

While at the party there were people he wanted to attack with bleach. They didn’t do the right thing to bring everyone to the event. They didn’t let the young kids, who the disbanding group was created for participate and lead the show. However, he took pictures, shook hands and ate lots of salmon.

Meanwhile, Danit was in the park with Tony the kid that got beat up a few weeks ago. She befriended his mom.  Danit was trying to figure out if he had any powers or if they could be created.  She saw Danny, the blubber boy and figured Tony may have potential.

But she had no idea how Murray fleshed out Danny’s magic.  She was struggling.  She got so hyped up. That was very unusual for her.  She ran off into the woods and shot out wine.  She was not in control. 

After spraying the trees she sat on a rock and fell asleep for a few minutes. It was during this time that she figured out what to do with Tony.  But she had to break him apart from his mom.  She wasn’t going to take him away or hurt him.

But she saw how dependent he is on his mom. She knew if he was going to be strong he had be independent.   What powers he could have was still open.

The park was quiet. Most people were relaxing. There were baseball and soccer games being played.  Little kids were on the see-saws and monkey bars.  The ice cream truck rolled in. People ran out to go get their cones and went back to what they were doing. All was well.

As the day got later people started leaving.  Danit looked up at the sky and saw that a storm was brewing. She grabbed Audrey and put her into the car. She said goodbye to Tony and his mom, Elise. 

There were dramatic changes in the weather.  Tony was getting drenched on the way to the car with his mom.  The water was dragging him down.  But somehow he was fighting it. He was never a fighter. But since he got beaten up and then rescued by Danit he decided to work out a little. He was still a little kid. But he was getting stronger.

He struggled.  Elise was running after him. He was toughing it out. He almost got sucked down into a sewer.  But he managed to jump away from it.  He was soaking wet. Elise was screaming for him. He heard his mom’s screams. But knew he had to keep running. He got toward the car and turned his head. Mom was only a few feet away. 

His clothes were soggy. His feet were full of water. Elise, who was just as drenched as her son helped him into the car. She pulled away.

Tony was shivering. But he was proud of his mad dash to the car. Elise was cruising down Amboy Road.  The weather was clearing up.  A truck smacked into Elise’s Maxima.  She and Tony bounced around a little. However, they were ok.

They got out of the car and were ready to call the police and input the trucker’s into the iPhone so they can call the insurance company. The truck driver was walking with a limp. It looked like he broke his foot. He came after the wielding an ax and screaming.  It turns out he has a bad safety record and this was his trial trip to see if he’d maintain his employment.

Elise threw her arms around Tony. But he broke free. He ran toward the trucker.  Elise screamed at him. Tony started waving his arms and kicking his feet up and down.  Elise was crying.

As the tears rolled out of her eyes, gusts of water shot out of Tony’s knees. The trucker was knocked 15 feet away. The ax flew out of his hands. Tony ran over to him and tied him up. 911 was dialed the police came and took the report about the accident. No one mentioned Tony’s heroics.

The trucker was handcuffed and carted off to a mental hospital for evaluation. They did a DWI test. He tested sober. The accident was likely due to weather. His ax wielding was likely because of his fears of getting canned. That was in the police report. But the man couldn’t speak a complete sentence and seemed clinically insane.

Murray and Danit were steps behind Tony.

RIP: Aquehongian Lodge # 112, June 1938-March 2013

I recently attended Aquehongian Lodge #112’s 75^th Anniversary Banquet. It was the final meeting for the Order of the Arrow Boy Scout lodge that I grew up in.  On April 1, the lodges in all five New York City boroughs will be merged into one.

The Order of the Arrow (OA) is an honor society for campers. In order to become a member, you need to be at the least a First Class Scout and meet several camping requirements.  Then you are selected from your peers.

Those who are voted in undertake an ordeal. In the old days, when I was selected, you slept on your ground cloth, were given a candle so you could read the pieces of the OA ritual. You ate little and worked the next day. Times have changed and thus, the ordeal changed with the times. 

I was an eighth-grader when I passed my June ’84 ordeal. I joined the ritual team that fall. That team is now called ICE (Inductions, Ceremonies and Events).  Again, times have changed.  I took my Brotherhood the next spring.  To obtain that honor you must have been an Ordeal member for 10 months, been on a committee, attended a few service projects and learned the OA’s obligation, handshake, song and admonition. 

As I moved along in my membership, I became ritual team chairman and used to write the OA Tap Outs for my Lodge. I called them “Tap-Mania”. I was copying “Wrestlemania”, something all of us 80s teens loved. 

In Sept. 87, I was elected Lodge Chief.  One of my best friends counted the votes.  The incumbent dropped out of the race minutes before the election. My opponent got two votes. I wasn’t supposed to know that. My buddy opened his mouth. I hope the kid I beat cast one of his two votes. I got like 50. The next year, I ran unopposed.

My dad was chief of the soon-to-be defunct Shu Shu Gah Lodge # 24, Brooklyn. I joined Scouting to emulate “my fadder,” that’s what a former Chappy camper, my summer camp called his dad. I think he still does.

While I was chief, I had to be publications chairman at the same time. I was somewhat of a dictator. But I loved my Lodge so much. I could not let anything go wrong. I was chief of our 50th Anniversary party.

In June 1988, I earned my Vigil Honor, the highest honor you can receive in the OA. In my mind, it is the highest honor in Scouting. I am Eagle. However, the Vigil is more spiritual. Those of you that know me understand how spiritual I am.

I was chief during the Ordeal weekend that I took my Vigil Induction on. Sadly, two Cub Scouts drowned during the afternoon. 

My friends and I were building the ordeal’s induction fires and went to the rededicated Berlin Lodge in Pouch Scout Camp to get lunch. The old one was torched about a year before my some kids.

 

The ritual team did not associate with anyone else. We were bound to each other. We formed a clique. We walked down the trail and saw a Cubmaster letting his Cubs swim in Orbach Lake, Pouch Scout Camp. No swimming was allowed at the time. We yelled at them and made them come out.

 

We ate and walked back. We saw the Cubmaster, who admitted he couldn’t swim was in the lake up to his knees screaming the names of two kids. I was wearing a bathing suit. I tossed off my shirt and sneakers. My other ritual team members did the same. We jumped into the lake and led the Lifesaving merit badge lost bathers drill. We pulled one kid out. The ambulance rushed him off to the hospital. Unfortunately, he didn’t survive.

 

We were told the other kid ran out of the lake. So we set up a massive search all day and night.

I did my Vigil induction that night. My dad came to the morning ceremony. He saw me get my Vigil sash, axe and name. “Alhaquot Aptonen” interpreted as “Stormy Speaker”. I was so proud. But he pulled me off to the side and said the FDNY pulled the other kid out of the lake. He drowned.

I made my best friends in my Lodge.  Many of the guys are now married with kids. Some are getting married. 

When I was chief, I gave out positions to be on my “Cabinet”. Man did I love playing politics.  I was not nice. I was only 17. So if you wanted a job and ate lunch with me in the Tottenville High School “liberry”, you got a job. Yes, I know it is library. But a teacher in I.S. 34, once said all my students think they are going to the “liberry”, not the library. So it stuck with me.

As ritual team member, I played many parts. We dressed up as Lenni Lenape, Delaware Indians. We wore war paint. I was Meteu, the medicine man of the circle in induction ceremonies. I was Allowat Sakima, mighty chief of the circle in the Brotherhood ceremony. The Vigil inductions remain secretive. I was in those too.

The kids that got their positions by hanging with me in the “Liberry” practiced and photo copied the rituals at lunchtime. We were a Tony-award winning team.  I was very dramatic. Once a helicopter was flying over our ritual site. I was doing the OA’s “Legend”. I stopped looked at it and raised my staff.  It circled and flew away. 

I can tell thousands of stories. My friends and I sometimes meet for a few beers and reminisce.

Jumping back to our final meeting.  They called up all the Vigil members to join the ceremony to call out the new candidates for this esteemed honor.

I’m happy to say that everyone was able to join us in the ceremony. Some of our older crowd had some trouble getting up there. But we made sure they were recognized.

The meeting ended all of us in a circle singing, “Firm Bound in Brotherhood,” the OA song. 

Our eyes were filled with tears.  I had an amazing time seeing people, I have not seen in over 20 years. I wish others were there.  Those that couldn’t make it because they had other plans live too far or are in the great lodge in the sky. We placed a sash on the fire for those brothers that were watching us from heaven. We walked out. Part of me died.

ELEM-Entry NY’s Sixth Community Dinner

March 6, 2013

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of coordinating ELEM-Entry NY’s Sixth Community Dinner in the glamorous Upper East Side home of ELEM-Youth in Distress in Israel board member Marilyn Butler. We were there to raise money to help rehabilitate teens lured into Israel’s ever growing teen prostitution population.

Marilyn, a most gracious host, arranged for a delicious meal, featuring salads, salmon, chicken and lots more. Yuval Sheer, ELEM-Entry co-chair emeritus, and his amazing one-year-old son, Leo (the evening’s real star), and I readied things for the intimate gathering.

Yuval asked me to speak about the “Awake at Night” (Erim Bayala) program. Everyone expressed interest in learning about the program and to gain an understanding of why it is so important to make donations.

I showed an alarming video prepared by ELEM-Entry NY, which highlighted a pimp who got caught for forcing teens into the sex trade. The video also showed the efforts Knesset was making in its endeavors in trying to crack down on teen prostitution.

I also talked about how the some of the youngest, more innocent children don’t even get to keep the money they are paid. Instead, they are forced to turn it over to their pimps.

Following our discussion, we were delighted by the musical talents of Israeli up and coming musicians Mika Hary, vocalist, and Dan Nadel, guitar. They played several wonderful songs and then took requests. Our guests, in unison, all asked for a Leonard Cohen song. Mika and Dan broke into an amazing version of “Hallelujah.” All of us joined in. It brought a smile to my face, feeling this unity in the cause to help Israeli kids in need.

It channeled me back to my memories of the “Meet a Star Under Starlight” event and 2011 ELEM Gala Dinner. It featured Israeli Idol winner Diana Golbi, who was rescued by ELEM during her teen years. “Hallelujah” was her encore performance at both events.

This was my fourth Community Dinner. I look forward to my fifth. But I really look forward to the day we can have an ELEM-Entry NY Dinner to celebrate how we eliminated the harsh problems of the children we help rescue in Israel.

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The Bleach Monster, Part V

February 26, 2013

Danny (aka, Blubber boy”) woke up. He had his whole grain English muffin and a small glass of Orange juice that he mixed with water. Today was a big day. He was going to run a little at the Forest Hills High School track and then go into the City to hang out.

Thanks to Murray his confidence was up. He had a few incidents where he had to use “powers”. Some kids were getting picked on and he had to save them. Murray trained him how to run away fast. This way no one would catch onto him.

Danny was wondering if Murray was trying to create his own version of the Avengers or the Jedi and Sith? Murray loved them all. But is more in touch with the Force.

Danny read his book about the Iron Horse, while sitting on the “R”-train. He loved the book. Unfortunately, he was having trouble focusing because the person sitting next to him smelled worse than a horse. Danny was not going to go after the smelly guy. Murray might have.

Murray was getting better. He was slowly going back to only rescuing people who were being harmed for no reason. Not for those that are gross or dumb. These misfits did bother people. However, in the greater scheme of things they really didn’t hurt anyone.
Murray was reading the Weekend Journal on the grass of the World Financial Center. Stacey was by his side tanning and flipping through the pages of a magazine. All was well. They shared sips from their water bottle and smiled.

The weather couldn’t have been better. They watched kids play soccer and heard the bounces of the ball from the basketball court behind them. It was almost time for them to get Sierra Nevadas and sip the precious pale ale by the water.

Danny got off at Fifth Avenue and walked into Central Park. He bit into the Granny Smith that he pulled out of his backpack. He hiked through the park.

Meanwhile, Danit and Audrey were in Bloomingdale Park running the through the sprinklers. They were sopping wet. They were having a grand time.

All of sudden Audrey got scared. Danit didn’t know why. But then she heard screams. She quickly moved her eyes and scanned the area. She saw nothing. She figured some kid must have fallen down and scraped his knee.

For the next minute, all was quiet. Kids started playing running to the slidin’ ponds and swings. All was good. Then screams started. Danit clutched Audrey to her side. Once again she scanned the park.

She heard the screams coming from the wooded path leading toward the baseball field. She saw Audrey’s friend, Jamie with her mom on the see-saw with Joan, her mom. Stacey ran over to them and asked if she could watch Audrey, while she went to the latrine.
Joan said no problem. The two of them have been friends for years. Danit walked toward the latrine. But she made a quick left toward the trail. She saw a bloody young boy lying the ground. He was breathing heavily. She heard laughter from behind the large trees.

She took some tissues of out her pocket and started to clean the poor kid up. As she was bent over a rubber ball came flying down from one of the trees and miss her head by inches. She turned around and saw three kids swinging off the branches with joints in their mouths. They couldn’t have been more than 13.

Danit screamed at them. They laughed at her. One threw a beer bottle at her and the kid she was helping. Danit screamed at them.
They started yelling from the trees.


“You see what we did to that dumb kid?”

Danit gave them a look that could kill.

“We are gonna have some fun with you. Then we will kill you. We know who you are, Danit. We will laugh when all your friends come to the funeral and the paper runs a picture of Audrey crying.”

Danit shook her head. “Get down from the trees you wimps. Show that you’re men and face me head on,” Danit screamed.
“Oh we will show you what men are,” they taunted as they jumped down from the trees. As they were airborne, Danit gave the kid a little kiss on the forehead and turned around. The kids just landed on the muddy trail and raced towards her. One of them hit her. She was playing it cool.

They grabbed her. They were laughing fiercely. The kid was scared. The three boys punched her one to many times. All of a sudden a sea of red shot out of her eyes. Wine was flowing nonstop. The kids were so happy. They thought she wanted to drink with them. The kids opened their mouths and started sucking it in.

Minutes later they were passed out on the ground. Danit picked up the kid and took him back to the play area. Joan was frantic. She was worried sick about Danit. She was in the latrine for much longer than should have.

She saw her carrying a bruised up little kid. Danit put him down and Joan raced to her car to get the first aid kit. They took care of the kid. Joan asked for his mom’s number. The kid cried and said my mom is at work and she left me at the park.

But he did give them the number. Danit texted his mom and explained what happened. No answer. Finally mom answered. She was in tears. She didn’t mean to leave him in the park. Her husband left her. Sad thing is the person he left her for was her manicurist. She said she hasn’t been the same since then. She needs to get grounded.

Danit and Joan stayed with the boy, whose name they learned is Tony. They bought him ice cream. He started playing with Audrey and Jamie. His mom came by and took him home. She thanked them for saving him and asked if she good buy them dinner one night.

Danit took Audrey home and wondered about Tony.

Bleach Monster, Part IV

February 18, 2013

Danny woke up with lots of energy. He had a healthy breakfast, some fruit, a glass of low fat milk and some whole grains. After Murray rescued him at the movie theater he was determined to stay in shape. He needed to rescue himself.

But today was special day. He had the note that Murray left him hidden under his bed since he got it. It was like his bible. He’d been reading Murray’s words since he ran out of theater.
The note said, “Meet me in three days at 161 Street. Do not show up at the new “Disney style” stadium. You must make your appearance on the hallowed grounds of the real “Stadium”. I will be waiting for you where right field used to be.”

Danny raced out of his Forest Hills Gardens abode and caught his trains to the South Bronx. He knew this would be good for him. How good he had no clue. His life was going to change forever. Danny had no idea how good it was gonna get.

Funny thing is he has no idea that Danny is the Bleach Monster and Danit is the “Wine Girl.” Funny most of Murray’s girlfriends are “whine girls”. Remember Danny was on the floor crying and bleeding when Murray and Danit unleashed their wrath on his tormentors.

Danny hopped off the 4-Line. He glanced at the new Stadium. He walked over to the spot, Paul O’Neill used to man in the good ‘ole days. He was so excited. He was short of breath from all of his running around.

Murray snuck up behind him and put his hand on Danny’s left shoulder. Danny jumped back in fear.
“That’s what I thought,” echoed Murray. We need to wack the fear out of you. Don’t worry. That’s my job.
“How?” inquired, Danny.

“Just leave that to me.”

The two guys talked and walked around this holy site. Both were dressed in N.Y. Yankees apparel from head to toe. Murray sleeps in Yankees pajamas.
Murray bought Danny a bottle of water.

“Ok, Danny, I know you want to lose weight and get your butt into shape. We need you to be healthy.”
Danny smiled. He felt like Murray was the big brother he never had. He finally had someone other than his mommy and daddy to take him under their wing.
Murray told him to forget about what the doctor and nutritionist said. He said you are now my project. I will train you. Danny was happy. However, he was nervous.
One of the crazies that hung around this sacred site came up to them. At first Murray ignored him. The guy got a little antsy and was starting yelling at them. Murray told Danny to start walking.

The nut job spit at them. They kept walking. The guy threw and empty soda bottle and hit Danny in the back.
“Be calm,” Murray yelled to Danny. The poor kid just stood there lifelessly. Murray looked at the deranged man and said hit me.
The guy ran toward Murray with his hands clenched into fists. Danny got so scared he shut his eyes. The guy threw a punch at Murray. Of course he missed. But Murray countered with gallons of bleach. He drenched the loony. The guy hit the floor. He was breathing. So Murray figured that was a good sign. He probably learned his lesson. He likely needed a hospital. Murray pulled out his iPhone and dialed 911 and reported a grungy guy who passed out near the Stadium. An ambulance was on the way.

Murray grabbed Danny and said it is time to walk. They hiked over toward the row of stores that were at one time directly across the street from the House that Ruth Built.
Danny told Murray his favorite food was pizza with olives and sun dried tomatoes. Murray said “WTF. Let’s get a small pie. But remember if we were at a ballgame and we will be at many, you will only eat the things, I allow you to. I have a very strict ritual at when I go to ballgames. Consider it part of my Yankee Commandments.”


“Why do you like me?”

“I saw you in pain at the theater. I help people. I don’t want your problems to continue. We’ve all been in scary situations. Yours will soon end. I just need to figure out what powers you have.”

“I have no powers. I’m just a chubby high school kid who gets picked on. I try to lose weight. But I cannot keep it off.”
Murray smiled and took a bite of his slice.

“Maybe you don’t need to keep it off. I mean we will have you lose the weight. But maybe you need to gain it back once in a while.”
Murray’s eyes were glowing. Danny was perplexed.

Tomorrow you will run a few laps on the Forest Hills High School track. You will eat healthy for the next four weeks. I will be checking on you each Sunday. I will text you the meeting location about two hours before.

The next month went by. Danny was getting slimmer and stronger. Murray was often watching him run. Danny had no clue he was being watched. Murray saw the poor kid’s blubber bouncing up and down as he jogged. Each footstep made him stronger. The fat was wearing off.

It was like just falling right off him.

Murray wondered if he could use his falling fat to his advantage.
It was just rolling off the kid.

They had their Sunday meetings. Everyone was happy. Danny’s grades, which we always good had become even better. Murray wanted to add this kid to his army. Danit still had no idea Murray knew of her powers. One day he’d confront her. But for now he wanted her to think she was keeping a big secret.
Danny’s mom was so proud of her son. She saw how hard he was trying to be healthy. She had no idea about his mentor. She took him to the Gap to buy a few new pairs of jeans, khakis and some smaller piques, t-shirts and sweaters. Everyone was happy. She was completely healed from her gardening accident.

As they were walking down Austin Street toward Continental Ave. The kids that were bleached in theater were hanging in front of McDonald’s. They never bothered him. No one did. The girl who attacked him in the theater asked if she could take him to the movies. He told her no. This was a first for her. No one ever turned down a date with her.
Danny was becoming a man. He knew this girl was superficial. If he got fat again and he would the girl would dump him.

He didn’t know of Murray’s plan. But Murray had to run some tests to see if it’d work. The tests would occur in a few weeks if all went to schedule.

The girl ran to the obnoxious kids with her head down. She said go after him. The kids didn’t want to. But she told them if they wanted to be her friend they had to attack him again.
They got nervous. But followed orders. These mindless boys thought with only one thing. They started taunting Danny. His mom told him to walk faster. He did and was doing well. Murray and Stacey were walking out of Banana Republic. He just spent a boatload of money on his princess.

Murray saw what was going on. He knew Danny wasn’t ready for this. He needed to work out some more. His mom tried to make him walk faster. But he held his ground and yelled back at the kids.
“You can’t beat me this time. Hey, you didn’t even beat me in the theater several weeks ago. You may have knocked me down. But as I remember it was you and the dumb bitches that you were with that got your you know what’s kicked. I am stronger than all of you now.”

The kids charged him. He lost his breath. They knocked him and his mom down.
“No one messes with my mom,” he bellowed.

Within seconds globs of fat start rolling off him. These globs got rock solid. But had a bounce. They smacked right into all the nasty kids and knocked them down like dominoes.
Danit was on the corner. She saw all of this. She knew Murray had been working with troubled teens. She was now wondering if this was his “work”. She knew it had to be. But waited patiently. She saw the “cool girls” and their boyfriends rolling toward Forest Gardens in pain. The girl Danny turned down got up and tried to lunge herself at him. He was caught off guard, as he was wiping his mom’s face.

He couldn’t let her get hurt again. None of the good people would get hurt as this girl ran toward Danny, Danit shot her between the eyes with wine.
Murray watched all this from about ten feet away. He was so happy. Stacey was oblivious to it all. She was too busy staring into the bags of clothes she just got. She was already begging him to put this stuff away in his apartment and to take her to Bloomingdales.

We all know Murray is sap. Of course he told Stacey he would do whatever she wants. That was something one his new superheroes would have to work on with him.
Danny got up from mom and saw Murray by his side. “I see you got into a fight.”
“Are you mad at me?”

“No. You had to defend yourself and mom. Did you know that globs of your fat spun off you? They took out the kids who were going to beat you.”
“I know. Was this your plan?”

Murray smiled and broke into a laugh.

He explained to him that it was. He did say it was very early to tell if his powers would work. He also said that he would have to keep working out. But every so often he had to put on some weight.

When it was time for that Murray would text him when they would meet at the pizzeria by the Stadium.
They shook hands and everyone went their separate ways.

Danit saw Murray and Danny chatting. She was onto them. Or was she?

He is Smarter than All of Us

February 12, 2013

Separately, Al, Vinny, Fred and Steve walked into the bagel store. This was their usual morning breakfast meeting place. Al was always there as Joey, the bagel was unlocking the door. Neither one of them slept much. The four men sat at their usual table. They never bothered going up to the register to order their meal. Joey knew what they all wanted. He brought out the usual. He made small talk with them and the other early morning risers.

Their discussion was the same every day, sports, a little politics and then they made fun of each other. They always knew George would stroll in about 15-20 minutes after they arrived. Poor thing, no one could stand him. He always sat alone. But in his mind he was the reason the world rotated on its axis.

The four guys always abused him. In private and they happen to speak very loudly in the deli. He had to know they were making fun of him. Bear in mind all of the guys with the exception of Fred were in their 50s. Fred was around 35. They were an interesting crew. All disenfranchised with the world. Some had jobs, some were retired. Some had money. Some were poor. The poor ones mismanaged their money.

But the other people often took care of them. They are loud and goofy. But have warm hearts and do a lot for many.
George strolled in. As usual he looked like a dirt bag. They all said hello. Naturally he ignored them. You see everyone tried to be nice to George. But he shooed everyone away like they were garbage. In some ways it worked. They really didn’t want to share a table with him. His odor is repulsive.

George went up to Joey and ordered his sausage, eggs, juice and coffee with extra milk. He placed his paper and books on the table and dug in. He started to read. The merry band of misfits started talking much louder. Of course, much of their conversation was in jest of George.

Fred finally wised up and said, “You know guys. We should stop being so abusive. Look at us. Some of us are married. Some of us are not. Some of us have money. The rest spent it like fools and now grub. But we put everyone else down”.
The guys took heed to what Fred was saying. They nodded their heads in agreement, while they sipped their coffee and ate their bagels. They started laughing. No one was sure why.

Fred continued, “You know, George is smarter than us. Yes, he is dirty. His social manners are for the birds. But he seems comfortable with who he is. Are we?”

Silence fell upon the boys.

“He must know we make fun of him. Let’s face it we laugh at him. We do it in front of his face. He’s not the sharpest. But he isn’t dumb. We all have problems. I’m sure he does, too. Other than his hygiene. Maybe his shooing us away and not acknowledging us is his way of dealing with them. Or maybe he is just stronger than us”.

The boys got up and walked home or to down to the subway platform. George sat and ate his meal with a smile on his face.

Bleach Monster Part 3

February 10, 2013

Danit was sitting at the kitchen table watching her daughter, Audrey. Her husband, Robbie went out to get a pizza and pick up some items from the grocery store.
Danit was in a good mood. But still contemplating what she was going to do about Murray. She knows he’s a good soul. But she was still worried after he slew his “girlfriend” Becky with bleach.

Murray had been quiet lately. He had a few bleach attacks on people. He saved an old lady getting robbed in a bank’s parking lot. He didn’t kill her attacker. He took the thug out with two sprays of bleach. He saved a cute teen girl from her drugged out boyfriend. He didn’t kill him. Chances of him ever getting what he thought he was getting from his girlfriend with any other girl were reduced to zero.

He did go after the superficial people. These people were not harming anyone physically. They were just stupid. But this was on his own “time”. His new “hobby” was more self-righteous. That was in his mind.

Robbie strolled in with the pizza. Danit got the plates out and water out. She cut a piece in half for Audrey. For some reason she wanted wine. She never drank. Even weirder she wanted red. On the rare occasion she had a glass of wine she would usually have chardonnay.
Robbie opened a nice bottle of Hagefen Cabernet-Franc. She started sipping more than usual. She was getting tipsy. Robbie put Audrey in her room. Danit was talking really fast and she fell down. Robbie picked her up and placed on her on the couch. Billy Joel was playing in the background.

Danit’s speech was slurred. Her eyes were bloodshot. She was saying strange things. As you can tell, she was not a drinker. She tried to speak. As she opened her mouth wine spewed out. It wasn’t that she was spitting it out. She was shooting it out the way Murray shot bleach.

She passed out for about an hour or so. Robbie watched her sleep. She seemed fine. He figured, she needed her rest and all would be well. He had no idea about Murray and his skills. No one but Danit knew the true identity of the bleach monster.

As she slept, she dreamed about using her newfound powers to take on Murray. Wine vs. bleach. That could be very interesting. But would she remember her dreams?
When she woke up, Robbie asked if she felt ok? She said, she was fine and would stick to white wine. She figured the tannins in the red made her sick.
The next morning she went to work. Everything was fine in the newsroom. Then one of the usual local crazies called with a story about a sewer leakage in a park. She hopped in her car and drove out to meet the maintenance staff. She shot a few pictures.

The nut job was in all his glory telling how he he first smelled an awful aroma near the beach and saw that the pipes near the dock had exploded. Danit smiled and walked back to her car. The local followed her.

He tapped her on the shoulder. She asked what he wanted. He wanted them to do a feature on all his work in the neighborhood to keep things safe. She said they’d think about it.
He got edgy and said how they have to do it. She just smiled and unlocked her car door. He pulled out a knife and ran toward her. She started to scream. The lunatic was aghast. He jumped back during her blood curdling screams. He thought he really stabbed her. He didn’t want to hurt her. He was off his meds and was acting crazy. His face was red.
He thought her blood was all over him. But he didn’t smell blood. He smelled grapes. Her screams propelled wine out of her entire body. The crazy guy was now drunk. The wine went right into his bloodstream.

Danit was horrified. She wondered what happened to her. She immediately dialed Murray. She thought she has his “disease”. Thankfully he failed to pick up. As she listened to his voicemail, she understood she might now have a weapon to take him out. Of course, she’d only take him out was he was in his crazy mode. She would probably help him when he was saving little kids and the elderly.

Over the next few weeks, she avoided Murray. He was fairly calm. He was dating a new crazy girl, Stacey. She was one of his typical types crazy or a princess. Some were a mix of both. Of course, Stacey is on meds.

Danit was shy about using her power. She never told anyone. Robbie had no idea. No stories were ever written about her antics. A few were submitted. However, Danit used her editorial powers to delete them and destroy all evidence ever reported to the media.

She wrote a few stories about bullying and was determined to take out any of the idiots that bullied.

On a rainy Sunday afternoon Danny, a sweet but heavy fourteen-year-old boy was at the movies with his friend, Matt. Danny has been bullied a lot because he’s the fat kid. He was way too heavy for his own health. His mom was in decent shaped. His dad was not.

Sadly, this kid always picked last for any sports team, the school plays, etc. He had good grades. He dressed ok. It was tough for his mom to find nice clothes for him. The European clothes that he so adored were all cut too small.

He went to a few doctors. They gave him diet and training plans. His mom, who loved him more than any thing took him a trainer. He started to lose some weight. He was feeling better about himself. He was still not playing baseball like Jeter or landing the starring role like Brad Pitt. But he was stronger physically and mentally. For a little while no one made fun of him. He was feeling more confident than he ever did. A few girls even started talking to him and complemented him on his new looks.
Unfortunately his mom got hurt, while working on the family garden. She was getting better. But she spent a lot of time in physical therapy. She spent as much time as she could with him. But she had to slow down a little.

He got depressed and started eating more again. He quickly gained back the weight he lost.

Danny waltzed up to the candy counter at the theater. Danit was there with Audrey. She was buying her popcorn and a soda. This was Audrey’s first Disney movie. In fact, it was her first movie ever. Murray and Stacey were there waiting for Angelina’s new movie. The two of them were in phenomenal shape. They worked out 24/7.
Danny bought too much candy. Matt told him not to. But he was in one of his moods. As Danny was walking away candy in hand, some of the older kids from his school saw him. Some of their older siblings were there too. They started taunting him.

They yelled out all types of fat jokes. They ran up to him and started punching him in the stomach. They said they were tying to see if they would bounce off him. Matt was scared to defend Danny. There were to many aggressors. He’d get his ass kicked. The movie theater staff was oblivious to what was going on.
Other theatergoers tried to get the older kids to stop. But they spit on them. Danny was hysterical crying. They beat up Matt for being the fat kid’s friend. The girls who were friendly with Danny when he was in better shape laughed at him.

He was curled up into a ball. The kids just wouldn’t leave him alone. They opened all the candy he bought and spilled it all over him. One of the cuter girls, who he thought was his friend picked up some of the candy. She bent down and opened his crying mouth and shoved it down his throat. She started laughing hysterically.
All of them laughed. Danny was a bloody mess. Tears and blood were all over his face.

Murray stepped out the Men’s room and saw this disaster. Danit noticed Murray and Stacey. She ran over with Audrey. She left Audrey with Stacey. That made her nervous. But Stacey despite her wackiness would never hurt anyone. She had many superficial tendencies. But was not as mean as Becky had been.

Remember Murray is short. But super strong. All the kids who were still beating Danny are tall. They are all athletic and much younger than Murray.
He waked over to Danny. He had some wet napkins and started to wash his face. He told him to stop crying and everything would be ok. Danny tried to smile. But he was so scared. He had no idea why Murray would help him.

The kids saw Danny being helped. They yelled stuff at him. They shot out a lot of short jokes. Murray stood up and laughed. One of them punched him. He took it. The kid’s hand hurt. Murray’s abdomen was rock solid. Two more kids came at Murray. He just stood there.

He started laughing at them. They taunted him for laughing. As the taunts flew, Murray laughed harder. Danny started smiling. He was still in much pain. The kids tried to tackle Murray.
As they ran toward him, bleach started to shoot out like missiles. The kids were drenched in it. Many fell down. They started choking. One started to cry. Danny started to laugh. The girl who beat up Danny started running toward her once cool now bleached friends.

Problem was she ran right into Danit. She tried to push her down. Danit stood strong. The girl’s friends cornered her. Within seconds the girls’ ears popped as Danit started to scream. Wine shot out of her ears and mouth. The girls who loved to have a glass or wine to. Not they were old enough. However, they opened their mouths thinking this was paradise. Little did they know the proof of wine Danit’s weapon shot out was way higher than what’s found in any wine.
The girls passed out. Murray finished off the other obnoxious kids.

Matt came running out of the corner he’d been hiding in. He was feeling better. His main regret was he forgot his iPhone and couldn’t record this for YouTube.
Murray picked up Danny. He handed him a note and ran into the Jolie flick with Stacey. Danit and Audrey were happily seated in their theater.

Danny and Matt ran out of the movie theater and jumped on the “F” train to go home. Danny read the note. It said meet in three days and at this location…