21.

  “Put it here, I want this to be the epicenter,” Brain said as Liam and Darren hauled a keg filled with miller high life to pitcher’s mound of Denero’s community park baseball field. “I want tables with ice chests holding bottles of beer on every base, put all the spirits on the table at home plate, I want the array of liquors to be the first thing people see once they enter,” he said as he surveyed the field.

  “Are you sure we’re allowed to be here man, this is a public park, are you sure the cops won’t come?” Liam asked as he and Darren sat the keg on the mound.

  Brain looked to his shortstop and smiled, “Ranger Drew is a big fan of Mallard Baseball, he wore our colors himself in his youth, I’ve cleared everything with him, told him it was a pep rally and he was more than accommodating to our little gathering,” he said, smiling.

  It was the Friday before the state championship, the Friday before Brian’s christening as the greatest baseball captain Reagan high had ever seen. This would be a night to remember. Brian and prided himself on throwing the best parties the Reagan high student’s lucky enough to attend could ever imagine.

  Darren and Liam went to the dugout, and each picked up a folding table, graciously provided by Ranger Drew, and carried them to first and third base respectively. As they set them up, Brian walked to his truck and pulled two cases of Michelob Ultra out of his bed and carried them to first base. He placed a case of beer on the table as Liam grabbed a bag of ice and started to fill a steel basin with it.

  As Liam started digging the beers into the ice in preparation for the party, he looked up at his captain, “Cheerleaders are coming right?” Liam asked.

  “Oh yes, my friend, the cheerleaders will be here, and I convinced them to show up showing their school spirit,” Brian smiled.

  “What do you mean,” Liam asked as he continued to put the beers in the ice.

  “They will all be dressed in school colors, namely, their uniforms,” Brian smiled.

  “No fucking way! You are the king Brian,” the sycophant said.

  “God damn right,” Brain said as he picked up the other case and made his way to Darren on third.

  “Is Sindy coming?” Darren asked as Brian put the case on the table.

  “I knew you would ask that, I always said you would be better at softball,” Brain said, grinning at his joke.

  “Hey, when the bases are loaded how can you pass up a chance at a grand slam,” Darren said, “Especially a grand slam with legs that go on for miles, what about Tiffany? You finally going to seal the deal with her tonight?” he asked.

  “She can’t make it, I texted her once, and you never text a girl like Tiffany twice in a row,” Brian said, “It’ll happen though, all things in time,” Brain said as he patted Darren’s shoulder.

  “We got plenty of beer, and enough liquor to put Ireland under the table. What about, you know, other stuff?” Darren asked.

  “You mean green? I got some bongs set up in the visitor’s dugout, Liam was able to get a bit, and hopefully, other people will bring some, but,” Brain looked away.

  “It’s gotten a lot more expensive,” Darren said.

  “Yeah, it has, people are so protective of their weed now, makes you think that something is going on,” Brian said.

  “I heard this rumor,” Darren looked away from his captain for a second, then turned back to him and leaned in, “I’ve heard that there’s some agreement all the dealers made, to all increase the price together.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  “I’ve heard that too,” Brian said, “I’ve been keeping an eye on the situation, putting two and two together and what not,” Brain walked over to the dugout as his basemen followed him. He grabbed an old bat from it and some balls, carrying them to home plate. He put two balls on the ground and held the other in his hand.

  “I know who is to blame for this mild inconvenience,” Brain threw the ball into the air and quickly grabbed the bat, bringing it back and smacking the ball into the outfield, “A degenerate, Ne’er do well who thinks himself hot shit named Johnny Vincent,” Brian picked up another ball and again slammed it deep into the outfield.

  “What are we going to do about him?” Darren asked.

  “Arrange a meeting with young Mr. Vincent,” Brian said as he picked up the third ball, “Tell him I want to make him an offer he can’t refuse,” Brian smiled as he threw the ball in the air and swung his bat, connecting and sending another ball flying over the fences.

  ***

  Johnny Vincent was promised a big deal when he went to meet Brian at the Coffee Jamboree. Johnny got a small black, and as he was handed his drink, he saw Brain sitting a booth at the back of the cafe’. Johnny walked over to Brian and sat in the booth across from him.

  “What’s up, Brian?” Johnny asked, “Heard you’re looking for some stuff,” he said.

  “I am, and the word is that you have the best stuff,” Brain said, giving his golden boy smile.

  “Well I don’t want to brag, but yeah, I do have the best stuff,” Johnny smiled.

  “Word also is, you have all the stuff,” Brain said.

  Johnny soured at that, “Do you want stuff or not?” he asked, straight-faced.

  “I do, but I want it at a fair price, a price that no one can seem to find anymore. Now, would you happen to know why I can’t seem to find a fair price anymore?” Brain asked.

  Johnny took a deep breath, “Prop 4-20 man, it’s been difficult for all of us,” Johnny said.

  “No, it hasn’t,” Brian said, “In fact, I think it’s been easier, and these rumors about the fallout of Prop 4-20 failing have been overstated and, frankly, misused by a collective of dealers for their advantage. I know you have plenty of pot Johnny,” Brian said before taking a sip of his black coffee.

  “You don’t know what I have,” Johnny said.

  “Maybe I don’t, but I bet the cops will find out when they search your house after an anonymous phone call tipping them off to a huge cache of a schedule one substance hidden in the suburbs of Denero county. That would make quite the news story, wouldn’t it?”

  “You realize doing that would fuck the entire school out of a good time. If as much people as you think know about my little club find out that you’re the one who disrupted it, they’re not going to be happy with you,” Johnny said.

  Brian laughed, “Are you serious, this is high school, I’m going to Stamford next year, I don’t give a shit what happens here, you, however, you 2.9 GPA scum bag, I bet high school is much more important to you, and I bet that you really don’t want to be arrested.”

  Johnny was on the defensive now, “Number one, my GPA is solidly above 3.0, number 2, I don’t have a number 2, I don’t want to go to jail, how can we work this out?” Johnny asked.

  “Simple, you give me all the weed I need, at cost, and in return, you’ll be fine,” Brain said.

  “This is what it comes too, I start charging you and your buddies on the team ten extra dollars, and you instantly jump too, oh let’s ruin someone’s life,” Johnny said.

  “There’s a lot of people who wish they had the balls to do what I’m willing to do. I’m a champion of the student body. I’m a fucking hero,” Brian said.

  “Okay, I will provide you and all your little minions the stuff you need at market price. You’ll pay no worse rate than you did before my little business plan, but if you ever cross me, I can crush you,” Johnny said.

  “You can’t touch me,” Brian said.

  “Question one, do you know how many dealers are in our school? Question two, do you know how easy it would be for me to sic them on you? If I go down, they all lose their supply, and they will make sure that everyone knows its Baseball Brian’s fault that no one can get any weed. People are going to be pissed. Girls are going to be pissed. And let me throw my own hypothetical at you. Say the cops get another tip. I’m sure they’ll be chomping at the bit for one after if they find this alleged cache you think you know about. You know those little slits in all the lockers, the ones that were put there because your 1970’s counterparts would shove skinny kids into them. It would be very easy for a coordinated attack of people to slip said controlled substance into them, the team gets raided, you might not go to jail, but the team will be done, bye-bye athletic scholarship. You hit me, then I’ll hit you, and when I hit you, you’re going to fall. Two can play your game, Brian, I’m offering you a fair deal. Let’s not go to war,” Johnny said.

  “I feel like America right now,” Brian said, “This tiny little drug dealing country thinks it can take me, even though it has no chance, but,” Brian smiled, “It would just be easier to work with you, I think we can make a deal,” he said reaching his hand out, “Truce?” he said.

  “Yes, we have a deal,” Johnny said, reaching out to take Brian’s hand, giving it a firm handshake.