Harold Jones, Harold Jones is a washed up Vietnam War Vet who lives in a small, rotten, old, 4 dollar room in apartment block 223 on Arnold Street in Queens, New York. The apartment block is an old 1900 brick house and a old cracked wood door. The door was hacked up by the wife of the landlord Jackie Lee. Harold moved in to this washed up apartment after he returned home from Vietnam in 1975. He severed in the Special Forces and was mainly sent on find and kill missions. He has been alone all his life, his parents disowned him and beat him, that’s why he joined the military so someone would at least say his name. He now drives a taxi most of the time he’s awake. He drives anywhere and everywhere listing to music in his old broken taxi. Harold grabs his jacket and makes his way out the door. After quickly throwing in his jacket he runs down the ancient creaking stairs past the whole second floor and sprints out the door and into his old taxi
“Why, why did you break down today…” Harold says as his car won’t
start.
“Wait… did it start, oh finally.” Harold drives off and starts his same routine, driving and listening to music. Harold pull over near an old Italian restaurant, and sees two men waving him, standing by the cracked curb. One was tall and one was slightly shorter, the taller one has blond hair and blue eyes with a dark green and yellow shirt and blazers while the shorter one is just wearing a normal tuxedo.
“You boys need a ride yeah?” Harold shouts.
“Yes, can you get us to York Collage please?”
“Yeah, hop in”
The Collage students jump into the torn leather seats in the back.
“So you guys are in collage, what are you guys majoring in.”
“I am majoring in Biology and My friend, Dewey is majoring in Political Science.”
“Alright”
“So what you major in” The tall one says with a smirk.
“I was never smart enough to make it in to Collage.”
“Obviously by the state of this car.” He whisperers to his friend still with that ugly smirk. Harold screeches on the brakes
“What was that?”
“Oh, nothing” James says in a rich snooty tone.
“What’s your name kid.”
“Lewis Smith”
“Well Lewis Smith, I may not be smart but I know seven ways to take out your intestates, hang you by the neck on your mother’s fucking front porch, take your head off and hide it in my trunk and they won’t even begin where to look for it, same goes for you. That’ll be $12.50.” Harold says in a frightful tone with a smirk.
Dewey and Lewis quickly hand him the money and rush off into the collage not looking back once. They were like Gazelles running through the savanna tundra as the lion chases them.
“You forgot to tip you rich fucks!” Harold says in furious anger.
Harold has been tormented all his life about not being smart, he usually kept his cool as his staff sergeant told him to. But this time he snapped, first time he has ever.
“Hey taxi, guy wait” A woman’s voice comes from out of the collage. The woman runs out in a denim jacket, black shirt, and blue jeans with red hair in a bun.
“Yes, miss” Harold says in a nice tone.
“Could you get me to Al’s Theatre?”
“Yeah, yeah sure get in.”
The woman gets in and closes the old door behind her, something crunches as she closes it.
“Oh shit i’m sorry, I don’t know what I broke.”
“Oh, it’s alright the only thing that matters in this shitty car is the stuff up here.” Harold says as he points in the glove compartment.
“Ok, I won’t mess with it”
“Alright, so what are you majoring in”
“Well, I’m working on a bachelors in mechanical engineering, I probably got one and half years of collage left.”
“How old are you?”
‘I’m 19”
“Wow, you must be really smart kid.”
“Oh thanks, come on you got to be smart, what you major in.”
“Well I never made it in to collage but I joined the military and went into the special forces, so I guess you can say I have a PHD in killing.”
“Oh well, i’m sorry.”
“Oh no it’s good, what’s your name kid?”
“Beverley Walsh.”
“Well Beverly Walsh what movie are you going to see?”
“I’m probably gonna go see Halloween, then go get a reuben from the Jewish Deli next store, and then go home.”
“Nice plan, well this is it.”
“Thank you how much do I owe you?”
“Ah, you don’t owe me anything, your the first nice person that’s talk to me in… 10 years.”
“Well thank you… hey did you want to see it with, not like a date or anything but I heard it’s very scary or very boring depending on the type of person you are, and it’s probably going to be very boring.” Beverley asks.
“Sure, sure all go” Harold says as he jumps out of the car. Harold holds the door for Beverley as she walks in. They enter the lobby of the movie theater. It’s a fairly new building compared to Harold’s apartment block. It has red carpet and fine leather seats. Beverley walks up to the snack bar where a middle aged man is working.
“Hi, ah could I get a bag of popcorn and 2 sodas, one cherry coke… and ah what did you want?”
“I’ll pay and a cherry coke.” Harold says in a swaggering tone.
“No, no you didn’t let me pay the tax fare so i’m paying.” Beverley says
“No, I am, ok that will be two cherry cokes and a bag of popcorn.”
“Ok, that will be $9.50 sir.” The man says charmingly
“What, when did movie food become so expensive?” Harold says in disbelief
“Do you want me to pay for it?” Beverly asks in a I told you so
“No, no I got it… 9.50 Jesus Christ” Harold quickly says as he hands the man most of his cash.
They both walk into the theater and sit down Harold still somehow in disbelief of how expensive movie snacks. The previews begin to roll as a man in a dark leather jacket sits next to Harold and Beverly.
“Beverley…” The man in the jacket asks
“What is it Frank.” Beverley asks in disgust.
“I told you half your pay if you don’t want your legs broken, you hear me.” Frank says angrily. Beverley reluctantly hands him $200.
“Now I want you to remember this, don’t screw up.” Frank says as he gets up
“Hey, hey you, yeah i’m talking to you.” Harold yells at Frank
“What do you want,” Frank asks in a frightening way.
“Harold…” Beverley says as he tries to stop Harold
“No, you handed him 2 Cs for what, you don’t deserve this, give me the money Frank or your gonna be looking for your teeth four blocks from here.”
Frank socks Harold in the face. Harold comes crashing to the ground but is able to hook Frank’s leg as he is now on the ground.
“Harold stop, please!” Beverley yells as he tries to pull Harold off while he is completely trashing Frank. Eventually he stops and gets up Frank does the same but with a messed up face. Frank walks out the door and hurries into his car.
“That’s right, run coward, theirs more where that came from!” Harold yells.
“Excuse me sir, i’ll have to ask you to leave if you don’t sit down.” The old owner of the store says defiantly.
“Alright Al, i’m sitting down, i’m sitting down.” Harold says as he sits down.
“Thanks, I guess, you really took that guy apart.” Beverley says in half amazement.
“Well, yeah PHD in killing remember.”
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