Words Of Exhortation

[Clears throat]

"I would love to hear now, boy. What have you to tell me."

Mr. Fred said, reinstating Ryker's attention to the table.

Composing himself,

"Yeah… Okay,

So... First you should know it was a very dramatic day, yesterday,"

He said with a big smile he would not have dared to attempt on a day like yesterday.

"I was at the police station but my intention, actually, was to come to see you particularly and explain myself."

He continued.

"As I stepped into the lobby, Mr. Herbert saw me first, but I think he's got the wrong idea,

I thought he was just being a police officer but yesterday… I… I discovered the line between strictness and hatred!

Guess Mister just hated me with passion, after some period of a confrontational altercation with Detective Herbert.

Sergeant Oswald discoursed that, 'it is imperative to report to any police officer, to discuss any dishonest activity I find disturbing, and most especially if it is collectively detrimental.'"

Mr. Fred cut in, nodding rigorously.

"Yeah, I got you on that.

I sat in awe listening to the compelling confrontation you had with Detective Herbert earlier today.

It was really intriguing, I..."

He raised his index finger,

"Pardon!" He said promptly. Ryker nodded and rested his back as Mr. Fred struggled to get the phone from of his pocket.

"Hey, honey... Um-um.

…Yeah, Oh!"

"Tomorrow?

Hmmm, but you know I can't, moreover I will be --"

Ryker becoming blase about the incomplete and vague conversations Mr. Fred was having on the phone, he diverted his focus from those series of exclamation and brief silence-intervening replies to take in the happenings around him once more.

But as he looked over his shoulder to the right, he saw the waitress approaching their seat. He stole a look at her straight face and stare right ahead in front of him, but something in him rebel when she finally reached their table.

He looked up into her eyes as her slender fingers placed the drink before him. His gaze locked with hers for a few moments, and she gave him a strange wink. Despite the unusual gesture, he remained unflustered.

But Ryker nodded in reciprocation.

"Heard ya! Will be home in about half an hour, anyway."

And with that, he ended the call.

Ryker grabbed his lemonade and took a long sip as she left their table. His gaze lingered on her for a few seconds, then he brought his attention back to the tea-brown liquor in front of Mr. Fred. He peered at it momentarily, taking in its color and scent, before turning his gaze to the man himself."

"You should continue, Ryker." He said, grabbing his drink.

"So, I'd reckon you know Jude already?"

Mr. Fred nodded with a straight face and crossed his legs.

"We were friends I suppose, but he is not one to respect lines, for some reasons peculiar to him,

He was bent on pulling me into his crime schemes. Many times I have objected, but he at last tested my temperance to its fullest extent.

Then, I couldn't help but figure out a way to extricate myself.

At first I was thinking of maybe picking up a fight with him and... But when I learned about the new development; all of them owned a gun and were threatening me with it.

I considered, perhaps I should just run away but something in me militate against the idea, and I kept pondering, how on earth can I take on an armed gang, but then I realized,

If anything, I would need help too, more like gathering a gang of mine, but,

That is nothing feasible, as the condition they gave me is a time bomb that could be irreversibly fatal if not addressed in a timely manner.

So I concluded,

I'll have to bring a sword to a sword fight.

And the only accessible allies seem to be the police. They readily possessed these weapons and enough men I needed."

Ryker shifted in his seat, elevated his right hand to support the skin dividing his nostrils with his thumb, and scraped his index finger across the tip of his nose as he continued with his narrative.

"And for the fact that it has become a regular occurrence for cops to stop and question me because of their disbelief in my appearance.

I deduced you're the only one I could communicate my plights to without unnecessary dramas cropping up."

Mr. Fred's eyebrows flared up and gestured something.

[Sips liquor, clears throat].

"You see, I'll give you the credits for having an incredible mind and determination, but have you ever acknowledged the possibility of being wrong sometimes?"

He looked at him quizzically, tilting his head and raising his eyebrows in a questioning manner.

"Well, I can't say for certain." Ryker replied,

"But if I had to guess, I'd say that I don't think I'm wrong.

I always try to maintain my composure, but some annoyingly skilled provocateurs can get under my skin and cause me to lose my temper."

He answered.

"Good. In all honesty, you've said the truth."

"You don't know! Isn't it?"

"Is this man testing my intelligence now?" He wondered.

"I just explained--"

"Yes, you can't say for certain.

What you said at first, to be very candid with you, is the only honest answer I could find in your response."

He discontinued his musing and continued,

"Well, I must say, those are just unworthy excuses. I'm not going to deceive you; I'm glad you didn't succumb to those young criminals,

The weed of crime bears bitter fruit.

But have you considered the word 'decorum'?

As a matter of fact, you can ramble on about your composure until tomorrow for all I care, but it is incomplete without decorum, my boy.

If you'd like to know, I agree with your point of maintaining composure, but not entirely.

For a socially successful life, Ryker, integrate both of these traits, and see for yourself how much sweeter your neighborhood becomes for you."

Mr. Fred stared blankly at Ryker for a second, cleared his throat, and continued.

"Ryker, I know you well. You're not the ill-bred, chaotic boy everyone thinks you are, even though your lack of etiquette pretty much puzzles me.

I just chalk it up for some obvious reasons. But it is time for you to move past it.

I knew your father well. In case you need a reminder, he was my best friend, and I was his.

We shared some common interests, and you were one of them.

To be clear, I try to do what I know he would have wanted me to, and the same applies to you if you truly love your father.

You should think about things you can do to make him proud if he were still alive."

He uncrossed his legs to adjust in his seat and leaned forward.

"You'd reckon this is the first time I would be frank with you, isn't it?"

Ryker nodded slowly as he continued.

"It is because I reckoned it is about time you wrap your head around some facts, and back to the question I asked,

I'm proud your response was honest enough at least, might be subjective to you, but you are going to listen to me now,"

He hit the tip of his right forefingers on the table as he voiced the last syllable.

"See now, I'm impressed with the changes I'm seeing in your behavior, but one thing you need to get rid of to be back on track.

You wanna know it?"

Ryker nodded really slowly again.

"You have to work on your anger issues."

He said, as the boy stared blankly at him, unsure what to reply.

He continued, "your anger and the lifestyle you adopted enticed your oppressors, and you were blinded by the incentives yourself.

But, because of time constraints, I'll only point out crucial things for you to take note of,

Firstly, I'm not convinced you've learned your lessons the hard way about the company you should, or should not keep."

With his brows deepened in a furrow, he went on exhorting poor Ryker.

"Also, learn to overlook, forgive even, any offense committed against you, most especially the trivial things as it doesn't make you any dumber, rather it is for the best part, for your own good and sanity.

If you will not,

It will only taint your integrity and make you woefully notorious. I need not tell you all this when you can relate already.

What song was I playing in the truck on the way down here?"

He asked him.

"Coward of the county," Ryker confirmed.

"Good. What do you notice?"

The boy rolled his eyes,

"What do I notice, how?

Is it that the song was on repeat till we got here?"

He asked him and he nodded firmly.

"That was on purpose."

Mr. Fred added and continued, "You don't always need to fight to be a man."

"And for the last part, though, we did have much to discuss on this topic, but there's still time for that.

For now, I want you to know what exactly you want to do, like your mom told me,

She had asked you a number of times,

'What are your plans?'

But you evade the question as much as you can.

I am not going to ask that you tell me now, or anytime soon, even.

But,

I want to see changes in you, Ryker.

Perhaps you might want to undergo metamorphosis or something. That will be your prerequisite.

I want the transformation to take place after this discussion, because that will be the only premises on which we can build and maintain a close relationship, henceforth."

Ryker blinked several times, trying to comprehend the assertions and process them through his cerebral cortex.

"Your mates in school now have maybe just a year or two to finish high school level. But it's not too late for you, you barely start a life, there's much time ahead, plan for it.

He who fails to plan plans to fail.

I'm sure you're aware of that. Isn't it?"

Ryker has been staring like a pliant mute for a while now, not until Mr. Fred asked him that question, that he became aware of his surroundings, and grunted a 'yes'.

"I think we should get going now."

He said.

Ryker grabbed his lemonade and gulped the remaining as he heard it was time they got going.

But then Mr. Fred asked again,

"You okay, or you'll like something to take home?"

"Um-um. Yeah, thanks."

He chuckled.

"Like?"

"Hmmm... The pizza I think."

"Whoa okay."

He piped up and signaled for the waitress.

She finally got to their table, and Mr. Fred had a brief talk with her before he took out his card to foot the bills.

Ryker got his pizza package, and they set out to go home. He felt his pockets and got his phone, it was 08:45 pm.

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