Free Condemned by John Nicholas Iannuzzi Page B

member of exclusive country clubs, and a pillar of the community. In Harlem, however, that reputation was a distinction, an indication that Red Hardie was smarter, smoother, faster, and more clever than the Man.
    Actually, for quite some time now, Red had begun to spend more time in his legitimate enterprises, real estate and dry cleaning stores in Harlem and the west Bronx, than he did with The Brotherhood. As a result of Leslie’s prodding, Red had decided to distance himself from illegality, placing Money Dozier in charge of day-to-day operations.
    â€œI’m sorry. What did you say?” Red said, turning to Awgust next to him on the front seat.
    â€œI said I don’t think you should speak to the principal.”
    â€œI agree. My first reaction is to kick the tar out of them. Just show me who they are.”
    â€œNo, no, that would only make things worse, Uncle Red. They’d only be worse after.”
    â€œThen I’ll come back again and hang them from the fence in the school yard. Maybe that’s what I ought to do right now.”
    â€œI think it would be enough if they just see you drive me to the school. That’ll be enough to keep them off my back for just the next month or so until I change schools.”
    Red shook his head. He wasn’t convinced.
    â€œI know them. They’ll be impressed just by seeing you. They’ll recognize you from your picture in the newspapers.”
    â€œI sure don’t want to make things worse,” Red shrugged. “I just don’t want to see you running from school.”
    â€œLet me out right here by the playground. See, there they are, over there, near the basketball court.”
    Red looked across to the far side of the fenced in school playground. A group of young men turned to look toward Red’s car.
    â€œYou sure you’ll be okay?”
    â€œI’m sure.” Awgust opened the passenger door and stood on the sidewalk. Kids from the playground came to the inside of the fence, looking through the wire strands at the two people in the car. Red exited the car and came around to the sidewalk to join Awgust. “You want me to walk you inside?”
    â€œI’ll be okay,” said Awgust.
    A thick set, dark-skinned young man came out of the playground and walked toward them.
    â€œThis one of them?”
    â€œNo, this is Aunt Elma’s son, cousin Anton Taylor.”
    â€œOh, yes, Elma’s son,” said Red, nodding to the young man who now stood beside them. “You here when Awgust had trouble?”
    â€œYes, sir,” said Anton. He glanced at Awgust.
    â€œRemember, I want to hear if there’s any more of this trouble,” Red said to Awgust, then to Anton. “Okay?” Red wasn’t sure exactly how to handle this situation. If it was someone from the street, he’d handle things differently. But these were kids, and Awgust was a different kind of young man, not tough.
    Awgust nodded. “Can I borrow a couple of dollars,” he said.
    Red stuck his hand in his pocket and came out with a roll of bills. “Sure can. Here’s five.”
    â€œThanks, Uncle Red. I’m sorry I had to run to you.”
    â€œWho else am I going to take care of if I don’t take care of you?” said Red. He watched as Awgust and Anton walked back into the playground. Awgust turned once to wave at Red.
    â€œWow,” Anton said to Awgust as they walked through the crowd of school kids, “you should have seen them. They almost shit when they saw you drive up with Red. Just like you said.”
    Red was still standing outside the fence, watching.
    â€œGood,” said Awgust. His face taking on a harder, more intense aspect as he looked directly toward the young men who were standing near the basketball court, particularly Hempy Heartman, the biggest member of the opposition. As Awgust and Anton walked, other young men stepped in behind them and walked with them. These