Free The Other Brooklyn: Joey Toranetti Trilogy by Bob Ieva Page B

than Joey.”
    Luke looked at Joey and asked, “How old is your brother?”
    Joey said, “Eleven years old.”
    Luke’s face got real red and he stared at his son and said
to Joey and his father, “I am very sorry for this situation. I will take care
of my son when we get home.” Luke said to Joey and his son, “I would like to
see the two of you be friends and shake hands; and again, I am very sorry for
all this.”
    Joey went over to Larry and they shook hands. Luke went
over to Tony and said, “We should be friends too.” They shook hands.
    Arthur said, “Great everyone is friends now, so go home
and enjoy the rest of the day.”

    The next day Larry came over to our house and apologized
to my brother and my mother. He told my brother if he ever needed help please
call him and he will be there.

Larry’s Friend Pete
    P eter
was about 5ꞌ 1" and pretty well built. He lived in the same area of
Brooklyn that Larry lived and Larry was his best friend. Pete’s father, Will,
was a bus driver for the city and stayed pretty much by himself. Will didn’t
hang out at the social club, but knew some of the people that did by sight
only. Will was very upset about his son being kicked in the groin and wanted to
go after the person who did this to his son. Will does not know the details of
the situation and his son wouldn’t tell him.
    Pete talked to Larry about getting even with Joey. Larry
told him, “I overheard my father say to his friend that it is better to wait a
while before you do anything because it can come back at you. So, hang on Pete
there will be a time and a place one day that we will get even with Joey. Just
not now because my father is still very upset with me and he will know that it
was us.”
    Pete said, “Okay I will wait for you to tell me when.”
    Larry said, “Good.”
    At the school Larry and Pete pretended that they were over
the situation with Joey and acknowledged Joey as a friend.

First Day of High School
    I had no problems in the school for a long time, everything was real smooth. I
graduated and the next term and would start in Lafayette High School.
    I went away with my mother, father, and brother to upstate
New York for a vacation in the country. It was really beautiful. There were
cows we helped milk in the mornings and pigs that we helped feed. The food they
served was plentiful and really good. I really enjoyed the time we had up
there.
    When we came home it was time to get ready for school to
start. We went shopping for school clothes and books and other items. Rocco was
still in the school by our house. Lafayette High School was near Coney Island
so I had to take a school bus.
    The morning that school started I went to the bus stop and
waited with a few other kids including Larry and Pete. They said “Hello” and I
nodded my head. When we got to the school we went into the yard to wait to
enter the building. Larry said “Hi Joey” and as I turned to say hello I was
jumped from behind by someone. This person hit me about two times before I knew
what happened. I went backwards but did not go down. I tackled this guy and as
we went to the ground. I was hit with something hard.
    The next thing I saw was a teacher pulling me up. I was
brought to the office and was read the riot act from the dean. Dean Summers was
like a principal in my other school. Mr. Summers said, “I will not tolerate
fighting in my school. Now, tell me why you were fighting.”
    I said, “I was jumped from behind.”
    That is not what Mr. Peterson said, “He said that you
tackled the other boy.”
    I said, “Where is the other boy?”
    The dean said, “He is in class where you should be. I will
let this go this time but don’t let me see you again for something like this.”
    I walked out of the office and went to my first period class.
I entered the class and recognized the other guy. He was sitting next to Larry
and Pete and they were laughing and looking at me. I tried to hold my temper,
but it