Free Rontel by Sam Pink Page B

microphone back to Toney’s mouth.
    Toney said, “Holyfield’s a great fighter. Don’t diminish zat—enny time.” Then he grabbed at the microphone a little, to hold it. He said, “He a warrior, an’he came to fight. Bottom line.”
    The broadcaster moved the microphone back to his own mouth to say something but James Toney leaned forward and yelled, “Who nex. I got milk baby. Nex ! Uh, my mom, Sherry, Uncle Larry, all, everybody, I luh y’all.”
    He kept yelling but the broadcaster took the microphone back to his own mouth and said, “Did he ever hurt you at any point tonight.”
    Microphone back to Toney’s mouth where he finished saying, “Cousin Scott, Auntie Janina, everybody, luh y’all. NEX!” Then he wiped sweat off his face with a towel and, very calmly and quietly—almost hurt—he said, “Nah he’ain never hurt me, man. I’m undestructable, man. Don’t forget. When I’m ready, I’m undestructable. I fight ennyone, ennytime.”
    He took a deep breath then yelled, “Nex!” thrusting his head toward the camera. Then he paused, took a deep breath and said, “Nex. Who nex.”
    Someone from his entourage said, “Detroit, baby.”
    Toney yelled, “Detroit, Ypsi, Ann Arbor, I’on’t care.”
    The broadcaster tried to say something but Toney kept talking.
    He said, “Whoever my promoter tell me, ’at’s who I’m knockin ova next. D’troit.” Hitting one hand into the other, he said, “Ey, ey, ey man, bottom line, my talent speak fuh itself. I ain got answer no one else’s queshuns, I’m going home. Have a pawdy. We goan have a pawdy. And eyr-body that doubted me—” he paused, made a serious face right by the camera, “—or didn’t respect me—” paused again, “—fuck em.”
    He turned his head to the side.
    A guy from his crew said, “You got cho respect, baby. You got it.”
    Toney passed by the microphone again and said, “Scuse me.”
    The broadcaster tried to say something else, but Toney kept talking.
    “Ey, bottom line, Holyfield’s a great fighter,” he said, “I watched him when I’s kid. I did what I had to do. I get paid to do. Bottom line, Detroit inna house.” Then, addressing someone through the camera, he made a phone gesture with his thumb up to his ear and his pinky finger up to his mouth. He said, “Ey baby. Ey bay, I got ya message, baby.”
    The broadcaster put the microphone under his own mouth and said, “James, James, let’s try to have a decent conversation or interview here. Hold on a second.”
    Toney started yelling again.
    He took the microphone out of the broadcaster’s hand and threw it down.
    Then he backed up, staring at the broadcaster, saying something inaudible.
    Someone handed the broadcaster the microphone again and sound returned.
    Toney stared at the broadcaster.
    “Don’t run up on me, dog,” Toney said. “I’on’t like that.”
    And his entourage took him away.
    But he returned to hug Holyfield before Holyfield’s interview and Toney said, “Ey, I luh you man,”—then he let go of the hug and slapped Holyfield’s shoulder. “Much respect to you man. Much luh.”
    My girlfriend took a deep breath and made a noise then turned over, facing me.
    For some reason I was passingly terrified she’d have James Toney’s head/face.
    Like, her body, with Toney’s head and face.
    And then of course, she’d open her eyes quickly and lick me, making the ‘thup’ sound too, ew!
    I got milk baby.
    Nex!
    Who nex.
    It was hot in my girlfriend’s room and I couldn’t sleep and I’d never sleep again.
    Fuck everything except me.
    *
    Fell asleep for an hour or so and the first thing I heard when I woke up—already sweating, already feeling sick—was some drunk guy on the street, yelling, “There you are! Thought you was hiding, eh!?”
    I wanted to yell, “You’ll never get me!”
    But I had a headache and my mouth was dry.
    I sat up, looked out the window at part of the Chicago skyline.
    Kill you—I thought.
    My