The Hip Hop Murderer. Dwayne Bowen
Bruce knocks out his first set of ten, he sits up on the bench, nodding his head in agreement and looking up to the ceiling. His eyes begin to tear up as he slouches on the edge of the bench.
Melancholy, Bruce says, "I just wish Bryson was still here so I could deliver him from these snares of evil."
He looks at Joe with a bewildering frown, seeking understanding. Talking with his fists balled up, Bruce speaks with conviction and angst. "I had a good kid, Joe, where the hell did we go wrong as parents? How did we sit by and let our kids go to these concerts, listen to such garbage and treat each other in ways we would never treat our own enemies?"
"Hey, easy, Bruce, this was no fault of your own so don't be so hard on yourself. We do what we can for our kids as their parents and, unfortunately, we cannot stop everything in their lives—like what they watch and, in this case, what they listen to. But we can in some way control it. Somebody is going to make a change, trust me Bruce, I feel it." Joe exclaims as he puts his hand on Bruce's shoulder to console him.
Chapter 5
Emotional Calls, Home
The dark sky is clear and the night is calm as the moon shines down on Bruce as he sits on the bench outside his living quarters. He is on the phone with Lisa, sobbing about how much he misses her and their son, Bryson.
"This is killing me, Lise, I'm so sorry I can't be there with you right now. You're my world and I don't want you to ever forget that. I'll be home soon, I promise!"
"It's getting harder and harder every day for me to cope with this, Bruce. I need you here to hold me and comfort me...please. I don't think I can do this alone. Do you think you can leave early?" Lisa says, crying.
Joe is sitting on the opposite side of the window inside the living quarters, listening to Bruce on the phone with Lisa.
Bruce responds sincerely, "Fifteen more days, babe, please hold on. I'll be there."
Joe shakes his head and massages his temples in agony because he can only imagine what Bruce is going through right now. He walks away from the window to give Bruce some privacy and calls Leslie to see how she's doing with the boys.
In a sleepy voice, Leslie picks up the phone. "Hi, sweetheart, is everything okay?"
"I'm sorry to wake you, my love; I was just calling to tell you that I love you and that I can't wait to see you and the boys again. I know things are going to be different when I get home so please just bear with me."
"I know, baby, but we'll talk in the morning, okay? I'm meeting your mother first thing tomorrow morning to go for a walk. Try to get some sleep, sweetie," Leslie says.
"I will, I love you," Joe replies.
"Love you, too." Leslie hangs up.
Bruce walks back into the barrack, wiping the tears from his face and shaking his head and mumbling. "I can't take this anymore; why, God, why?!"
He slowly walks over to his bed, bible in hand, and plops down. In less than two minutes he falls asleep in the middle of praying to God, seeking answers and understanding.
Joe silently walks over to check on Bruce and pulls his covers over him and pats him on the arm, saying in a low voice, "Hang in there...we got two more weeks to go, buddy."
Joe's emotions are flying too high to sleep so he decides to take a walk around the barrack. Thunder and lightning starts to strike across the black sky without a cloud in sight. As the raindrops start to hit the ground, Joe drops down and does a set of 100 push-ups. The rain starts to come down harder as he finishes his last set. He then springs up and begins violently throwing punches and kicks.
"Don't worry, Bryson." He throws two more jabs.
"Someone is going to pay!" he says, doing a forward kick and then a side-kick.
He throws a jab combination. "Even if it's by my own two hands."
He finishes with a roundhouse kick. "Someone is going to pay, you have my word!"
* * *
That Sunday morning, Bruce and Joe sit in the front row of the local Baptist church, listening to the preacher talk about life and death.
"For every life taken, there's another one given. Please excuse my French, but that is the harsh truth of this dry-ass reality! Can I get an Amen?!"
Bruce and Joe look at each other and smile as they both see the point the pastor is making. With that statement alone, Bruce seems to have a clearer understanding that Bryson's death is just a part of life. After church lets out, Joe and Bruce walk down the street. "I think I can now accept Bryson's death knowing that, as a result, another child was given life. So, in essence, his death was not in vain," Bruce says to Joe.
Joe replies, "Yeah, I could see that the sermon this morning really hit home for you, man."
"I feel like a weight has been lifted off me with that one service. I think we should go more often...what do you think?" Bruce asks.
"We can surely go next week on account of it being our last weekend here."
"Damn already, huh? We're going to be two old, retired, honorably discharged soldiers!" Bruce marvels.
"Hey...who you calling old? Speak for yourself, man!" Joe says, punching Bruce in the shoulder.
Chapter 6
Parting Ways
Two weeks later, it's Monday morning and Joe and Bruce are saying their final goodbyes before hopping in the cars with their wives to head home for the rest of their lives. Joe and Bruce look at each other, knowing this is not going to be the last time they see one another. They've got too much history together to fall out of touch.
Lisa and Leslie get out of the car to embrace each other with a warm hug.
Leslie says, "Oh, Lisa, it's so great to see you, honey. How are you holding up?"
"I've been okay; been taking it one day at a time without Bruce by my side. I'm just so glad he's retired now so we can finally have some time together," says Lisa.
"You and me both, though clearly for different reasons—the twins are getting a little difficult to deal with as they reach their late teens. They are at the point where they're going to need a firm hand," Leslie says. Realizing that she is going on and on about the boys, she stops but not before she notices Lisa starting to get teary-eyed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetie! I didn't realize I was rambling on so much about the boys. I just..."
Lisa interrupts, "No, Leslie, please—it is totally fine. I just miss my Bryson is all; but this is good for me. I can't continue to hide my emotions around people just because I don't want to be constantly consoled by complete strangers. I would prefer it if Bruce and I were consoling each other."
"I understand. Well, at least you two will be together now," says Leslie.
Joe stands directly in front of Bruce and says, "You've been the greatest brother to me anyone could ever ask for."
Bruce gives Joe a strong hug. "We've shared many good and bad times together and I hope we can continue to share many more. Please don't lose touch with me. We're 177 all day, every day, Joe. I want to thank you for taking me to church so I can open up and be the strong husband Lisa needs me to be. I'd like you to call me every day just to check up on me and make sure I'm still alive and kicking, man," Bruce says seriously.
"Hey man, whatever you need, I'm here; 177 baby," Joe says as he slaps Bruce's hand and pulls him in for a bear hug.
Lisa and Leslie give each other a hug and kiss on the cheek goodbye. Joe calls the ladies over to join him and Bruce so they can all hear what he says next.
"Bruce, once I get settled in at home, I'm going to take a trip to Washington DC and talk to someone at the FCC about this music they're playing on the radio," Joe explains.
"You know, you don't have to do that—what