Joaquin Garcia

10-27-08

2*

A night To Remember

It was a warm Saturday night when I recall being in my friends house ready to go to a party. Not to mention that we were exhausted from having to take the SAT that same day. Going to a party this day would just ease our stress and help us become more relaxed and continue with life.

"Hurry up and get ready. Damn, you take forever Martin," I said.

"Hold on I barely even have 5 minutes, don't worry the party ain't going no where"

"Yeah I know but still you taking hella long"

Martin is one of my closest friends who I have known all throughout middle school up until this point. Along with him we hang out within a group of five. It is Martin, Herman, Pulga, Tony, and I. All live in Richmond except for me, but we have known each other for the longest time due to the fact that we play on the same soccer team. Our relationship as friends has only been increasing. We have shared many experiences off the field and have had the same emotions on the field helping us bond in a very unique way.

As Martin got ready for the party I was on his computer making CD's we could play while either of us drove to our desired location taking in to account that only the two of us would be driving. This was due to the fact that we were the only ones who knew how to drive and that our parents would lend us the car for the time being. I burned the music onto the compact disc and hung around with his younger cousin and his dad while he finished getting ready. He then made some last touches as he was finishing up: Putting on his shiny gold grill, his flashy earrings, stunners, and cuffing up the bottom of his jeans just to make sure he wouldn't step on them.

"Alright, I'm done let's go."

"About time you take hella long."

"So who are we gonna pick up first," Martin asked implying that I would be the one driving.

"Let's go pick up Pulga but I'm not driving though"

"Yes you are"

“Fuck that, I'm not but if you want I can drive your car”

"Hell naw we going in your car"

Neither of us wanted to drive knowing what a big responsibility it was. As we continued to argue for another couple of minutes we then decided to settle this matter with a quick match of table foosball. It was game point for both of us and the next goal would be critical. As the ball entered the arena we were both spinning our players with the enthusiasm of sending the ball into the rectangular wooden goal. Fortunately, I came out victorious in this match relieving myself from having to drive. We then made our way out the door and drove off to pick up Pulga, Tony, and lastly Herman.

"So where's the party gonna be at again?" Martin asked just to make sure we were going the right way.

"Where Jessica had her party remember?" Tony answered.

"I don't know I didn't go to it I was in.."

"It's gonna be at Veteran's hall," Herman cut him off.

"Ooh ok then," Martin said.

We arrived shortly after, maybe about five minutes. We then entered into the parking lot of the hall in which the party was being held. People who were still arriving at about the same time stopped and stared along with the security guards as we made our way to a vacant space with our music on full blast coming from the speakers inside the car along with the loud beat we had in the back. Feeling confident about ourselves and ready to party we then entered the hall.

We were checking the place out seeing who was there, who wasn't there, knowing that we didn't get along with everyone, to be specific a certain other group. We didn't want to have any surprise run-ins and along with that we always need to know what kind of environment we are in. This made us feel somewhat safer and more comfortable.

So after making sure that everything seemed cool we then started greeting other people. We walked toward a bunch of our friends who we usually see at parties.

"Hey wassup what's going on," I said joyfully.

"Nothing much just hanging out for a bit," one of them replied.

"So why are you not dancing, it's because nobody wants to dance with you right, hahaha," I playfully said to another one of them.

"Naw I'm just not feeling the music," he replied.

And so this kind of greeting continued for a little while longer until we said wassup to everyone there that we knew followed by an original handshake. The party girl then approached us welcoming us with a big hug.

"Oooh my God I thought you guys weren't going to show up I was going to be so mad," she said as she approached us.

"Yeah we weren't but we were so bored that we just decided too."

"Aww you guys are so mean."

" Hahaha naw we're just playing of course we were going to come."

"So where's my present?"

"Ooh your present...it's still at the store," there was laughter at the joke that was made.

"See why are you guys so mean you guys are always playing around. Well I'm going to go welcome other guests coming in, but we're going to dance later though so all of you guys better be ready," she teasingly threatened.

As she left, all of us guys rounded up and went to the kitchen for a brief moment to get some food. We weren't that hungry, but the food served is always so good at these kinds of parties that no one can resist at least one plate of food. We talked as we were eating, noticing that there were not many people at the party.

"Pulga I thought you said it was gonna be hella crackin' and no one's even here," Herman said with disappointment.

"Yeah when I txted people they said they were coming here but I don't know," Pulga anxiously said trying to relieve himself for the blame.

It was still quite early; the clock read 8:30. We stayed for about another forty-five minutes convinced that people were going to show up, but left after we found another party to go to.

"Ay let's leave it's hella weak plus Pancho txted me, he told me is a house party in Hayward that it's barely starting," I said to everyone but mainly directing it toward Martin since he was the driver.

Everyone agreed causing Martin to feel pressured to say yes and so we then left the party. We left the hall saying bye to the girl giving her an excuse so she wouldn't feel bad. We got into the car and Tony went on mapquest from the internet on his phone, he was looking for the directions to the place.

“Damn Pulga someone slap him for that weak ass party he told us to go to,” I said from the passenger seat playing around as we made our way into the street and pretty soon into the freeway. Someone reached over and playfully hit him on the head.

“Man what the hell I didn’t know it was going to be weak people told me it was gonna be hella cracking,” Pulga responded defending himself.

As we were heading to the party Tony insisted we take a shortcut. Nobody was really with it but he kept insisting telling us he already knew where it was at and how to get there. So we put our faith and trust relying on him to guide us to the party.

He directed us:

"Get off here. Take a left. Now take a right, wait no take a left. Go there."

"Are you sure you know how to get there cause' we don't wanna get lost," we asked him.

"Yea I told you I know this area. It just all of a sudden doesn't seem so familiar."

“What do you mean it doesn't seem so familiar?!?"

"Everybody shut up I'm trying to remember....damn why don't you just get off and ask," Tony said.

"Hell naw we ain't getting off or at least I ain't, you could go though," said Martin.

"Fuck that I’m not getting off do you know where you're at? This place is hella ghetto, it’s the heart of the ghetto and I ain't bouta get shot," Tony replied.

"Well I'm gonna pull over cause' we're just wasting gas and we don't know where we're going. Tony let me use your phone so I can go to Mapquest.”

“Alright but pull over first and hurry up cause’ it’s about to die.”

As Martin pulled over to park next to the sidewalk he nervously ran his tire brutally against the side of the curb.

“Ay be cool”, Herman said.

“Yeah I didn’t do it on purpose”, answered Martin.

He had parked at the corner of a filthy street. Seemed as if they hadn‘t cleaned it in years. We were in front of a dirty white house which had bars in every window along with a steel fence around it with a sign stating: Never Mind The Dog Beware Of The Owner. Almost all houses looked similarly filthy, fences around them, some had fences torn down, old beat up cars, liquor stores in some corners here and there. This was definitely a hood that we would not want to be lost in. The headlights were off and the music was lowered to the point where we could just hear it. We were outsiders and we didn’t want anybody knowing we were there, nonetheless lost.

Martin then went on mapquest from Tony’s phone. He typed in our current address by looking at the intersection we were parked right by and our desired destination which I still had the address in my phone. We waited a minute or so while the screen was loading all hoping that we could get out of this mess as soon as possible. In no time we now had directions to our new location.

“Alright I know how to get out of here, I just got the directions.” said Martin with a relief in his voice.

“But Joaquin do u have your L‘s?” Martin asked me.

“Yeah why?”

“Cause’ I want you to drive, at least if we get pulled over for some reason you got L’s.”

“Aite, but if I get a ticket all of ya bouta pay too.”

“Yeah but just drive koo.”

We then swapped places and as I started driving Martin was reading out loud the directions to me. We had about ten minutes on the road when little by little, I, followed by Martin noticed that the weight of the car started shifting slightly towards my side. We thought it was all in our heads and we were just nervous so we decided to ignore it. But we couldn’t ignore it for long. As I drove across a speed bump, that’s when we really knew something was wrong.

“Ay Martin you feel that shit, my side feels lower than yours. I think something’s wrong with the fucking tire.”

“Yeah when you drove across the speed bump that shit felt hella ugly.”

“I’m about to pull over see what the fuck is going on.”

“But just turn off your headlights.”

I turned off the headlights and in as little possible noise I parked next to the curb about three fourths of the block in. Martin and I got off to see what the problem was. The tire was completely flat. We were panicking not knowing what to do or who to call. Martin went back to the car to tell everyone to be quiet and to inform them what happened. Martin more than anyone, was stressing the most probably because it was his car we were driving. He was saying all kinds of things.

“Fuck now what are we gonna do, what the fuck am I gonna tell ma dad, how are we gonna get out of here?!!?”

A minute, two, then three went by. We now had somewhat of a grip of ourselves. Martin’s reaction to this now was to call a tow truck. That seemed as the best and easiest resolution. However, this was going to cost money and having been in a similar situation to this I thought I might be able to resolve the problem.

“Martin you ain’t got a spare tire?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know how to put that shit on and plus we gotta take that other fucking tire off and for that we’re gonna have to lift up the car. I’m just gonna call a fucking tow truck.”

“Cause’ I think I know how to do it but we gotta have the right tools. Yo dad ain’t got no tools up in there that we could use or some shit?”

“I don’t know he might like screw drivers and shit, power drills, but there’s some things that came with the car too.”

We walked to the back of the car and on the in-side of it there was a panel. I opened it and the tools that were supposed to be there that had come with the car were missing. Luckily there was another panel on the other side; this one had the tool I was looking for. I then took the auto jack and placed it below the car so as we twisted it the car would be lifting up causing for the tire to lift up as well. While I was doing that I told Martin to take the T type socket wrench that I had seen next to his dad’s toolbox and to start lowering the replacement tire that was located in the bottom of the vehicle. As we were kept busy doing this for a while a mysterious figure approached us. He was very well covered up and we didn‘t know what he was capable of. He was wearing a black hoody, had dark gloves on, jeans, and some shoes.

“Ay man ya need some help, ill do this shit have ya right up on ya feet, I ain’t gonna charge ya shit either, I jus want some money fa coke, now is that too much to ask?” said the junkie.

“Ooh naw is good we got it.”

“Yeah, well fuck ya too then punk ass mother fuckers.”

I was mad as to how he replied to us but I was really in a situation to not care either. This just reminded me that we had to hurry up. However, it really did seem to bother Herman as he got out of the car backed up by Tony and started making quite a scene. It was brief though, he just exchanged a couple words with the junkie as the junkie went on his way and turned the corner.

By this time Martin had already lowered the tire and brought it to me. I took the T type socket wrench out of his hand and started unscrewing the nuts that held the flat tire in place. I rapidly got this done and we swapped the places of the tires. I put the good one on and as I was lowering the vehicle with the jack martin didn’t even bother to elevate the flat tire onto the bottom of the car, but instead just threw it in the back. This was done in a couple of minutes and soon we were back on the road again. Only this time we had decided to call it a night and just go home, we didn’t want any other incidents occurring.

“But Joaquin what happened how did the tire get flat did you run over some shit?” Tony asked.

“Naw I don’t think so or else I would’ve felt it, but I think it was when Martin hit that curb hella ugly.”

“Alright fuck it, lets just hit the party, it can’t get any worse than this,” said Tony making a big joke out of this.

“Shut up Tony don’t jinx it,” I said.

“Hell naw I’ma go home and drop all ya off cause’ fuck that I still gotta see what I gotta do about the tire,” said Martin.

As we followed the last of the Mapquest directions leading us to the street of the party Tony then knew how to catch the freeway from there. We made our way home, dropped off everybody, and made our way inside Martin’s house. I had my car parked outside his house is the reason I was still with him and had not gotten dropped off yet. Martin headed out to the backyard and into his dad’s small shed which he kept a lot of equipment and tools. He found what he was looking for and came over to me with the tire plug kit in his hand.

“Ay Joaquin come with me to the gas station so that I can put air in the tire.”

“For what, the tire is flat it ain‘t that is missing air so why you abouta put air in it?” I questioned him.

“Is cause’ I heard that if you get a flat tire and you put air in it and it inflates then it just had a puncture and all you would have to do is apply this tire plug kit.”

“Alright then let’s go”

We went to nearest gas station, put air on the tire and just like he had said the tire was inflating. This was good news, all we had to do now was find the puncture which took us a couple of minutes. We finally spotted it and saw that it was a piece of wood that was creating the little hole in the tire. We opened the tire plug kit and took the plug and coated it in rubber cement and inserted it in the tire with a handle. We cut off the tips of the rubber as we got most of it in the tire. We then took off the tire that we had earlier put on and substituted it once more with the tire we had just now fixed. This was going to prevent his dad from knowing what happened.