The Stabbing Incident-a short story by Austin Mitchell

                                                  The Stabbing Incident

                                                                        by   
                                                      Austin Mitchelll          
                                                     

       Keswick drove down and parked on the sidewalk of Walkers Lane. He was a supervisor at Luddy’s  Bakery and Pastry Supplies.  He came out of the car and locked it up. He saw Caston Earle just  coming and went over to him.

         “You’re late again, country boy,” he said and chucked Caston.  Several  men looking on, laughed when they saw Caston just moved away from Keswick and went inside his workplace.

         “That guy’s an idiot to  make Keswick push him around the place like that,” Welton Brown shouted.

          “Caston’s soft. I hear that his girlfriend beats him up on a regular basis,” Earle Palmer said.

             Keswick came over to them.           

         “Did you guys see what I just did to Caston? I’m making sure that he pays me not to trouble him. I’ll be drinking and gambling that money down at Bimmy’s bar,” he told them.

           So that Friday evening, Keswick, Welton Brown and Earl Palmer went down to Bimmy’s bar in May Pen. Two female employees, Eloise Plunket and Neda Summers went with them.

           “I think Caston would pay you girls not to beat him. What a loser that guy is,” Earl Palmer said.

           “Here we are drinking out his money and he must be in his bed fast asleep,” Eloise remarked.

             That Monday, Keswick was at Caston again.

               “Country boy, is here you come learn to bake bread?” Keswick asked and chucked Caston.

               “Keswick, I am going to complain to my supervisor about you if you don’t leave me alone.”

              “Caston, if you ever make me lose my job, you are not going to like it.”

              “All I want you to do is to leave me alone.”

                Keswick hissed his teeth and walked away.

                As Keswick went to his car that evening, he saw a man leaning on it. The man was a stranger to him.

              “Boss, I don’t want anybody to lean on my car.”

                “You want to do something about it?”

                A closer look at the man sounded a warning to Keswick. The man resembled Caston.

            “You are looking at me, I resemble anybody you know?”

              The man moved from Keswick’s car.

            “All I wanted was for you to come off my car. Who you resemble, that’s not my business?”

                Keswick got into his car and drove off.

            The next day at work, Keswick was discussing his encounter with the man.

            “I’ve never seen a man look like Caston so. He must be his brother.”

            “You think he was warning you to leave Caston alone?” Earl Palmer asked.

            “Caston is my beer money. He’d better come up with it this Friday.”

           Friday morning Keswick went to Caston with his hand outstretched.

            “What are you stretching your hand to me for?”

          “What a way you get bright, country boy? It must be your brother who was leaning on my car the other evening.  I’m not afraid of him. You see, if by this evening  you don’t come up with my money, watch me and you.”

             Caston hissed his teeth and walked away.

          “What you say about this evening, Keswick?” Welton Brown asked.

         “The boy, Caston, doesn’t want to come up with the money.”

         “Keswick, I can’t believe that you’re making Caston do that to you. Are you  getting  soft or what?” Earl Palmer asked.

        “Watch me and him this evening. I’m going to beat him with my belt if he doesn’t come up with the money.”

        Caston was leaving work that evening when Keswick accosted him. Keswick had a big belt in his hand.

      “Hey boy where is the money?” Keswick said and slapped after Caston. Caston ducked under the belt and pulled a knife.

            “So you’re a bad man, drawing a knife on me.” Keswick drew his own knife and rushed down on Caston expecting him to run.

           Some female staffers ran to report the fight to management. Other staffers looked on expecting it to be an easy fight that would end with Caston paying Keswick not to beat him anymore.

            The two men circled each other. Keswick was surprised that Caston wasn’t giving ground. Caston cut him twice on both hands. Keswick in turn, cut him on his leg. Caston dummied and as Keswick rushed in he stabbed him in his shoulder. Keswick grabbed hold of Caston but Caston grabbed his knife hand and cut him in his left side and then tripped him.

          Keswick got up on unsteady legs, blood dripping from all parts of his body.

Caston circled him.

          “I am not a country boy, Keswick. I was born right under the clock. You remember that.”

           Keswick charged Caston, who put out a foot and tripped him. Keswick’s knife flew out of his hand. He lay spread eagled on the ground.

            Some managers who had not yet left the compound were just in time to see the last of the fight. They didn’t see when a man who had been watching the proceeding all along,  got into his car and drove away.

           Both Keswick and Caston were taken to the hospital. Both men were later arrested and hit with a battery of charges. Keswick never returned to Luddy’s bakery, but Caston is still there, pending the outcome of the trial. The End.