X. FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES
MASTER SPLINTER
Upon reflection, I realize now that by allowing my sons to join me in my battle against the Foot...they were then introduced to the world at large. (pausing) Perhaps by doing so, I was unconsciously pushing them forward. Because, deep down, I knew that once they had observed the outside world, they would not be content to live in the sewers their entire lives.
DONATELLO
I tried to stay focused on the task at hand, but it was hard. I remember sitting on the rooftops, waiting for Sensei to start a battle...and I was staring up at the stars - well, what stars you can see in the middle of New York. I could lose myself doing that. Suddenly, I realized how...huge the world was. So much out there to learn, y'know?
RAPHAEL
Before we took to the streets, Splinter tried to prepare us for what we'd there. But that was a lot of territory to cover. I mean, there's gangs, prostitutes, pushers, police, the homeless, people of different races, ages, beliefs. It just goes on and on. He skipped over some parts - not on purpose, just because there's so much. When we got out there, it was still kind of a shock.
MICHELANGELO
We were focused on kickin' some Foot, but while we were doing that, we also ran into folks who needed help. Sometimes it was the Foot's doing, and sometimes it wasn't.
MASTER SPLINTER
My sons encountered people in distress, which presented a dilemma. Should they offer assistance? To do so would run counter to their ninja training, which demanded that they remain invisible at all times. And yet we did not feel it was right to leave people in peril if we could assist in some way. (pausing) We discussed this issue at some length.
DONATELLO
We couldn't really come up with an answer to that. We all had different takes on it. Mikey was all for helping everyone, and Leo didn't think we should help anyone. The rest of us fell somewhere in between.
LEONARDO
I didn't think we should get involved. That sounds kinda mean now, but I just thought we had enough problems without taking on someone else's. Plus I thought it was dangerous to draw any attention to ourselves.
MICHELANGELO
One of our first nights in teams, I was paired with Raph. We came across some Foot soldiers hijacking a van. After we took them out...(smiling)...we found this woman passed out by the front of the van. [That'd be me. - ed] I decided I couldn't just leave you lying there, so I convinced Raph that we should take you back to the lair.
RAPHAEL
I was like, no way. We can't go taking humans down to our place. But he was stubborn. I guess he was right - we couldn't just leave you there, passed out in an alley. Nowadays, we'd just call 911, but that never occurred to us. So it looked like we were gonna have to take you back. We picked you up and carried you down to the sewers. All the way back to the lair, all I could think was, "This is insane. Leo's gonna blow a gasket."
MASTER SPLINTER
I certainly was not prepared for my sons to bring home an unconscious woman. However, I decided that whatever the story was behind such an action might wait. Our more immediate concern was to take care of you and your injuries.
MICHELANGELO
Sensei immediately put us both to work. He had us move his futon into the main room, get some tea ready, stuff like that. We were about done with that when Leo and Don came back.
LEONARDO
Don and I got back to the lair, and I saw pretty much the last thing I expected - Sensei's futon in the main room, with a woman lying on it. My first thought was that we had been discovered, but Mikey told me that he had brought her home.
RAPHAEL
(grinning) I was right - Leo flipped. "You brought her here? Are you insane?"
MICHELANGELO
I knew Leo would be upset, but I didn't have any idea he'd bug out like that.
RAPHAEL
Splinter broke it up before it really got going, though.
DONATELLO
Splinter was pretty short with us. He said, "If any of you wish to argue about this, you must do so elsewhere. We have an injured woman to look after."
LEONARDO
That sort of shut me up pretty quick. As usual, he was right - it wasn't the time to fight.
MASTER SPLINTER
Your injuries were fairly minor. A few scrapes, and perhaps a mild concussion.
MICHELANGELO
After Splinter sort of snapped at Leo, he just sat in the corner and stared at this woman.
LEONARDO
I was trying to examine my emotions, like Sensei taught us. There were a lot to sort through. I felt Michelangelo had put us in danger, and felt upset that I wasn't consulted - I guess that was my vanity showing through. You know, "I'm the leader, you should check with me" and all that. But there was something else, and it took me awhile to figure it out. (pausing) I felt like our home was...violated in some way. This had always been a place just for us, and now there was this human here. (pausing) I found out I had built up some anti-human prejudice. I hadn't even realized it. (pausing) That took some work to get over.
MASTER SPLINTER
After some time, you began to regain consciousness, and I attempted to prepare you for what you would see.
MICHELANGELO
We started crowding around you, but Splinter waved us back. We had to watch from the sidelines.
DONATELLO
He was trying to set the scene for you, and he was great. I mean, there was a lot to prepare you for, but he got it down in just a few sentences. Something like "Do not attempt to open your eyes just yet. You have received a blow to your head in an attempted mugging. We have brought you somewhere safe where you may recover. My sons and I live down here because we do not look like most humans. You may be somewhat alarmed by our appearance, but please do not panic. We do not wish you any harm."
MICHELANGELO
You finally open your eyes, you see Splinter, and you freak. (smiling) You told us later that it wasn't his appearance really, but because you kinda were scared of rats. [This is the understatement of the year. - ed] And you wake up looking at Splinter - what're the odds?
LEONARDO
We calmed you down fairly quickly. (grinning) I guess turtles don't freak you out as much as rats.
RAPHAEL
Mikey was the only one who recognized you - and not from TV, 'cause we didn't have one then. He remembered you from those billboards that used to have your picture on them.
MICHELANGELO
I suddenly said, "Hey, aren't you that woman on the Channel 6 billboard?" I recognized your face, but I don't think I'd ever read the billboard, really, so I didn't know that you were on the news.
DONATELLO
We spent the night swapping stories. Actually, it was loads of fun to have someone new to talk to. We probably bored you to tears. We finally crawled into bed real late.
LEONARDO
By the end of the night, I no longer felt threatened by you. (smiling) You were nice. And fun to be with. And that was...enlightening.
MICHELANGELO
The next morning, I made you a quickie breakfast, and then we took you back topside. It was actually fun. Probably not so much for you, since you had that bump on your head, and had to meet the giant rat, but for us, it was great.
MASTER SPLINTER
It was my assumption that once you returned topside, we would not see you again. Instead, you became a most welcome friend and ally.
LEONARDO
When we took you to the ladder back to the streets, Mikey said, "Keep in touch!" We all kind of laughed at that. We didn't really think you would. But you did.
DONATELLO
We had two major changes as a result of your little visit. One, Leonardo had me make everyone two-way radios, so we could stay in touch while we were on patrol. And second, we decided if we ever had injured bystanders, we'd call 911, and let the paramedics sort it out.
MICHELANGELO
(smiling) You meet some interesting folks in the alleys of New York.
LEONARDO
We weren't the only ones striking back against the Foot, as it ended up.
CASEY JONES
My real name's Kevin Collinsworth, but if anyone calls me that on the phone, I hang up. It's either a bill collector or my ma. My friends started calling me KC in school, and that really started to stick when I started playing baseball. Y'know, Casey at the bat and all that. (smiling) But just for the record, I hate that Grateful Dead song. Anyway, after school, I got in the minor leagues, played a few years, but then blew out my knee. Had no clue what I was gonna do after that. Finally decided to open a sporting goods store out in my old stomping grounds. I was sure I was gonna fall flat on my face, but actually it did OK. OK enough that I didn't starve, anyway.
FOOT SOLDIER 4
The protection game was perhaps the smoothest part of the Foot organization. One group would go and sort of explain the deal to the shop owners - you know, pay so much money each month, and your place stays safe. They would also tell them what to look for next month. A second group - that was the group I was in - would go around and collect the money. That was the easiest job in the world. We never said anything - just walked in with some sort of identifying mark. We'd all have Colorado Rockies caps on or something, and that was the sign that we were the ones to give the money to. If they didn't get it, we'd just say, "You got anything today?" If they didn't hand us the money, we'd just leave. And then the third group would stop by - the muscle.
CASEY
I wasn't dumb. I knew what a protection racket was. I told 'em I was barely making enough to stay open as it was, and I wasn't about to give that little bit to them. About a week later, the Foot sent some guys over to try to force the money out of me, but that didn't go so well. (grinning) They had to cart one of their guys away.
FOOT SOLDIER 4
If for some reason the muscle couldn't do the job, the Foot would send out a few high-end ninjas to finish it up.
CASEY
I was all proud of myself for fighting them off all by myself, but maybe a week, week 'n' a half later, the store burned down. Foot burned it down. I knew it - heck, everybody knew it. Insurance guy was going through the ashes, and he said, "Did you forget a payment?" I said, "To who?" an' he said, "To the Foot." I mean, they knew about it! Like it was just something you were s'pposed to do!
FOOT SOLDIER 4
The different groups of people made it run smooth, and it kept any one group from being connected to any other group. It was smooth, like everything else in the Foot back then.
CASEY
They messed with the wrong guy. I don't get scared. I get even. I took a day job - not much of one, but it kept me going. I took a few things I salvaged from the fire - baseball bat, golf clubs, hockey mask. Most nights, I couldn't sleep. When that'd happen, I'd put on that mask and go out a-huntin' Foot. They weren't hard to find, least not back then. As soon as I saw one, I'd just start slamming them until they were unconscious. Then I'd go on to find some more. I'd keep going until I felt better, and then I'd go home and go to sleep. Sometimes it'd only take one to calm me down, sometimes a bunch more.
DONATELLO
Raph and I were teamed up that week. We had gone up to the roofs to scope out which alley we wanted to hit. I think we'd passed on a few, but the next one we looked at had three Foot guys running into it.
RAPHAEL
We didn't have any problem looking or waiting, but when we saw Foot running into the alley, we'd be fools not to take it. We were like, hey, jackpot. We leapt down to the alley and took them out in about ten seconds flat. Just as we're finishing off the last guy, this other guy turns the corner.
CASEY
That night, I'd already taken out two, and I was looking for more. Down the street, I saw three of them trying to break into a car. I kinda yelled at them, which was stupid, 'cause they took off running. Yeah, I know - some fighters. I saw them duck into this alley, and I went in after them. By the time I got there, they were all on the ground moaning, and these two...things were standing over them.
DONATELLO
This guy with a hockey mask walks up. He kinda stares at us and says, "What the hell?" Raph just stood there spinning his sai around, grinning. We were assuming he was Foot, you know - maybe one of their leaders. Finally, I said, "We're taking the Foot down, and it looks like you're next." Before I could even get my bo up into position, he said, "Listen, freak, I ain't no Foot. I was chasing down those guys."
CASEY
He sorta stared at me a bit, then said, "Looks like we're allies, then." Then he puts his stick on his back and introduces himself. I was kinda weirded out - I thought he was gonna wanna shake hands, and I wasn't about to touch him. But he didn't stick out his hand, so it was all good.
DONATELLO
I didn't know exactly what his deal was, but I decided it didn't really matter - after all, we didn't know exactly what we were doing, either. So far, we were just knocking around Foot when we saw them - which is what he was doing. I figured it wouldn't hurt for the Foot to have someone else chipping away at them. So I told him to keep it up, but be careful.
RAPHAEL
We warned him there was four of us. We didn't follow any set pattern, but he'd probably run into us from time to time.
CASEY
After that night, I saw them quite a bit. A lot of times I'd just see their leftovers - some Foot guys bent over double or on the ground just groaning. Not even worth hitting them. Other times, I'd pass some Foot guys running for their lives. Wouldn't even have time to whack 'em. I'd watch them go by, turn around, and there'd be these turtles chasing them. They'd say "Hi, Casey" and zoom - they'd be gone.
LEONARDO
We never teamed up or anything back then. We just did our own things, by ourselves, and our paths would cross now and then.
CASEY
It took me forever to tell them four apart. They look the same to me, and I only saw them in the dark on top of that. After a bit, when I met up with them, they just started telling me which ones they were when I first saw 'em. "Hi, Casey - I'm Raphael." (pausing) I didn't know their story then, and really I didn't care. They were bustin' Foot, and that's all that mattered.
DONATELLO
We came across some other folks that didn't have anything to do with the Foot. Lots of homeless guys wanting money or drinks - obviously, we couldn't help there.
MICHELANGELO
Sometimes, if there was leftovers from dinner, I'd make a sandwich or something to carry with me. Pass it out to someone who needed it. Sometimes they were really thankful, other times they'd say, "Don'tcha got any money?" (shrugging) If they said that, I'd just take the sandwich back and head off.
RAPHAEL
Donny came across this prostitute one night - she was gettin' beat up pretty bad. Donny chased the guy off, and sort of had to help her back to her place. When we found out about it, we all gave him hell. "So, did you get something in return?" (smiling) Actually, we all got something in return.
DONATELLO
I never even thought about the fact that she was a prostitute. I just saw her getting beat up, and moved in to help.
SARAH
I been working the streets for a couple years. The first thing you learn is that you're on your own. Ain't nobody gonna help you if you get in trouble. That one night, this guy started wailin' on me in the alley. I tried to scream and run away, but I couldn't get nowhere. Kinda twisted my ankle. All you can do when that happens is hope you don't get killed. But then this freak comes along and saves my butt. (smiling) He was really nice - really weird lookin', but nice. Since I couldn't walk so good, he offered to help me back to my place.
DONATELLO
She had to lean on me a bit to walk, but that was OK. It was getting really late, the streets were deserted, and she lived close by. On the way back, I told her that we were working on undercutting the Foot, which was something she was also in favor of.
SARAH
Them Foot guys? No one liked them none. They didn't actually move into our territory, but, well, they was bad for business, y'know? (laughing) I told him that if I could help him at all, just let me know. We got back to my place, and I knew where this was heading. He was gonna want to come in. (shaking her head) But he didn't. He said, "Well, take care of yourself, Sarah." Then he climbed up the side of the wall and split. (smiling) Just like in the comics. You don't even get to say "thanks".
DONATELLO
Raph ended up helping out Sarah, too, later on. And there were others that kinda got in over their heads, and we had to send their attackers running.
MICHELANGELO
I came across these two guys fighting in an alley. Normally, I don't bother with them - let them duke it out, y'know? But one guy was just wailing on the other. So I knocked the strong guy in the head with my 'chucks, and sort of pushed him around until I got him to take off. The other guy was on the ground, and he was messed up quite a bit, so I stayed with him 'til I knew he was OK. I was always doing that - talking to people. Drove Leo nuts. Anyway, I asked him what the fight was about, and he said he was an escort and the guy didn't want to pay. I had to ask him what an escort was. (grinning) I tried not to gawk, but you know, we were green, in more ways than one. We didn't know this stuff. I got back home and was like, "Dudes, guess what I found out tonight?!"
DONATELLO
We didn't think too much about it. Yeah, we had this woman on our side, but we figured it was no big deal. But apparently, some of them know others, and they know others, and so on.
RAPHAEL
It's not like there's a prostitute union or anything, but they run into each other, and they talk.
SARAH
Don told me he and the others were looking to take out the Foot. So I told the others I knew, I told 'em, "Look, there's these freaky lookin' turtle guys. They're weird lookin', but they helped me out. They're lookin' to take out the Foot, so if you get any dirt on the Foot - any info at all, lemme know." A couple other girls said the turtles helped them out, too, so word got around.
LEONARDO
Without their help, we might not have ever left the "attack and run" phase. As it ends up, these women - well, women and a few guys - were instrumental in taking out the Foot.
MASTER SPLINTER
Their aid showed that good deeds do indeed come around again.
RAPHAEL
There was all sorts of crime going on. For cash, the Foot basically ran the protection game. But if they were short on cash, they'd have one of their lesser soldiers go knock over a store. Some apparently did it without being asked - just to get extra money.
MARCUS
When I started working at Big T Market, the first thing they taught me was what to do when we got robbed. Not if we got robbed - when. Several months later, it happened - guy with a gun, mask, just like on TV. I was kinda nervous, said I couldn't open the safe, and the guy was like, "Yeah, yeah, I know that." Apparently, they had this down to a science. I walked around to the other register to empty it out, and I heard this...well, it was this quiet sound. Like "ooph". And then something falling. I turn around - slow, 'cause I didn't want to get shot - and the guy's gone. Well, not gone, but on the ground - I couldn't see him from where I was. And this turtle guy's standing there spinning his nunchucks around. (smiling, shaking his head) I had always told my friends, "I'm in New York. I've seen everything. You can't surprise me anymore." OK, a five-foot turtle with nunchucks breaking up a robbery - yeah, that surprised me.
MICHELANGELO
Helping out Marcus was dumb luck. We'd split up for a second, Leo and I, chasing a couple Foot guys. I saw the guy robbing the place out of the corner of my eye, so I went in and broke it up. Ended up not being the same guy I was chasing, but so what?
MARCUS
The turtle guy told me to call the cops, and I did. As always, they took forever to show up. Michelangelo said, "I won't leave you alone with this guy 'til the cops are here." So we got to chatting.
MICHELANGELO
Marcus was cool. He told me I could get something to drink if I wanted, but I passed. We just talked about the Foot and what we were trying to do. He was interested, and for me, it's always fun to talk to someone new.
LEONARDO
I was looking all over for Michelangelo, and finally found him at Big T Market. Chatting with the clerk! I ran in and asked him what he was doing. He explained the situation - it made sense, but I was still really uncomfortable about him doing that.
MICHELANGELO
I can't help it - I like talking to people.
MARCUS
Leonardo was much quieter - he looked really nervous. But Michelangelo and I kept talking. When we saw the cops pull up, he just said, "Well, see ya around" and they both split out the back. Had to tell the cops that this guy had come in and broken up the robbery. They asked me for a description, and I said, "Well...he was kinda...green." (smiling) I thought they'd think I was insane. But one of them said, "About five feet tall, turtle, with a Japanese sword?" I said, "Um, no. Nunchucks." He just nodded. "We're getting a lot of that recently."
LEONARDO
Marcus ended up being a good friend, and Big T became another market where we were made to feel welcome.
MARCUS
Michelangelo and the rest of them...they're the most polite guys I've ever met in my life. When I told Mr Kyu - he's the owner of the store - when I told him about the robbery, he told me anytime Michelangelo or any of them want something, it's theirs. Doesn't matter if they want a hundred dollars in groceries, they're cool. But every time they come in, they almost never get anything. If they do, they insist on paying for it.
DONATELLO
There are a lot of temptations out in the streets of New York. Well, there are in any city, I guess. At any point, we could've left Splinter. Run off and joined the Foot. Started robbing places on our own. Gotten into the drug trade. But I think Splinter trained us...(pausing) No, it's not really training. He sort of told us what he believed, loved us, and trusted us enough not to do anything. And we didn't.
MICHELANGELO
We broke up a drug deal once, and when the guys ran off, they left a bunch of crack. (long pause) I was curious. I took some with me. I was gonna try it when no one was around. But then I remembered Sensei saying how we weren't sure how food would react with our chemistry, so we had to be extra-careful. I thought, geez, no telling how this stuff's gonna react. Plus, I'd seen too many people strung out on the stuff. Not that everyone who tries it ends up like that or nothing, but when they do get like that, it's real scary. I didn't want to end up like that. So I didn't do it. Tossed it in the sluice. (smiling) Probably the right decision.
MASTER SPLINTER
Letting my sons be themselves proved to be the most difficult thing for me. I had to...trust that they could see a situation, examine the possibilities, and make the correct choice. Their choices have not always been what would have been my choices, but I have never had cause to doubt them. I am most proud of this.
MASTER SPLINTER
Upon reflection, I realize now that by allowing my sons to join me in my battle against the Foot...they were then introduced to the world at large. (pausing) Perhaps by doing so, I was unconsciously pushing them forward. Because, deep down, I knew that once they had observed the outside world, they would not be content to live in the sewers their entire lives.
DONATELLO
I tried to stay focused on the task at hand, but it was hard. I remember sitting on the rooftops, waiting for Sensei to start a battle...and I was staring up at the stars - well, what stars you can see in the middle of New York. I could lose myself doing that. Suddenly, I realized how...huge the world was. So much out there to learn, y'know?
RAPHAEL
Before we took to the streets, Splinter tried to prepare us for what we'd there. But that was a lot of territory to cover. I mean, there's gangs, prostitutes, pushers, police, the homeless, people of different races, ages, beliefs. It just goes on and on. He skipped over some parts - not on purpose, just because there's so much. When we got out there, it was still kind of a shock.
MICHELANGELO
We were focused on kickin' some Foot, but while we were doing that, we also ran into folks who needed help. Sometimes it was the Foot's doing, and sometimes it wasn't.
MASTER SPLINTER
My sons encountered people in distress, which presented a dilemma. Should they offer assistance? To do so would run counter to their ninja training, which demanded that they remain invisible at all times. And yet we did not feel it was right to leave people in peril if we could assist in some way. (pausing) We discussed this issue at some length.
DONATELLO
We couldn't really come up with an answer to that. We all had different takes on it. Mikey was all for helping everyone, and Leo didn't think we should help anyone. The rest of us fell somewhere in between.
LEONARDO
I didn't think we should get involved. That sounds kinda mean now, but I just thought we had enough problems without taking on someone else's. Plus I thought it was dangerous to draw any attention to ourselves.
MICHELANGELO
One of our first nights in teams, I was paired with Raph. We came across some Foot soldiers hijacking a van. After we took them out...(smiling)...we found this woman passed out by the front of the van. [That'd be me. - ed] I decided I couldn't just leave you lying there, so I convinced Raph that we should take you back to the lair.
RAPHAEL
I was like, no way. We can't go taking humans down to our place. But he was stubborn. I guess he was right - we couldn't just leave you there, passed out in an alley. Nowadays, we'd just call 911, but that never occurred to us. So it looked like we were gonna have to take you back. We picked you up and carried you down to the sewers. All the way back to the lair, all I could think was, "This is insane. Leo's gonna blow a gasket."
MASTER SPLINTER
I certainly was not prepared for my sons to bring home an unconscious woman. However, I decided that whatever the story was behind such an action might wait. Our more immediate concern was to take care of you and your injuries.
MICHELANGELO
Sensei immediately put us both to work. He had us move his futon into the main room, get some tea ready, stuff like that. We were about done with that when Leo and Don came back.
LEONARDO
Don and I got back to the lair, and I saw pretty much the last thing I expected - Sensei's futon in the main room, with a woman lying on it. My first thought was that we had been discovered, but Mikey told me that he had brought her home.
RAPHAEL
(grinning) I was right - Leo flipped. "You brought her here? Are you insane?"
MICHELANGELO
I knew Leo would be upset, but I didn't have any idea he'd bug out like that.
RAPHAEL
Splinter broke it up before it really got going, though.
DONATELLO
Splinter was pretty short with us. He said, "If any of you wish to argue about this, you must do so elsewhere. We have an injured woman to look after."
LEONARDO
That sort of shut me up pretty quick. As usual, he was right - it wasn't the time to fight.
MASTER SPLINTER
Your injuries were fairly minor. A few scrapes, and perhaps a mild concussion.
MICHELANGELO
After Splinter sort of snapped at Leo, he just sat in the corner and stared at this woman.
LEONARDO
I was trying to examine my emotions, like Sensei taught us. There were a lot to sort through. I felt Michelangelo had put us in danger, and felt upset that I wasn't consulted - I guess that was my vanity showing through. You know, "I'm the leader, you should check with me" and all that. But there was something else, and it took me awhile to figure it out. (pausing) I felt like our home was...violated in some way. This had always been a place just for us, and now there was this human here. (pausing) I found out I had built up some anti-human prejudice. I hadn't even realized it. (pausing) That took some work to get over.
MASTER SPLINTER
After some time, you began to regain consciousness, and I attempted to prepare you for what you would see.
MICHELANGELO
We started crowding around you, but Splinter waved us back. We had to watch from the sidelines.
DONATELLO
He was trying to set the scene for you, and he was great. I mean, there was a lot to prepare you for, but he got it down in just a few sentences. Something like "Do not attempt to open your eyes just yet. You have received a blow to your head in an attempted mugging. We have brought you somewhere safe where you may recover. My sons and I live down here because we do not look like most humans. You may be somewhat alarmed by our appearance, but please do not panic. We do not wish you any harm."
MICHELANGELO
You finally open your eyes, you see Splinter, and you freak. (smiling) You told us later that it wasn't his appearance really, but because you kinda were scared of rats. [This is the understatement of the year. - ed] And you wake up looking at Splinter - what're the odds?
LEONARDO
We calmed you down fairly quickly. (grinning) I guess turtles don't freak you out as much as rats.
RAPHAEL
Mikey was the only one who recognized you - and not from TV, 'cause we didn't have one then. He remembered you from those billboards that used to have your picture on them.
MICHELANGELO
I suddenly said, "Hey, aren't you that woman on the Channel 6 billboard?" I recognized your face, but I don't think I'd ever read the billboard, really, so I didn't know that you were on the news.
DONATELLO
We spent the night swapping stories. Actually, it was loads of fun to have someone new to talk to. We probably bored you to tears. We finally crawled into bed real late.
LEONARDO
By the end of the night, I no longer felt threatened by you. (smiling) You were nice. And fun to be with. And that was...enlightening.
MICHELANGELO
The next morning, I made you a quickie breakfast, and then we took you back topside. It was actually fun. Probably not so much for you, since you had that bump on your head, and had to meet the giant rat, but for us, it was great.
MASTER SPLINTER
It was my assumption that once you returned topside, we would not see you again. Instead, you became a most welcome friend and ally.
LEONARDO
When we took you to the ladder back to the streets, Mikey said, "Keep in touch!" We all kind of laughed at that. We didn't really think you would. But you did.
DONATELLO
We had two major changes as a result of your little visit. One, Leonardo had me make everyone two-way radios, so we could stay in touch while we were on patrol. And second, we decided if we ever had injured bystanders, we'd call 911, and let the paramedics sort it out.
MICHELANGELO
(smiling) You meet some interesting folks in the alleys of New York.
LEONARDO
We weren't the only ones striking back against the Foot, as it ended up.
CASEY JONES
My real name's Kevin Collinsworth, but if anyone calls me that on the phone, I hang up. It's either a bill collector or my ma. My friends started calling me KC in school, and that really started to stick when I started playing baseball. Y'know, Casey at the bat and all that. (smiling) But just for the record, I hate that Grateful Dead song. Anyway, after school, I got in the minor leagues, played a few years, but then blew out my knee. Had no clue what I was gonna do after that. Finally decided to open a sporting goods store out in my old stomping grounds. I was sure I was gonna fall flat on my face, but actually it did OK. OK enough that I didn't starve, anyway.
FOOT SOLDIER 4
The protection game was perhaps the smoothest part of the Foot organization. One group would go and sort of explain the deal to the shop owners - you know, pay so much money each month, and your place stays safe. They would also tell them what to look for next month. A second group - that was the group I was in - would go around and collect the money. That was the easiest job in the world. We never said anything - just walked in with some sort of identifying mark. We'd all have Colorado Rockies caps on or something, and that was the sign that we were the ones to give the money to. If they didn't get it, we'd just say, "You got anything today?" If they didn't hand us the money, we'd just leave. And then the third group would stop by - the muscle.
CASEY
I wasn't dumb. I knew what a protection racket was. I told 'em I was barely making enough to stay open as it was, and I wasn't about to give that little bit to them. About a week later, the Foot sent some guys over to try to force the money out of me, but that didn't go so well. (grinning) They had to cart one of their guys away.
FOOT SOLDIER 4
If for some reason the muscle couldn't do the job, the Foot would send out a few high-end ninjas to finish it up.
CASEY
I was all proud of myself for fighting them off all by myself, but maybe a week, week 'n' a half later, the store burned down. Foot burned it down. I knew it - heck, everybody knew it. Insurance guy was going through the ashes, and he said, "Did you forget a payment?" I said, "To who?" an' he said, "To the Foot." I mean, they knew about it! Like it was just something you were s'pposed to do!
FOOT SOLDIER 4
The different groups of people made it run smooth, and it kept any one group from being connected to any other group. It was smooth, like everything else in the Foot back then.
CASEY
They messed with the wrong guy. I don't get scared. I get even. I took a day job - not much of one, but it kept me going. I took a few things I salvaged from the fire - baseball bat, golf clubs, hockey mask. Most nights, I couldn't sleep. When that'd happen, I'd put on that mask and go out a-huntin' Foot. They weren't hard to find, least not back then. As soon as I saw one, I'd just start slamming them until they were unconscious. Then I'd go on to find some more. I'd keep going until I felt better, and then I'd go home and go to sleep. Sometimes it'd only take one to calm me down, sometimes a bunch more.
DONATELLO
Raph and I were teamed up that week. We had gone up to the roofs to scope out which alley we wanted to hit. I think we'd passed on a few, but the next one we looked at had three Foot guys running into it.
RAPHAEL
We didn't have any problem looking or waiting, but when we saw Foot running into the alley, we'd be fools not to take it. We were like, hey, jackpot. We leapt down to the alley and took them out in about ten seconds flat. Just as we're finishing off the last guy, this other guy turns the corner.
CASEY
That night, I'd already taken out two, and I was looking for more. Down the street, I saw three of them trying to break into a car. I kinda yelled at them, which was stupid, 'cause they took off running. Yeah, I know - some fighters. I saw them duck into this alley, and I went in after them. By the time I got there, they were all on the ground moaning, and these two...things were standing over them.
DONATELLO
This guy with a hockey mask walks up. He kinda stares at us and says, "What the hell?" Raph just stood there spinning his sai around, grinning. We were assuming he was Foot, you know - maybe one of their leaders. Finally, I said, "We're taking the Foot down, and it looks like you're next." Before I could even get my bo up into position, he said, "Listen, freak, I ain't no Foot. I was chasing down those guys."
CASEY
He sorta stared at me a bit, then said, "Looks like we're allies, then." Then he puts his stick on his back and introduces himself. I was kinda weirded out - I thought he was gonna wanna shake hands, and I wasn't about to touch him. But he didn't stick out his hand, so it was all good.
DONATELLO
I didn't know exactly what his deal was, but I decided it didn't really matter - after all, we didn't know exactly what we were doing, either. So far, we were just knocking around Foot when we saw them - which is what he was doing. I figured it wouldn't hurt for the Foot to have someone else chipping away at them. So I told him to keep it up, but be careful.
RAPHAEL
We warned him there was four of us. We didn't follow any set pattern, but he'd probably run into us from time to time.
CASEY
After that night, I saw them quite a bit. A lot of times I'd just see their leftovers - some Foot guys bent over double or on the ground just groaning. Not even worth hitting them. Other times, I'd pass some Foot guys running for their lives. Wouldn't even have time to whack 'em. I'd watch them go by, turn around, and there'd be these turtles chasing them. They'd say "Hi, Casey" and zoom - they'd be gone.
LEONARDO
We never teamed up or anything back then. We just did our own things, by ourselves, and our paths would cross now and then.
CASEY
It took me forever to tell them four apart. They look the same to me, and I only saw them in the dark on top of that. After a bit, when I met up with them, they just started telling me which ones they were when I first saw 'em. "Hi, Casey - I'm Raphael." (pausing) I didn't know their story then, and really I didn't care. They were bustin' Foot, and that's all that mattered.
DONATELLO
We came across some other folks that didn't have anything to do with the Foot. Lots of homeless guys wanting money or drinks - obviously, we couldn't help there.
MICHELANGELO
Sometimes, if there was leftovers from dinner, I'd make a sandwich or something to carry with me. Pass it out to someone who needed it. Sometimes they were really thankful, other times they'd say, "Don'tcha got any money?" (shrugging) If they said that, I'd just take the sandwich back and head off.
RAPHAEL
Donny came across this prostitute one night - she was gettin' beat up pretty bad. Donny chased the guy off, and sort of had to help her back to her place. When we found out about it, we all gave him hell. "So, did you get something in return?" (smiling) Actually, we all got something in return.
DONATELLO
I never even thought about the fact that she was a prostitute. I just saw her getting beat up, and moved in to help.
SARAH
I been working the streets for a couple years. The first thing you learn is that you're on your own. Ain't nobody gonna help you if you get in trouble. That one night, this guy started wailin' on me in the alley. I tried to scream and run away, but I couldn't get nowhere. Kinda twisted my ankle. All you can do when that happens is hope you don't get killed. But then this freak comes along and saves my butt. (smiling) He was really nice - really weird lookin', but nice. Since I couldn't walk so good, he offered to help me back to my place.
DONATELLO
She had to lean on me a bit to walk, but that was OK. It was getting really late, the streets were deserted, and she lived close by. On the way back, I told her that we were working on undercutting the Foot, which was something she was also in favor of.
SARAH
Them Foot guys? No one liked them none. They didn't actually move into our territory, but, well, they was bad for business, y'know? (laughing) I told him that if I could help him at all, just let me know. We got back to my place, and I knew where this was heading. He was gonna want to come in. (shaking her head) But he didn't. He said, "Well, take care of yourself, Sarah." Then he climbed up the side of the wall and split. (smiling) Just like in the comics. You don't even get to say "thanks".
DONATELLO
Raph ended up helping out Sarah, too, later on. And there were others that kinda got in over their heads, and we had to send their attackers running.
MICHELANGELO
I came across these two guys fighting in an alley. Normally, I don't bother with them - let them duke it out, y'know? But one guy was just wailing on the other. So I knocked the strong guy in the head with my 'chucks, and sort of pushed him around until I got him to take off. The other guy was on the ground, and he was messed up quite a bit, so I stayed with him 'til I knew he was OK. I was always doing that - talking to people. Drove Leo nuts. Anyway, I asked him what the fight was about, and he said he was an escort and the guy didn't want to pay. I had to ask him what an escort was. (grinning) I tried not to gawk, but you know, we were green, in more ways than one. We didn't know this stuff. I got back home and was like, "Dudes, guess what I found out tonight?!"
DONATELLO
We didn't think too much about it. Yeah, we had this woman on our side, but we figured it was no big deal. But apparently, some of them know others, and they know others, and so on.
RAPHAEL
It's not like there's a prostitute union or anything, but they run into each other, and they talk.
SARAH
Don told me he and the others were looking to take out the Foot. So I told the others I knew, I told 'em, "Look, there's these freaky lookin' turtle guys. They're weird lookin', but they helped me out. They're lookin' to take out the Foot, so if you get any dirt on the Foot - any info at all, lemme know." A couple other girls said the turtles helped them out, too, so word got around.
LEONARDO
Without their help, we might not have ever left the "attack and run" phase. As it ends up, these women - well, women and a few guys - were instrumental in taking out the Foot.
MASTER SPLINTER
Their aid showed that good deeds do indeed come around again.
RAPHAEL
There was all sorts of crime going on. For cash, the Foot basically ran the protection game. But if they were short on cash, they'd have one of their lesser soldiers go knock over a store. Some apparently did it without being asked - just to get extra money.
MARCUS
When I started working at Big T Market, the first thing they taught me was what to do when we got robbed. Not if we got robbed - when. Several months later, it happened - guy with a gun, mask, just like on TV. I was kinda nervous, said I couldn't open the safe, and the guy was like, "Yeah, yeah, I know that." Apparently, they had this down to a science. I walked around to the other register to empty it out, and I heard this...well, it was this quiet sound. Like "ooph". And then something falling. I turn around - slow, 'cause I didn't want to get shot - and the guy's gone. Well, not gone, but on the ground - I couldn't see him from where I was. And this turtle guy's standing there spinning his nunchucks around. (smiling, shaking his head) I had always told my friends, "I'm in New York. I've seen everything. You can't surprise me anymore." OK, a five-foot turtle with nunchucks breaking up a robbery - yeah, that surprised me.
MICHELANGELO
Helping out Marcus was dumb luck. We'd split up for a second, Leo and I, chasing a couple Foot guys. I saw the guy robbing the place out of the corner of my eye, so I went in and broke it up. Ended up not being the same guy I was chasing, but so what?
MARCUS
The turtle guy told me to call the cops, and I did. As always, they took forever to show up. Michelangelo said, "I won't leave you alone with this guy 'til the cops are here." So we got to chatting.
MICHELANGELO
Marcus was cool. He told me I could get something to drink if I wanted, but I passed. We just talked about the Foot and what we were trying to do. He was interested, and for me, it's always fun to talk to someone new.
LEONARDO
I was looking all over for Michelangelo, and finally found him at Big T Market. Chatting with the clerk! I ran in and asked him what he was doing. He explained the situation - it made sense, but I was still really uncomfortable about him doing that.
MICHELANGELO
I can't help it - I like talking to people.
MARCUS
Leonardo was much quieter - he looked really nervous. But Michelangelo and I kept talking. When we saw the cops pull up, he just said, "Well, see ya around" and they both split out the back. Had to tell the cops that this guy had come in and broken up the robbery. They asked me for a description, and I said, "Well...he was kinda...green." (smiling) I thought they'd think I was insane. But one of them said, "About five feet tall, turtle, with a Japanese sword?" I said, "Um, no. Nunchucks." He just nodded. "We're getting a lot of that recently."
LEONARDO
Marcus ended up being a good friend, and Big T became another market where we were made to feel welcome.
MARCUS
Michelangelo and the rest of them...they're the most polite guys I've ever met in my life. When I told Mr Kyu - he's the owner of the store - when I told him about the robbery, he told me anytime Michelangelo or any of them want something, it's theirs. Doesn't matter if they want a hundred dollars in groceries, they're cool. But every time they come in, they almost never get anything. If they do, they insist on paying for it.
DONATELLO
There are a lot of temptations out in the streets of New York. Well, there are in any city, I guess. At any point, we could've left Splinter. Run off and joined the Foot. Started robbing places on our own. Gotten into the drug trade. But I think Splinter trained us...(pausing) No, it's not really training. He sort of told us what he believed, loved us, and trusted us enough not to do anything. And we didn't.
MICHELANGELO
We broke up a drug deal once, and when the guys ran off, they left a bunch of crack. (long pause) I was curious. I took some with me. I was gonna try it when no one was around. But then I remembered Sensei saying how we weren't sure how food would react with our chemistry, so we had to be extra-careful. I thought, geez, no telling how this stuff's gonna react. Plus, I'd seen too many people strung out on the stuff. Not that everyone who tries it ends up like that or nothing, but when they do get like that, it's real scary. I didn't want to end up like that. So I didn't do it. Tossed it in the sluice. (smiling) Probably the right decision.
MASTER SPLINTER
Letting my sons be themselves proved to be the most difficult thing for me. I had to...trust that they could see a situation, examine the possibilities, and make the correct choice. Their choices have not always been what would have been my choices, but I have never had cause to doubt them. I am most proud of this.