September 1, 1974
The morning of my first day at school arrived. Big Hank drove me to the bus stop in his banged-up pick-up, cursing the whole way.
"Can't believe I'm wasting gas taking your fat ass to this place," he grumbled. "Only reason I ain't gambling away your tuition is I might win big today."
We pulled up and he cut the engine. "Bet your favorite subject's gonna be lunch, porky," he sneered. "With that gut of yours, school oughta be an all-you-can-eat buffet!"
Ma laughed like it was the funniest thing. I stared at my oversized shoes, tears pricking my eyes. Why did they have to humiliate me so?
The humiliation on the bus played over in my mind as I trudged through the schoolyard. That's when I spotted trouble brewing - two bigger kids were playing keep-away with some scrawny kid's lunchbox.
Before I knew it, my feet were carrying me into the fray. I barrelled into one kid, sending the lunchbox flying. Snatching it up, I wheeled to face the other goon charging me. Fueled by years of pent-up rage, I reared back and laid him out with a messy right hook.
Panting, I looked up to see a Mexican kid gazing at me with an unreadable expression. Handing him back the lunch, I mumbled "I believe that's yours."
He broke into a smile. "Holy shit, that was close. Thought I was screwed for sure. Thanks man, I owe you one."
I shrugged, suddenly shy. "Hank."
"Gomie. Well, Gomez but everyone calls me Gomie." He slapped my meaty shoulder. "You ever need anything, I got your back. Let's get out of here."
Gomie and I walked side by side in a comfortable silence at first, the school looming ahead. I glanced over at him, taking in his relaxed grin and kind eyes, so different from the sneers I was used to.
"So uh, thanks again for back there," Gomie said, breaking the quiet. "Those guys are always messing with me."
I shrugged. "Ain't right, what they were doing. And I'm used to scrapping."
Gomie nodded knowingly. "Figured as much, way you laid that kid out. Where you from, Hank?"
"Shitty trailer park outside ABQ," I replied. No use hiding it.
"Yeah? My fam's from a neighborhood off Gibson, ain't much better." Gomie chuckled. "Bet your folks are real winners, huh?"
A familiar surge of shame and anger rose in me. I stared hard at the ground as we walked. "You could say that," was all I muttered.
To my surprise, Gomie didn't press like others would. He just nodded again, like he got it.