"Oh," Ellie's new friend whispered as he stood.
"Ellie sic," I said doubling her leash around my wrist. Ellie barked, jumped, drooled, and tugged the leash. The leader and Hispanic kid turned and ran down the street. The quite kid chuckled. "Good girl," I gave a quick tug on her leash. Ellie sat down without another bark.
"You got a cool dog, but she ain't no coonhound." the quite kid said.
"She's a pitbull."
"That's what I thought." The quiet kid smiled.
"I'm James." I extended my hand.
"Jerome." He shook my hand.
***
After sunset, Shannie, Genise, Ellie and I walked the boardwalk. "This works," Genise said. We were at the corner of St. James Place and boardwalk. "Hang here," Genise said placing a duffel bag and boom box at my feet. "We got dibs on this corner. Anyone moves in, start shit. Don't sweat it, no one gonna fight. They gonna move on." Genise was talking about other acts. Spots on the boardwalk were always up for grabs. I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed, sporting a baseball cap on backwards and shades. Having a pitbull helped. I didn't have to wait too long before they reappeared. Seeing them I was glad I wore shades.
Clad in short shorts, a low cut top and inline skates, Shannie looked wonderfully trashy. She coasted on her skates drawing gawks. She winked at me as she approached. She bent over and turned on the boom box and cranked its volume. A crowd formed. Shannie circled backwards on her skates. I couldn't take my eyes off her.
"James, whatever you do…" Genise's voice appeared from nowhere. A cheer rose from the growing crowd. I missed Shannie nailing a back flip, landing on her blades, "…don't move an inch! Got it?"
"Got it," I watched Genise retrieve the duffel bag next to me. "I mean it. Not a fucking inch." She skated away from me on an old pair of quad skates. "Give it up for MS. Montana Fontana." With the skills of a ring master Genise shooed people to the sides, forming a horseshoe around Shannie and me. Shannie did a couple more tricks before Genise and Shannie grabbed my arms and backed me against the wall.
Genise pulled three impressive looking knives from her duffel bag. Genise began juggling them. Reflections of halogen lights glimmered off the polished steel.
"Not bad!" Shannie cried as Genise gathered in the last knife. "Would've been better if they were real."