A Matter of Conviction

(But Danny clamps his hand onto Bud’s shoulder a second time. This time he does not spin him around. He pulls him backward, off balance, and through the open door of the candy store, hurling him onto the street against the snow banked near the curb. Bud strikes the snow and then leaps erect, bracing himself with the natural instincts of a street fighter. It is very cold on the street and, as a result, the street is almost empty. The two boys face each other, their breaths pluming from their open mouths. Bud is the first to move. He comes at Danny with his fists clenched, and Danny sidesteps agilely and — as Bud passes — clobbers him at the back of his head, swinging both hands, which are clenched together like a mallet. Bud feels the blow. It knocks him off his feet and to the pavement. He is still on the ground when the other boys swarm out of the candy store. Concho makes a move toward Danny, but Diablo stops him.

Bud is on his feet now. There is no anger on his face. All rage has been replaced by the cold deadening logic of the battle. He knows now that Danny is not a pushover. He knows, too, that he is being watched by the other boys in the gang, and that his honor is at stake. Without hesitation, moving intuitively and economically, he reaches into his pants pocket, takes out a switch blade and snaps it open.)

BUD: Okay, pal.

DANNY: You better put that away before I ram it down your throat.

BUD: We’ll see who’s gonna ram what where!

(He charges at Danny, the knife extended. He is kicked instantly and excruciatingly in the groin, the impetus of his rush adding to the power of the blow. He doubles over, the knife still clenched in his hand. Danny reaches down, seizing him by the collar, jerking him to his feet and slamming him up against the snowbank. The knife drops from Bud’s hand. Danny hits him once, a short sharp blow that drops Bud to the pavement again. He lies there very still as Danny picks up the knife, steps on the blade and snaps it off at the handle. He reaches down for Bud then, rolls him over and counts out twenty-seven cents in change from his pocket, no more, no less. The other boys watch. Danny gets to his feet and faces them.)

DANNY: Anybody else want to settle this now? Or do I wait for some dark night to get stabbed in the back?

DIABLO: What’s your name, kid?

DANNY: Danny Di Pace. What’s yours?

DIABLO: I’ll ask the questions.

DANNY: Yeah? Ask some to your crumby friend on the sidewalk. I got better things to do than stand around with you. (He starts off down the street.)

DIABLO: Hey! Hey, Danny!

DANNY (stopping, turning): Yeah?

DIABLO (grinning): My name’s Diablo Degenero. (He pauses.) Why don’t you come have a hot chocolate?

DANNY (pausing, then returning the smile): Okay, I think I will.

“Why’d you let him get away with it?” Hank asked.