Bob's Mistake

After getting back home, I looked up my school schedule for Friday, May 4th, and tried to find the books I was supposed to bring to school. It took me some time, but I managed to assemble what I thought were the right books.

Setting my alarm clock for 7:30, I lay down and tried to fall asleep. But it took a long time for my mind to relax. It spun at the speed of sound with stock tickers and events that were to come.

Thankfully, I hadn't come back to September of last year, but even now, the events of 9/11 must be still fresh in people's minds.

I was able to get a few hours of sleep, and right after waking up, I confirmed that none of this was a dream.

I was still here, in flesh and bones and this was a chance to get those flesh and bones in shape and make it stay that way.

I quickly did two sets of 50 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 50 leg raises. I felt my muscles burning. 

I left my room.

To the left was my parent's bedroom and in front was the bathroom.

I attempted to open the door, but it was closed.

I knocked.

"You are out of luck!" Sydney yelled from inside.

I guess I needed to wait.

"Come eat, Jack!" my mother called out from the kitchen.

As I walked in, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sight of my mother busy at the stove greeted me.

I took a seat at the table, grateful for the sandwiches with cheese and ham that my mother had prepared. The food tasted unusually good.

Being here still felt somewhat unreal.

Across from me, my father sat hastily eating a sandwich, with a grey bag resting on his shoulder.

"Cough! Cough!" He suddenly began coughing, his face turning slightly red. 

My eyes widened.

I had completely forgotten...

"Dad, I think you should consider checking up on your health more often," I said earnestly.

"I just choked on the sandwich," he replied between coughs.

"I'm just saying," I persisted gently. "I want you to live as long as possible."

He looked at me, a hint of irritation in his eyes.

My father worked at a company that traded chemicals. That meant that he was exposed to who knows what daily. If he doesn't start taking his health seriously now, he will die in 2015 at the young age of 55, leaving my mother alone. 

Because I didn't have time for my mom, she later fell into depression, spending her last days in a retirement home.

I really regret all my decisions.

"I've seen you coughing a lot lately," I continued, my voice softer now.

"Jack's right, dear," my mother said gently, "Maybe it's time to get a check-up. Just to be sure."

"I'll think about it," father muttered, then got up and left in a hurry.

Mother looked at me with a smirk.

"Worrying about your old man, huh? What happened to you? Yesterday, you were acting strange as well..."

I chuckled nervously, "I'm just worried that's all."

"Don't worry. Your father's stubborn, but he will come around."

I quickly ate my sandwich and then hurried to take a shower. Afterward, I threw on the same clothes as yesterday. Man, I needed to buy some new clothes soon.

Once I was dressed, I grabbed my things and headed out.

Who would have known, the young McCoy was already waiting for me.

"Yo, Jack!" Jacob greeted with a nod and a wave.

"Yo, Jacob," I replied, walking up and clasping his hand firmly.

"Whoa, what's with the energy today?" Jacob winced slightly as I squized his hand a bit too hard.

"Sorry about that."

As we walked to school, Jacob slipped into one of his daydreams again. This time, the story was that he was smoking weed at a party that Ashley, one of the popular girls at school, threw yesterday and got handsy with a few girls.

I wasn't sure if the party even happened, but I knew the rest was pure fiction. 

I didn't want to entertain his fantasies, and I think he was catching up on the fact that something was different about me, because there were moments of silence as we walked.

As we got to the front of the school, I spotted groups of teenagers milling about—the elite, the losers, some girls giggling.

Just as I was about to head in, Jacob stopped me with a hand on my arm.

"Hey, man. I think it's better if we go the other way," he said, leaning in with a knowing look.

"Why?" I asked, following his gaze.

"See Bob over there? He is with his asshole friends." Jacob nodded towards a group of three guys.

One had a darker complexion, and looked like he could pack a punch. Both Bob and the other guy were lighter-skinned.

Bob was a football player so I guessed that these were his teammates

It was childish, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were standing there waiting for me. One wrong move and suddenly you were the target.

This wouldn't be the first time they have beaten someone up. Some of the teachers would even defend them, because they were great players that they didn't want to lose.

I looked up at the school walls, scanning until I spotted what I was looking for—a camera.

"Come," I said to Jacob, leading the way directly towards Bob and his crew.

"Are you serious?" Jacob asked incredulously. "He's got his boys with him. I could handle him one-on-one any day, but with his crew jumping in..."

"No worries, they won't, " I assured him with confidence. "Just watch. Stay back and let me handle this."

Reluctantly, he followed.

"Trust me," I assured him.

As we approached the gang of bullies, Bob himself eyed us and stepped forward, blocking our paths. To our right was the school gate, and to our left was the road, with cars passing by.

"You've got some nerve showing your face here," Bob sneered, his eyes darting between me and Jacob. "You owe me, man. You cost me a date with my girl."

I met Bob's gaze without flinching. "You're not getting anything from me."

He looked at me in shock. I think that he would have backed down right there except for the fact that a group of senior girls were happening by at that particular moment and, hearing my words, stopped to see what would happen.

"What did you say, you little pussy?" Bob acted toughly.

My 49-year-old self felt a pang of disappointment in what I was about to say, but there was no way I would back down to an insult like that.

"I said, why don't you suck my dick, blockhead? That is if you're not too tired from fuckin' your mom all night."

"You gonna let him say that shit to you, Bob?" one of his friends asked, taunting him.

"You're dead, motherfucker," Bob said, walking towards me with his fists clenched and raised up.

He swung a wild punch at my face, which, had it connected, would probably break a bone or two, but I swayed to the side, narrowly avoiding his fist.

I moved down, and raised my elbow, driving it into his stomach right above his kidney.

A sharp cry escaped as his hands fell to his sides and he staggered forward.

I swept at his supporting leg, sending him crashing to the ground, caughing and spitting out some of his breakfast.

He moved to sit on his ass and looked at me with a stupid expression of shock. His friends gaped, surprised at this development and the girls all erupted in fits of laughter.

His face turned red with anger. He jumped up and charged at me, intent on tackling me to the ground.

He threw his weight forward, but I easily sidestepped around him.

Lifting my right foot off the ground, I planted it firmly against his rear end, giving him a forceful push. 

He became airborn.

He crashed onto the pavement, scraping his hands and knees and banging his head, leaving him dazed.

I felt like kicking him in the face one last time to make him think twice about bullying someone, but that would be considered unlawful self-defense.

His pals were staring at me, mouths agape in disbelief. In just a minute, they could have crushed me to death, but I had faith they wouldn't.

They were about to graduate from high school, and both of them were potential recruits for football teams around the United States. They wouldn't want to get into any trouble.

I locked gazes with them. "You guys want some of this too?" I asked toughly.

None of them answered. They averted their eyes from me, trying to find other things to stare at.

"Get the fuck out then," I commanded and they instantly obeyed, moving quickly down the path to the school's entrance.

I looked up to see the faces of disbelief and awe on Jacob, the girls, and all the other kids. 

I grinned shyly. "None of you saw anything, did you?" I asked.

Bob was moaning on the ground and holding his side. They all looked at him for a moment and then back at me.

"No." was the inevitable response.

"Good," I said simply, walking to the school entrance.

I looked back at Jacob, who was still stuck in place, staring at Bob. "Are you coming?" I asked.

"Huh?" He almost jumped. "Oh, for sure."