As if it mattered. Nevin grabbed him by the knot of his necktie and rammed his head into the left front hubcap of the sedan. With all three on the ground, Nevin returned to Brewer and kicked him twice in the groin, the second blow crunching his testicles and making him grunt like a dying animal.
Nevin jumped in the car and calmly drove away as if nothing had happened. As they left the lot, Hugh glanced back. All three were still down, though the second rescuer was on all fours and trying to collect himself.
Minutes passed before they spoke. Finally, Nevin said, “You want some ice cream?”
“Uh, sure.”
“There’s a Tastee-Freez just up the road here,” Nevin said nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened. “Best banana shakes on the Coast.”
“Okay.” Hugh was still in disbelief but had some questions. “Those guys back there, will they call the police?”
Nevin laughed at such foolishness. “No. They’re not stupid. If they call the police, then I’ll call Brewer’s wife. The laws of the jungle, son.”
“You’re not worried about them?”
“Why? What’s to worry about?”
“Well, that first guy, Brewer, he might be hurt.”
“I hope so. That’s the point, young Hugh. You hurt ’em but you don’t kill ’em. He just got a message he’ll never forget, and he won’t be slapping around our girls anymore.”
Hugh just shook his head. “That was pretty amazing. You took down three of them in no time flat.”
“Well, son, let’s just say that I’ve had some experience.”
“So, you do this all the time?”
“No, not all the time. Most of our customers know the rules. Occasionally, we’ll get an ass like Brewer back there and have to run him off. More often, though, it’s some flyboys who get drunk and start fighting.”
Nevin turned in to the Tastee-Freez and parked at the drive-in. He ordered two large banana shakes and turned on the radio to WVMI Biloxi, which happened to be Hugh’s favorite too.
“You ever boxed?” Nevin asked.
Hugh shook his head.
“I used my fists a lot when I was a kid. Had to. One of my uncles boxed in the army, before he got kicked out, and he taught me the basics. And we didn’t always use gloves. When I was sixteen I knocked him out. He said I had the quickest hands he’d ever seen. He encouraged me to join the army or air force, primarily to get the hell out of the mountains, but also to box on organized teams.”
Nevin lit a cigarette and glanced at his watch. Hugh looked at his hands and fingers and saw no signs of the beating.
Hugh asked, “Did you box at Keesler?”
“Some, yeah, but it was more fun fighting the Yankees who were always putting us down. I stayed in trouble and they finally kicked me out. Plus, I hated wearing a uniform.”
A cute girl on skates rolled to their car and delivered the milkshakes. When they were back on Highway 90 and headed for Biloxi, Nevin felt the need to offer more worldly advice to his young protégé. After a long pull on his straw he said, “This girl you’re seeing, Cindy. Don’t get too attached, okay? I know, I know, right now you’re all aglow with puppy love, but she’s nothing but trouble.”
“You fixed me up.”
“Sure I did, but you’ve had your fun, so move on. As you’ll learn, there are plenty of women out there.”
Hugh worked his straw and absorbed this unsolicited advice.
Nevin said, “She’ll be gone before you know it. They come and go. She’s too pretty to hang around. She’ll go back home and marry some old boy from church.”