Scorpions

Mama badly burns her hand in an ironing accident, instinctively (but unnecessarily) trying to protect Sassy from getting burned. Jamal can see that she’s in pain, but she downplays it. When Jamal gets to school, Dwayne teases him for having an un-ironed shirt. They kick each other, setting up another fight. There was no winner of the first one, so Jamal isn’t afraid, but he doesn’t especially feel like fighting. Children are already gathered to watch, so Jamal goes through with it even though Tito suggests that they split. They are locked in a painful tussle when two mail carriers pull the boys apart. Jamal’s shirt is ripped, and Dwayne has dog poo on his pants. Incensed, the bigger, 14-year-old Dwayne vows to carry on tomorrow.

Tito accompanies Jamal home. Tito thinks that Jamal technically won the fight. Jamal says that he’ll fight again tomorrow if need be. Jamal puts on Tito’s sweater to cover up his torn shirt, but Mama is at work anyway. He gets cleaned up and tries on the smaller of Randy’s two Scorpions jackets, which “was still a little too big for him, but not by much” (72).

The next day, the whole school is talking about yesterday’s fight and anticipating its continuation. Between Mama and Randy, Jamal has other things on his mind. When Mrs. Rich calls on him to answer a math question, he’s thinking about Mama coming home late because her burned hand slowed her down at work. He can’t answer, and she scolds him for not paying attention.

Dwayne starts to harass him again during last period, but this time, the teacher catches him and makes him stay for after-school detention. Jamal doesn’t want other children to think that he’s scared, so he’s hanging out in front of the school when Mack finds him and wants to talk. Jamal waits for Tito to accompany him. Mack tells them that he’s informed the Scorpions that Jamal is their new leader even though they want to vote on it. There is a meeting today, and Mack wants Jamal to stake his claim, pistol in hand. Although Tito still thinks that Jamal should not join the gang, he says that he will too if Jamal is in it. He thinks that they might be able to “do some good things” by being part of the group and take care of each other (78). Jamal takes the gun from Mack, who will be accompanying Jamal as his warlord, and follows Mack to the meeting.

Mack leads Jamal and Tito to the Scorpions’ “base,” which is an old, boarded-up firehouse behind Marcus Garvey Park that they can access through a window at the back. The rest of the members are already there, watching a kung fu movie. The meeting starts informally, with two members called Angel and Indian challenging Jamal’s leadership since he is so young and inexperienced. Mack says that Randy is still the leader of the gang, and he wants Jamal to take his place while he’s in jail. Mack threatens Indian to stop him questioning Randy’s decision.

Jamal is not sure what to do. He opens his coat, thinking about giving back the gun, but as soon as he does that, the other members see that he has a “piece” in his hand. Instead of giving the gun back, Jamal allows Mack to say that Jamal is a killer like his brother, which is why he has the “heart” to run the gang. The other members grudgingly accept his leadership, and Jamal assumes the role. Then they turn to questioning Tito’s membership. Jamal insists that Tito is now a member. The rest of the members are between 14 and 16. They think that Tito looks like a child. They pause their conversation to watch a fight scene in the film. Jamal and Tito then get up to go. As they depart, Indian tells Jamal that he doesn’t have anything against him personally.

Jamal and Tito agree to meet in Central Park the following day to try shooting the gun. They chat about the meeting and the fireman poles in the clubhouse. Tito think about how he could be a firefighter and save lives.

Jamal returns home and hides the gun in the couch. Sassy comes out of the bathroom and tells him that their dad, Jevon, was at the apartment earlier. Sassy reports that he said that he was getting a new job and could give them some money, but Jamal is dubious because Jevon says that all the time. Jevon is supposed to come back later with some McDonalds for dinner. Jamal thinks about his dad. Jevon Hicks used to live with them, but it was so long ago that Jamal can’t really remember what it was like. Jevon lost a job and started drinking too much. The more he drank, the more abusive he became toward Mama, until one morning, she took the children and left. They stayed with a family member for a few days until Mama found a new apartment for them. She has been caring for the three kids ever since. Jevon used to visit frequently, but now he only comes around once in a while. Jamal is sad about how both his father and older brother have made Mama unhappy, “taking a little piece of [her] with them that they couldn’t bring back” (88).

Jamal goes into Sassy’s bedroom and draws his favorite subject from her window, the little garden behind their apartment building, which he’s sketched many times before. The courtyard used to be filled with garbage, but the landlord of the building next door cleaned it up and planted a garden for everyone to enjoy. As Jamal sketches, he thinks about the Scorpions. He admits to himself that he’s afraid of them, but he knows that they are afraid of Mack and the gun. He’s worried about fighting Indian, who is tough and wild, but Jamal hopes that the gun will protect him.

Mama returns from the shop. She asks if Jevon is there and is disappointed but not surprised to see that he is not. However, Jevon arrives and greets everyone in a familiar way. He asks Jamal about school and threatens to “straighten him out” with a belt if he doesn’t try harder (93). Jamal tears up. He wishes that Jevon were somewhere far away like Tito’s dad.

Jevon suggests that they all go to Coney Island sometime. Mama reminds him that they need money for Randy’s appeal. Jevon claims that he can get half of the $2,000. He thinks that Jamal should step up and be a “man” to help earn the rest. Sassy defends Jamal by saying he’s too young, and Mama defends him by saying that he already helps out a lot around the house. Jevon stays until 11 o’ clock, watching TV. Jamal can tell that Mama is pleased to have him there. He’s relieved to see Jevon go, but he feels upset. His dad always makes him feel like he’s doing something wrong. Jamal is not sure how to be a man.

The next morning, Jamal brings the gun with him to school in a paper bag. It “feels heavier” now. In math class, Dwayne challenges Jamal to another fight. They agree to meet in the storeroom at noon. Jamal goes to find Tito, who agrees to put the gun in the storeroom for him, provided that he promises to get rid of it after the fight. Jamal goes back to his class where Dwayne continues to harass him. Jamal thinks that if the gun shut Indian up, it will definitely shut Dwayne up. He worries about what might happen if Dwayne gets the gun from him, but the thought of Dwayne laughing at him overwhelms his concerns.

A crowd gathers to witness the fight. Jamal argues that he will not go into the storeroom to fight unless it’s just him and Dwayne. The crowd is displeased. Dwayne agrees to go in alone, and Jamal locks the door behind them.

Dwayne initially gets the better of the fight, landing punches and kicks. When he’s distracted by Jamal ripping his shirt, Jamal grabs the bag that Tito left on the shelf for him and pulls out the gun. Dwayne thinks that it’s fake at first, but as soon as Jamal says that he’s the leader of the Scorpions and shows him that it’s real, he begins to break down. He cowers on the floor and begs Jamal not to shoot. With adrenaline racing, Jamal kicks him again and again. He leaves and warns that Dwayne will “be dead” next time.

Jamal races through the crowd and out of school, ignoring Tito and a teacher calling for him. Crying, he instinctually heads for the boat basin. Jamal is wracked with anxiety about the consequences of his actions. He believes that he will be kicked out of school and possibly sent to jail. He imagines that he may never see Mama and Sassy again. He blames Dwayne for his predicament.

He wonders what to do with the gun and reflects on how everything in his life has suddenly changed for the worse in an instant. He wonders if that’s how Randy felt after the stickup that landed him in jail. Still, Jamal can’t help but acknowledge that the gun was the only way that he could have won the fight with Dwayne. Having it means that people don’t “mess with you” (109).

At the boat basin, Jamal sees two women in jogging suits carrying shopping bags. He wishes that he was part of their circle and realizes how different his life would be if he was. While they go into a boat, two teenagers come up to the railing near him, one Spanish and one Black. Jamal grabs hold of the gun and they move on. Jamal heads to 42nd Street, and Tito calls to him while he’s on his way.