Greenlights

by Matthew McConaughey

“I do know that. I got you that job at Gensco, boy; you wouldn’t have that account if it wasn’t for me. Where’s your loyalty lie, son? With your old man or Don fuckin Knowles?!” “Now, Dad, you know that ain’t fair.” “What ain’t fair, boy?! You too good now to roll pipe with your old man like we used to? Huh? You too big-time now, boy?!” Oh shit. “Now, Dad, easy…” Dad took off his shirt. “No, let’s see how big-time you are now, boy. You think you’re man enough not to listen to your old man? You gonna have to whup him to prove it.” “Now, Dad, I don’t wanna—” Whop! Dad walloped an open-palmed right hand across Mike’s face. Mike stumbled a step back, then straightened up and started rolling up his sleeves. “So this is how it’s gonna be?” Mike said. “Yep, this is how it’s gonna be, c’mon, boy.” Dad was six four, 265 pounds. Mike was five ten, 180. Oh shit. Dad, now crouched, stepped in with a right hook across Mike’s jaw. Mike went down. Dad stalked toward him. On the ground, gathering himself, Mike saw a five-foot 2 x 4 lying on the ground next to him. Just as Dad came in for another blow, Mike grabbed that 2 x 4 and baseball-bat swung it across the right side of Dad’s head. Dad stumbled back, sincerely dazed but still on his feet. “Now stop it, Dad! I don’t wanna fight you and I ain’t stealin Don Knowles’s pipe tonight!” Dad, bleeding from his ears, turned and leveled Mike with another right hook. “Like hell you’re not, boy,” he said as he prowled in on his son on the ground....