The Road to the Third World

Chapter 2 Chou Bing’s face contorts as he absorbs still another blow from the group of vicious attackers. The latest strike caused a large gash to open on his cheek bone. Blood flows freely from the wound as he feverishly seeks to bury his head in his arms. Chou wraps his body in a fetal position even as he feels new pain coming from the continuing barrage of flying fists and flailing boots. In the background, he hears the drunken slurs of his assailants as they persist in the savage beating. “You god damned slanty eyed chinks should learn to keep your yellow asses out of this neighborhood. We’re going to fuck you up real good! Maybe you people will learn to stay in Chinatown?” The assault continues as his small frame is kicked around like a rag doll. Suddenly, they stop. Chou peeks from the safety of his folded arms to see four men dressed in black leather jackets swigging beer and laughing. They seem to be huffing in exhaustion from the violent thrashing they just delivered. He hears the voice of another goon. “These people never learn. We kick their asses, send them home and in no time they are back pushing their chink drugs in the zone. We need to deliver a message they will understand! We need to hurt him bad so ----” Another voice interrupts. “I got it!” He slowly unzips a side pocket of his jacket and pulls out a pearl handled object. He pushes a button on the device and a six inch stiletto hops out of the holder. “Maybe if I straighten out those eyes and peel off a little yellow, he won’t be so obvious the next time he sneaks his ass into the zone?” He raises his beer bottle, and the four simultaneously clink their bottles in agreement. Chou hears the words and fear envelopes him. A surge of adrenalin energizes his beaten body, and he jumps to his feet and begins to run towards a light at the end of the dark alley. In the distance, he could see the outline of a stream of by passers. He attempts to yell out for attention, but his vocal cords respond with a raspy whimper. Chou looks back to see the four black jackets in close pursuit. He turns back to the light and attempts to pick up his pace. He is running for his life and he knows it! Suddenly, he trips over the corner of one of the irregular cobblestones which pave the alley. He falls uncontrollably to the hard surface and immediately feels the pain of his old and now, new wounds. He quickly rolls over to resume his escape, but the brush of leather against his face followed by a blow to the back of his head calls a quick end to his flight. “Stand him up boys and muzzle the son of a bitch. It’s time to carve up a chink. I got to give him credit though—the yellow bastard can run!” Immense horror overcomes Chou as he struggles in vain against the jacketed oppressors. He is held firmly by his hands, feet and head and feels powerless to resist. He hears the mechanical click as the pearl handled knife is again opened to reveal the long slim blade. He is trembling uncontrollably as he views the ornate patch behind the oncoming knife. Skulls, crossbones, Pagans from Hell --- Is this the way I am to die? He looks into the face of the man with the knife and sees a bewildering image. The man is smiling hysterically and his lower lip spasms as he draws the knife closer to Chou’s eye. Suddenly, the blade stops as the man admonishes himself. “Not so fast with the eyes. I want to peel you a little first!” The man rips at Chou’s shirt and exposes his torso. Slowly, the knife approaches Chou’s heaving chest. The knife is turned sideways to thinly cut his body. Chou feels a wave of agony as the knife begins its treacherous journey. Chou hears his attacker gleefully announce the surgical intrusion. “Slice and dice boys—slice and dice! Anyone like some yellow meat?” Chou struggles in vain as the knife continues to cut into his flesh. His fear has turned to hatred even as he seems resigned to his fate. Chou looks into his attackers face just as a surprised grimace replaces the lusty grin. The eyes of his assailant roll back into his head and he falls in a lump onto the ground. There is shouting as he views a piece of metal coming in the direction of the men who are holding him. “Take this mother fucker—you’re going to die!” Chou feels the grip on him loosen and he immediately unleashes a series of punches and kicks on one of the stunned aggressors. He hears the deadly thud of the steel and the accompanying screams of pain as it makes contact time and again. In a little less than 30 seconds of relentless attack, three of Chou’s assailants are unconscious on the ground and one is hastily retreating into the darkness of the alley. Chou looks up at his college friend, Todd Robbins, who is holding the bloodied piece of rebar in his hands. “They were going to kill me Todd. If you didn’t come by when you did, I would be dead now!” Todd is shaking as he replies. “What happened to you Charlie? The last time I saw you was in the bar talking with one of the girls. I started to look for you and the girl motioned to the alley. I went outside and heard the noise, and saw the four men holding you. I grabbed the bar and started swinging.” Todd continues to ramble as he notices the slicing wound on Chou’s chest. “Christ-- Charlie—are you all right? It looks like they hurt you bad! What are you doing out here?” Charlie is stumbling towards Todd. “I had to take a piss man. As soon as I walked out the back door, the four guys jumped me and started to beat me. I don’t think they like Chinese people!” Charlie reaches out to embrace Todd. “Man—you saved my life! I owe you everything!” Todd looks at Charlie whose eyes are glistening with emotion. Todd holds his friend up as he responds. ”You would have done the same for me. You’re bleeding badly. I need to get you to a hospital. How do you feel? Should I call for an ambulance?” “Thanks to you, I am okay Todd. I think we can just drive to the hospital. The wounds look worse than they are. I’ll be okay. In fact, I feel more alive than I have for a long time! I do have pretty serious dignity problem though. I think I pissed in my pants! Let’s get out of here before they come back!” Todd supports Charlie as they slowly hobble to the end of the alley. Todd Robbins and Chou Bing have been room mates since starting college at Harvard. It is now late spring of 1977 and they will complete their undergraduate work next week. Today had started rather ordinarily with Charlie visiting some relatives in Boston’s Chinatown. He asked Todd to go along. After the visit, they decided to celebrate their impending graduation with a stop at Boston’s infamous Combat Zone for some special entertainment. They have been to the zone on many occasions and never had a problem. Tonight was different. They didn’t get drunk and they didn’t get laid, but they did develop a special bond that would last a lifetime. Both men had decided to get their master degrees at Harvard. Beyond that, both seem to have divergent paths. Todd planned to go into his father’s real estate business, while Chou was to return to his native China to pursue the business and political interests of his government sponsors. Neither realized that the events of this day would cause them to eventually partner in the greatest social upheaval in the history of mankind. They were to become kindred spirits who would place their common objectives before all other considerations. They didn’t know it then, but they were fated to become the scourge of modern day America.