Donny Watson and The Green Berets

High School

It's Friday night, December 1964 along the Central Coast of California on the Monterey Bay in the coastal town of Carmel. It is wet, foggy, and late in the evening. Donny and John drive through Carmel's oak wooded neighborhood in Donny's silver-blue 1956 Chevy coupe."Look, I know you think this is a bad idea, but I have to do it. If I don't, I'm going to go nuts," Donny blurts out."I know, but you don't have to do it this way, and you sure don't need to do this tonight," John rebuts as Donny pulled up behind a line of parked cars where a party was taking place.The small Carmel streets were not wide enough to handle all of the cars parked on both sides of the road. Donny parked and opened the driver's side door, and stepped out on the street."I have to deal with this tonight and get it over with," he said as he walked to the gate in front of the old New England-style home."Okay," John responds with resignation."But I warned you," John continues as he tries keeping up with Donny as he heads for the front door. Kids crowded the front yard and front door of the house, with loud music coming from inside.Kathy Anne Begley's home sets back from the street, and kids are everywhere talking, laughing, and drinking out of plastic cups full of draft beer.Donny pushes through the front door of the house.Right inside of the front door amongst several young High School girls stands Kathy. Seeing Donny, she rushes over to him and grabs him in a huge hug, "Donny, you came. Oh, hi Johnny."John gives her a nod.Donny, breaking out of the hug, "Have you seen Lindsay?"Kathy, stepping back from the hug, gives him an uncomfortable look, "Didn't she talk to you today?" Donny has a questioning look on his face and grabs Kathy by the arm, "What do you mean? Why would I have talked to her today? Johnny and I have been down in Big Sur all day."Kathy pulls away from Donny's grip and steps right in front of him, "Common up to my bedroom." She takes Donny by the hand and leads him upstairs to her bedroom, weaving through the packed crowd of kids.Donny has a questioning look on his face as he follows her through the living room and up the stairs. At the bedroom door, Kathy pulls him in and locks the door to her room."Lindsay told me she was going to call you today and let you know," Kathy explains."Let me know what," Donny asks?"Donny, Lindsay is breaking up with you. She tried to tell you today," Kathy tells him."What do you mean, she is breaking up with me," Donny yells back."Where the hell did all of this come from," he gasps.Kathy tries to calm him down as she stands, holding his arms, "Donny, Lindsay got back with Cord. They're back together."Donny is shocked and pulls away from her and throws his arms up in frustration, "Oh, great. Cord! My favorite guy on the planet. When did all of this happen?"Kathy continues, "They got back together a couple of days ago. She didn't want to hurt you, but I guess she still likes Cord."Donny turns away from her and walks to the door. He turns back to her, "I take it she is not here, with her new boyfriend, or should I say, her old boyfriend. Right?"Kathy walks over to him and touches his arm, "They're coming later, I think. Listen, Donny. I'm so, so, sorry about this. I know how you must feel."Donny turns and unlocks the door and doesn't say another word to her as he walks out the bedroom door.He storms down the steps, pushing through the crowd, and grabs John by the shoulder, "We're leaving!"John looks at Donny with disbelief, "We just got here. What are you talking about?"Donny pulls John up to him, face to face, "We gotta get out of here now!"John looks into Donny's face and sees extreme anger, "Okay man, okay, let's go."John follows Donny as they both walk out to the front door and start down the steps. Donny comes to an abrupt stop at the bottom of the steps, with John running into him from behind. John, "What the..."Coming through the front gate of Kathy's house is Cord, with his arm around Lindsay's waist, walking right directly in the path of Donny and John. Cord is a big stocky guy with trouble written all over his face and demeanor. Everybody at the party entrance moves out of his way as he enters the front gate."Well, well, well. Look who we have here," Cord drawls in his low, gruff voice.Lindsay haltingly looks at Donny, embarrassed, "Donny, I tried to call, but you weren't answering. I'm sorry."Cord butts in, "Who cares, honey. Nobody gives a shit about this punk. Watson, get the fuck out of here. I don't want to see your ugly ass around here. You get me?"Donny looks at Lindsay and then back to Cord.Cord walks up to Donny and get's right in front of his face, "Did you hear me punk," with spittle splattering on Donny's face?Donny tries to back away from Cord as he grabs his shirt from the front with his huge paws and pulls him back to his face, "I've had enough of you around here punk."Donny struggles to no avail as Cord slams his other fist right into Donny's left eye.Donny drops to the ground holding his bruised eye.Kathy runs up to Cord and pulls at his arm, "You leave him alone Cord!"Cord reaches down and pulls Donny back up, and slams him in the side of his face, dropping Donny to the ground a second time.Cord then kicks Donny in the stomach, and he curls up in a ball, holding his stomach to protect himself, grunting, "Ugghhh."Kathy kneels down and holds on to Donny, "Cord, you are not welcome here. Get out!"Cord takes Lindsay by the arm, "I really didn't want to be at your party anyway. Let's go, Lindsay," taking her by the arm and stalking out of the front gate as all of the party-goers part, leaving them a clear path.Lindsay is looking back at Kathy with a sorry look on her face.Kathy is bent over Donny and John kneels down next to her. Donny is curled up in a ball on the ground holding his stomach moaning, "Uhhhh!"Kathy caresses Donny's back, "Donny, I'm so sorry. Are you alright?"Donny looks up at her grimacing, "Do I look alright to you?"He struggles to get to his feet, while John helps him up, "Let's go," he grunts. Donny leans on John as Johns helps him to walk."Donny, come inside and we'll get a doctor for you," Kathy pleads as she watches Donny heading for the front gate.Donny looks back holding his stomach, "I'm fine. I need to get out of here."John helps Donny through the crowd and out to his car, "Heh, can you drive man? I'll drive if you like."John helps Donny to the driver's seat and helps him into the car.Donny grunts as he sits down in the driver's seat, "I'll be okay. Hop in, let's get the fuck out of here." They drive away from the party at Kathy's and don't look back.