New York, 9:42pm

After a rough night I found myself sitting at a local bar in downtown New York. I thought prison was bad, don't give me wrong it was, but this life I had pursued once again on the outside was no cake walk. Got released not even a month ago, and already I been shot at more times then I could count, my shop was set on fire, and to top it all off I had a body count that was beginning to pile, which I was sure would attract the cops at some point.

I stayed and put down a few glasses of whiskey. About an hour passed, as I lit up a smoke and kept to myself, at least until a familiar face showed up with one of his buddies. They both sat at the bar, loud and obnoxious. Drink after drink, just got louder and louder. I blocked it all out until I heard that familiar face utter something as he recognized me sitting behind him.

"Jimmy!, guy I did time with, prison made him...soft!." He burst out laughing with his friend, thinking I didn't hear him.

I walked over to the bar and sat beside him, placing my smoke in the ashtray. My right arm on the bar, left was by my side as I was leaned to the left sitting sideways in the stool. He turned slowly and locked eyes with me. "Eddie Cirone!, long time no see."

He acted happy to see me, while his friend just stared at me. "Jimmy!, you son of a bitch how are ya?."

I chuckled a bit before answering him. "Was doing good, was just sitting down having a drink. Then I hear you call me soft!...think Im soft Eddie?!." He stared at me with a stunned look at first denying what he had said.

I picked up my smoke and took a drag, then placed it back in the ashtray, exhaling the smoke slowly. "Trying to be a big shot  in front of your friends!, then back up what you say, something you never did in the can!."

He took a deep breath in anger, looked back at his friend then looked at me. "Know what Jimmy, I did call you soft!, and you something...you can fuck yourself!, I don't give a fuck who ya friends are!."

At that point there was this switch, a new perspective on things, at least that's how it felt. I quickly pondered the incident with my good friend John_Shoaltz and Freddie_Lou. I realized that prison was a thing of the past, and in this business it was eat or get eaten. I looked at Eddie and chuckled. Seconds after the chuckle, with my right hand I slid Eddie's drink off the bar, while taking my left hand and firmly gripping the back of his head. His nose exploded into the bar sending him to the ground. His friend starts to stand as I look in his direction. "SIT THE FUCK BACK DOWN!."

He went from half standing, back to sitting in a hurry. I took another drag of my smoke, kneeling down to the ground. I grabbed ahold of Eddie's shirt and pulled him up closer. "Next time you call me soft, back up your fucking words. I see you again I'll fucking bury you!." I quickly look to his friend and reply, "and you too!."

I stand back to my feet and give Eddie a swift kick to the side. His friend flinches, as I take one last puff of my smoke before putting it out in the tray.

"Now pick up ya friend and get him out of here!. Don't forget what I said. And if you think I'm joking...make the mistake of showing your face around here again!."

His buddy quickly grabbed Eddie and got out as fast as possible. I took a seat at the bar and ordered another drink. the bartender just nodded and went back to doing his job. when he placed my drink down, I slid a hundred dollar bill towards him and said "you saw nothing, understood?."

He responded with a quick "yes sir." After that I enjoyed one last drink before heading out.

I couldn't help but feel like it was the first time I let loose since being released from the can. But I knew this was how it needed to be and I needed to go back to my old self, and I wasn't letting anyone stop me!.