Joey Cloudy online

Isaiah Jones vs the Sea (A 21st Century Odyssey)

One Punch Girl: Aftermath*

Isaiah regained consciousness the next morning, 75 nautical miles west of Kingston, Jamaica, with only fragmented memories of what had happened the day before. Mau Mau’s excited barks alerted Penny and Aeon that he was awake. Aeon set the autopilot, and they both rushed to his cabin to see him now that he was finally awake. He was out for less than 12 hours with no apparent signs of skull fracture after being struck on the back of his skull with an axe handle.

Aeon handed Isaiah a bottle of water. He sat on the edge of his berth took a sip as Penny brought him up to speed on what had occurred in the last 12 hours while Aeon continued her examination: the unprovoked attack by a mob of drunken dock workers in Kingston, how they escaped with the help of other dock workers who were not drunk and looking for a fight when they saw the Exodus arrive, and how Aeon had motored them out of the docks and they had been sailing west full speed for the last 12 hours, waiting for him to regain consciousness. Aeon even had the forethought to phone Sybil in Havana and have her meet them in Estancia Kenaja, Nicaragua, instead of Kingston, Jamaica, once she completed her work in Cuba.

It would take them nearly two weeks to reach the eastern coast of Nicaragua. He sat up on the edge of the berth, the back of his skull still aching from where he had been struck with the axe handle by one of the drunk Jamaican dock workers who had managed to sneak up behind him during the melee, the blow knocking him unconscious. Still feeling a bit disoriented, his memories of the events were fuzzy, so much so that he wondered if they were his own memories or his internalization of Aeon and Penny’s story. He remembered Pen getting into a scrap with some locals in Kingston and the two of them holding their own on the narrow pier, but he had no idea how he got back on the ship. Aeon and Penny helped him to the salon, where he sat down on the portside bench directly across from the galley, still groggy and still struggling to piece it all together.

Aeon kept giving him water, insisting he get hydrated as she was still in doctor mode, and continued to check his vital signs. First, she grabbed her med kit, retrieved her stethoscope, placed it against his chest, and listened to his heartbeat. Then, she took his temperature as well as his pulse, insisting he sit still and be quiet as she did so. Next, she shone a penlight into each of his eyes; they were dilating properly. Even having him follow the light just using his eyes, not turning his head. His pulse was normal, and there was no blood leaking from his eyes, ears, or nose, nor were there any other external signs of hemorrhaging; he also had no fever. The swelling was already going down where he had been struck.

“Other than that bump on the back of your head, you seem to be in pretty good shape, Darlin’”. Aeon drawled with her Mississippi accent, assuring him he would be ok. It was at times like these, as Penny watched Aeon conduct her physical examination of Izzy, that she realized Aeon was indeed a doctor of marine biology, the key words being “doctor” and “biology.” She knew exactly what she was doing. The woman had spent the last 5 years traveling around the world assisting teams of veterinarians that operated on everything from injured sea lions to orcas. Nursing them back to health after their surgery, before releasing them back into the wild.

“If you hadn’t woken up when you did, I was going to call in a chopper to have you flown to the nearest hospital. You’re not going to take a watch for the next few days or be alone on deck, just to be safe. Now, sit tight.” She kissed him on the forehead. “I’m going to make you some tomato basil soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Drink all of that water, she commanded. I need to know when you next urinate as well as defecate. Right now, I need you to eat.”

Aeon didn’t tell him she had been communicating with MOTHER, his accursed sentient AI. It had helped her by monitoring his vital signs. She hated the damned thing, but she had to acknowledge that it had been useful. It still responded to the name MOTHER the same as it had since Izzy brought it online ten years ago. She still thought the idea of a General Intelligence AI was a horrible idea, but its ability to use the ship’s vast array of sensors and even her cell phone to monitor his vital signs proved to be invaluable. I’m going to have to insist that you have your skull x-rayed when we get to Nicaragua. It’s the only way to be sure there are no hairline fractures.

Penny was in tears. “I’m so fucking sorry, Izzy. This is all my fault.”

“No, no, it was not! You didn’t turn those guys into homophobic cunts. They were cunts before you got to the island. They were cunts before they sat on that dock getting drunk all day. They were cunts before they fell out of their mothers’ sloppy, stretched-out cunts. He looked into her eyes and smiled. Just because Bob Marley was a saint doesn’t mean everybody in Jamaica is cool.” Isaiah said with a grin. A weary smile found its way to her lips.

“If anything, it’s my own damned fault for not keeping my own docking protocols. I normally don’t pull into port at first light for the very reason we saw in Kingston. In the morning, everyone is sober and ready for work. But by evening, those who didn’t find any work that morning had nothing to do all day but sit around drinking. This is just the way it is in ports all over the world. I should have just heaved to and waited until morning to dock. He shrugged. No worries, no one was mortally wounded, and I gotta admit I am impressed with how good a job you two did getting us out of there. You’re the best crew I’ve ever had,” he grinned.

“We’re the only crew you’ve ever had,” Penny said, a wry smile subverted by her tears, tainted with joy and guilt.

“It’s still true,” he said as Penny laughed and hugged Izzy while he petted Mau Mau, scratching the pup behind the ears.

“He has not left your side since the incident,” Penny said with a sniffle. Aeon looked on with a scowl from the galley as she prepared their evening meal. As far as she was concerned, this was all her fault. But she kept her true feelings concealed behind a mask of civility as she continued to cook.

The impact of the viral video and Penelope Stockard Bedowitz’s courageous conduct during the dockside brawl continued to ripple through the insatiable 24-hour news cycles. This time, it wasn’t limited to the resurgence of Isaiah’s signature cornrows as a show of support for the Po so nnipa/the Sea Peoples along with the Homecoming movement; now, a new trend was gaining traction as queer kids, inspired by the iconic image of Penelope with her distinctive fuchsia and lavender Harlequin-esque hair, were dyeing their locks in shades of pink and purple. When asked why, one word kept being repeated during their explanation. Solidarity. They admired the way Penny had handled herself in the interviews, especially when things got contentious with Ari, and they all loved the way she handed out ass-whoopings like they were trick-or-treat candy when things got physical in Jamaica.

In cities and towns across the globe, Penny’s Harlequin-colored hair became the latest fashion statement. Young people everywhere were embracing Isaiah’s punk rock lawyer’s unconventional hues as an expression of support for the towering Californian former girls’ junior heavyweight Southern California MMA champ in high school. The brawl with the drunken men who attacked her as she secured the lines of the Exodus on the docks of Kingston showed the world that the young lawyer’s allyship went beyond words. When it was time, she would not hesitate to choose violence.

The security footage, as well as others who witnessed the riot on the pier from the safety of their boats; the workers who weren’t a part of the drunken mob helped get an unconscious Isaiah back onto the ship after one of the men snuck up behind him as he went to Penelope’s aid and struck him in the back of the head with an axe handle. The trend spoke to the spirit of defiance against the backward-thinking homophobes and ultra-conservative right-wing, echoing Penelope’s unapologetic courage in the face of adversity.

The streets and schools became a psychedelic canvas, colored with shades of pink and purple hair, illuminating the landscape. Penelope Bedowitz had inadvertently ignited a movement of revolutionary fervor, leaving a lasting mark on a generation that refused to be defined by antiquated, white-bread conservative norms.

Black Twitter posted the video of the brawl set to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Squabble Up. titled Lawyer Up under the heading ‘Definitely invited to the barbecue’. The image of the two standing shoulder-to-shoulder against the mob on the docks went viral. Podcasters declare that if your lawyer ain’t out there putting in that work like Penelope Stockard Bedowitz, then you need a new lawyer. This is what a real ally looks like.

Meanwhile, on the official news channels, they watched as Rachel Maddow did her breakdown of the melee.

“You’ve seen the memes; you’ve watched the videos, but what was this fight really about? Everyone knows who Penelope Bedowitz is since she began posting videos of her adventures as crew aboard the reclusive mathematician Isaiah Jones’s ship, the SS Exodus, two weeks ago. She was interviewed about those viral interviews by myself, Anderson Cooper, and Ari Melber before she returned to join her shipmates in the Caribbean last week. It’s clear that this man approaching her knows who she is as well, and it is clear that if you are a narrow-minded bigot, then you say that because she is wearing only a wife-beater and dungarees, she is dressed like a man.

The Caribbean Islands, especially Jamaica, are known to have a vehemently homophobic culture. We’ve had experts read his lips, and you don’t have to be a lip reader; we all know what he was saying, and we all know why. I’m not going to sugarcoat this: if this man had attacked this woman in America, he would be tried and convicted of a hate crime. His motives for attacking her are right there, read my lips: this is the behavior of a bully, a coward, a craven 3rd rate thug.”

“He screamed obscenities at a woman for no reason other than he thought she was a lesbian, and then, after he lost the fight that he started, this impotent cuck has the audacity to sue his victim. Honestly, I can’t believe the U.S. Marshals watched this video and thought it was okay to issue an arrest warrant for her. This looks like nothing more than a wealthy foreigner being shaken down by the government of a banana republic.” Rachel signed off in disgust. “Goodnight, America.”

Joe Rogan, a former MMA fighter turned podcaster, was the last person they expected to give an objective analysis of the brawl.

“My guest today, folks, is former women’s middleweight UFC champion Rowdy Ronda Rousey. She’s here today to help me with the analysis of the event, blow by blow. Thanks for dropping by, champ.”

“Thanks for inviting me, Joe.

“So, you’ve seen the video footage taken by the dock’s surveillance cameras, as well as witnesses aboard other yachts’ video taken with their iPhones, edited together so you can see the entire brawl from every angle. Please share your thoughts on the fight on the docks of Kingston two days ago?”

Rhonda leaned forward to get a better view of her monitor.

“Certainly. First, let’s dispense with the bullshit. This is a man attacking a woman. Period. Regardless of size or training, you are normally at a disadvantage genetically. Men have denser, thicker bones, more muscle per pound, and greater strength and speed—period. This is the norm. That’s why a group of high school boys could beat the champion WNBA team. This isn’t sexism; this is evolution’s effect on our genetics. Are there exceptions to the rule? Of course. But on average, if you are a genetically born female and you go up against a genetically born male of the same weight with the same training, you will get body-slammed every goddamned time.”

“Now, you see this guy coming at her—he’s pretty big and in good shape. He works the docks, and he is screaming at Penny, who is doing nothing unusual, just tying the lines of the ship. My guess is, like the rest of us, he has seen her viral videos interviewing Isaiah Jones and the recent series of interviews she has done over the last week on MSNBC, CNN, and CBS.

Penny isn’t just internet famous, now; she is internationally famous. I know what that’s like as a woman and the kind of unwanted attention it can bring. Fortunately, since I went straight from UFC fighting to Hollywood, I had bodyguards and a security team. Penny is on a ship; any security they have is not there yet, so they are on their own.”

“Now watch. He is approaching aggressively; he’s all puffed up, trying to intimidate her physically.”

Joe chimed in, “He just straight charges her up. Anyone can see just by watching his body language that this guy is looking for a fight.”

Rhonda concurred, then continued, “Now, watch. She takes a fighting stance, legs shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, her guards up, her weight is on the balls of her feet. It’s clear that this is a woman who has had training. Penny is not a small woman; she is 6 feet tall and weighs in at just under 200 pounds. Back when she fought in high school.

She isn’t scared or trying to bargain or talk her way out of it; in fact, she never says a word. She is simply preparing for the fight. Sizing up her opposition. The look on her face is calm, almost serene. This guy easily outweighs her by over 50 pounds, and she knows if he lands a clean hit on her or grapples with her, she is done.

Personally, I would have made a run for it. But she plays it smart, and as soon as he gets in her space and takes a swing at her, she is ready. She easily ducks the right cross, then immediately counters with that surgical strike to his trachea. Unless you’ve been trained, you don’t know that it takes the same amount of pressure to crush an egg as it takes to crush a trachea. No amount of bodybuilding can protect it, it’s a textbook Achilles heel.”

Joe laughed. “She dropped his big ass with that spear-hand strike to the throat.”

The champ smiled as she nodded in agreement.

“Look at that smile; she is in complete control. She could have delivered the coup de grâce and finished him after he went down, but now watch as she shows mercy and backs away from him as he collapses to the ground, unable to breathe.”

Joe added, “You’re absolutely right. At this point, she could have killed him in self-defense if she wanted.”

Rhonda agreed. “The girl has had excellent training, is in great shape, and in the middle of a riot stays as cool as a glass of ice water. Hats off to her sensei; you taught her well.”

Now, watch his drunk friends charge at her as Isaiah gets into the mix. We have all seen his skill in the two AUA civil wars seven years ago; he may be a math nerd, but the ADF/African Defense Force training is no joke. There is a reason he was the leader of Omega Squadron. He positions himself perfectly to cover her flank; the pier is pretty narrow here, and they are holding their own against several dozen attackers until one manages to sneak up behind Isaiah with that axe handle.

Penny punts that fucker clean off the pier into the water with a spin kick to the chest, and that’s when Aeon steps off the ship, uses her head, marches straight at them, and fires that flare gun directly into the crowd, instantly dispersing the mob.

Joe pipes in, “I count 7 bodies laid out on that pier. They were destroying these guys. Make no mistake; Penny is not someone I would ever want to fight. In high school, she was Southern California girls’ junior heavyweight MMA champ four years in a row, and it shows. I think every female UFC and MMA fighter out there today, after seeing this, is breathing a sigh of relief and glad she went to law school instead of going pro. The woman went beast mode and was kicking some serious ass out there.”

Rhonda laughed, “She hasn’t been in a fight since high school, and she folded them like paper; the girls still got it. One punch, and that guy was out of the fight.”

“Wow,” Aeon said, watching the news on the flatscreen with Penny and Isaiah the next day. “This has gotten completely out of hand.”

“If you hadn’t fired that flare gun into the mob, Penny said, looking at Aeon. They would have ripped us apart. How did you know it would disperse the crowd?”

“I didn’t think; I just acted. If there was any thought, it was to distract them with something shiny. A mob doesn’t think; it just reacts. A ball of fire coming straight at you in the dark was all it took to get their attention off of you and Izzy and send them running the other way, scattering into the shadows.”

The viral impact of the video and Penelope Bedowitz’s actions continued to ripple through the 24-hour news cycles. It wasn’t just the resurgence of cornrows; now, a new trend was taking hold. Kids, inspired by the iconic image of Isaiah Jones’s lawyer and best friend Penelope Bedowitz—the 6-foot-tall blonde radical lesbian feminist, the California punk rocker with her piercings and tattoos and Harlequinesque fuchsia and lavender hair—were dying their locks in shades of pink and purple.

In cities and towns across the globe, her flamboyant Harlequin-inspired hair colors became the latest fashion statement overnight. The youth everywhere were embracing her unconventional hues, showing their support and solidarity with the towering Californian. This trend reflected a spirit of defiance against homophobia fueled by the ultra-conservative religious right wing, become a symbol of solidarity of Penelope’s unflappable courage in the face of adversity during the attack on the Kingston docks.

The streets and schools became a psychedelic canvas, of shades of pink and purple hair symbolizing their allegiance with the cornrow-crowned children of the diaspora who had come to be known as the Sea Peoples / the Po so aman no once they reached the shores of their Motherland. For the first time in several generations, a sense of hope for a better future illuminated the American landscape.

Penelope Stockard Bedowitz had inadvertently added her spark to the slow-burning fire of the Homecoming movement, a group already fired up by Isaiah Jones, a generation that refused to be defined by corporate consumer algorithms and state-sponsored jingoistic ideals. Now, their white allies had someone they could identify with; they had Penelope Stockard Bedowitz, they had One Punch Girl.

[-about the author:

JD Cloudy’s poetry has disappeared in the literary journals: Fatfizz, Mad Swirl, Texas Beat Anthology, Danse Macabre, Du Jour, and Death List Five. He has won no literary awards, entered no slam competitions, and never completed college. He lives to write in Dallas, TX.]