Razorblade Tears

Ike and his wife, Mya, attend the funeral for their son Isiah and Isiah’s husband Derek. They are with their three-year-old granddaughter, Arianna, who does not understand yet what has happened to her fathers.

Buddy Lee, Derek’s father, introduces himself to Ike. He thanks Ike for setting up the funeral, then comments on the tattoo on Ike’s hand. The tattoo says “Black God’s ink” and shows a lion with two scimitars, along with the word “RIOT” (6). Buddy Lee tells Ike that he caught Derek kissing another boy when he was 14. Buddy Lee had called him a pervert and whipped him. Ike is uncomfortable with the conversation.

After Buddy Lee leaves, Ike confronts the Reverend Johnson, who gave the service. Ike asks why Johnson kept mentioning “abominable sin,” and why he didn’t mention that Isiah was a reporter or an athlete. After he lets the Reverend go, Mya tells Ike that Johnson didn’t say anything worse than what Ike has said.

Buddy Lee wakes that afternoon to someone knocking on his door. It is Artie, who is asking for rent for the trailer. Buddy Lee steps toward Artie as they argue, which surprises him. Artie insults Buddy Lee’s son. Buddy Lee pulls out a knife and presses it against Artie’s stomach. He lets Artie go after he apologizes, but Artie threatens to call the police.

Buddy Lee looks at a picture of himself and Derek, taken back when Buddy Lee was a debt collector for Chuly Pettigrew. Buddy Lee doesn’t know how Derek was so bright and positive, completely different from him.

Ike drinks and remembers Isiah. He thought they would eventually have understood each other, but now it is too late. He will never have the chance to tell him he failed as a father. Detective LaPlata calls and says Isiah received a death threat earlier that year. Ike looks at Isiah’s photos after he hangs up. Then he goes to the shed and punches the heavy bag.

Isiah was a natural athlete. Boxing was the only way that he and Ike bonded when Ike was released. However, soon Isiah hadn’t wanted to box. He said he didn’t enjoy hurting people like Ike. Their last conversation was a fight about Isiah’s marriage announcement. Ike said that having two fathers would be confusing for Arianna.

That was three months earlier. After the shooters killed Derek and Isiah, they shot them twice more in the face. Ike screams and cries as he hits the bag. He describes his tears as feeling like razorblades.

Buddy Lee waits for Ike outside Randolph Lawn Maintenance, Ike’s business. He remembers that their sons met in college, despite only living 20 minutes from each other while growing up.

It has been two months since the funeral. That morning, Buddy Lee visited the police station, and the police said the case was inactive. Ike isn’t surprised: Since their sons were married, he understands that they wouldn’t be a priority. Buddy Lee says people will talk to them, even if they won’t talk to the police. He notes Ike’s tattoo and says that he knows Ike has done some hard work. Ike tells him to get out. Buddy Lee agrees, but he leaves his number on a receipt that he places on Ike’s desk.

Ike didn’t tell Buddy Lee that he dreams of finding the men who killed their sons. He wants to introduce them to “Riot Randolph” (28), who has killed nine men. He remembers starting his business and promising himself that he would always be clean. Buddy Lee doesn’t understand that Ike “wasn’t afraid to spill blood. He was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to stop” (29).