Fat Joe is in his early 40s. I run into him sometimes in the evening when he is headed back into town. Last night he was burdened with a stack of pizza boxes. Joe works just outside the city, and, on pay day, returns home to meet his grown children for a meal. You see, he lives in a "bad" neighborhood where there is not a good pizzeria. Below is what he said last night, about two different kinds of heat.

“I am losing some weight with all of this heat, all kinds of heat. My children love cheese pizza, and you know, they have jobs of their own and buy me fish en chips en such, so I come with the pizza when it’s my turn. I hope this is good pizza. It’s nice to still be able to do with your family when they are all grown and moved…”

“…I am gutting the house. That is tough work in this heat. But I have to reorganize and make new—hidden—camera placements. The old placements will not due because they are known. I have had to move my collectables to storage. I believe though that the thieves will be back since I got them in trouble. They know about the cameras because one lost his job on it when I took the video to my lawyer.

“I live in a bad neighborhood—lots of drugs en crime. But it is my Mom’s house. I’m not giving it up. I was proud of my collectables, mostly toys, but sports memorabilia as well, even had displays. None of those hoodlums in the neighborhood want toys, understand the value. Of course the sports memorabilia was stored out of view, and my signed documentation of authenticity and purchase were all well secured. My signature matches to that on the documents.

“Three times now the police have broken down my door, sayin’ they was lookin’ for drugs. Three times they stole my collectables—Transformers even! The one lost his job over it, and I have received the return of most of my collectables. It hurts though, that my collectables are targeted by thieves...You know they will be back. They don’t let their own fall without payback. I’m working hard in this heat, gutting that old house and making concealable camera platforms. I will not be driven from my Mom's home…”

Dee, another passenger, spoke up, “It is not right to steal, not for anybody.”

Fat Joe then relaxed a little more, as he is not tense in the first place, and smiled, “My, this pizza smells good, smells really cheesy. You all have a safe and blessed night and stay cool in this heat.”

Fighting Smart: Boxing, Agonistics & Survival