Jamal slowly lowered his hands, his face covered in melting ice cream. For several seconds, he simply stared at the sheriff, trying to process what had just happened.
Hayes did not apologize.
He did not even appear surprised by his own behavior.
Instead, he leaned closer, looking pleased with the humiliation he had caused.
Jamal reached for a napkin and carefully wiped some of the ice cream from his face.
His white jacket was stained.
His dessert was gone.
And the sheriff was still standing over him.
JAMAL: "What is wrong with you? Why would you do that?"
Hayes gave a short, dismissive laugh.
SHERIFF HAYES: "You should learn to watch your attitude when you're sitting in my county."
Jamal looked at him in disbelief.
JAMAL: "I was eating. I haven't done anything to you."
SHERIFF HAYES: "You want to tell me what you've been doing around here?"
JAMAL: "I've been sitting here having lunch. That's what I've been doing."
Hayes moved closer to the booth.
SHERIFF HAYES: "Don't get smart with me."
Jamal took a slow breath.
He was clearly angry, but he was trying to remain controlled. He glanced around the diner, noticing that several people had witnessed the incident.
Nobody intervened.
Nobody even seemed willing to meet his eyes.
The sheriff noticed Jamal looking at the other customers.
SHERIFF HAYES: "You looking for somebody to help you?"
JAMAL: "I'm looking for someone who can explain why a police officer thinks he can walk into a restaurant and assault someone."
The word assault seemed to irritate Hayes.
His expression hardened.
Deputy Brooks shifted his weight behind him.
DEPUTY BROOKS: "Sheriff, maybe we should just ask him a few questions and find out what's going on."
Hayes turned his head slightly.
SHERIFF HAYES: "I didn't ask for your opinion, Brooks."
The younger deputy immediately fell silent.
Jamal watched the exchange.
He understood something important in that moment. The deputy knew the sheriff's behavior was inappropriate, but he was afraid to challenge him.
Hayes turned back toward Jamal.
SHERIFF HAYES: "Get out of the booth."
JAMAL: "Am I being detained?"
SHERIFF HAYES: "I said get out."
Jamal remained seated.
JAMAL: "I asked you a question. What is the legal reason for stopping me?"
The sheriff's jaw tightened.
He was accustomed to people becoming frightened when he raised his voice. Most residents in Randolph County understood that arguing with him could make an unpleasant situation much worse.
But Jamal was not responding the way Hayes expected.
He was not shouting.
He was not begging.
He was asking direct questions.
And that seemed to make the sheriff even angrier.
SHERIFF HAYES: "You think you know the law?"
JAMAL: "I know that you can't treat people however you want just because you're wearing a badge."
Hayes stepped closer.
SHERIFF HAYES: "You need to be careful."
JAMAL: "Then tell me what I've done wrong."
For a second, the sheriff said nothing.
His eyes moved toward the black leather bag beside Jamal.
Then he looked back at the young man.
SHERIFF HAYES: "Where are you from?"
JAMAL: "That has nothing to do with what just happened."
SHERIFF HAYES: "I decide what has something to do with it."
JAMAL: "No. You don't."
The words were quiet.
But they landed heavily.
Several customers lowered their heads even further. The waitress looked toward the entrance, almost as though she were hoping another officer might arrive and stop what was happening.
Hayes's face changed.
He reached down and grabbed Jamal by the front of his jacket.
The young man instinctively pulled back.
JAMAL: "Take your hands off me."
SHERIFF HAYES: "You don't give me orders."
Jamal tried to move the sheriff's hand away.
That was all Hayes seemed to need.
The sheriff drew his fist back and struck Jamal hard across the face.
The impact knocked Jamal sideways.
His shoulder hit the edge of the booth before his body lost balance and fell onto the diner floor.
A chair scraped loudly against the tiles.
The sound echoed through the room.
Jamal landed on his side, one hand reaching toward the floor to steady himself. His white jacket was now stained with ice cream, and a small amount of blood began to appear around one nostril.
For a moment, he remained still.
The customers stared.
One elderly man instinctively started to rise from his seat, but the woman beside him grabbed his arm and shook her head.
She was frightened.
Everyone was frightened.
Hayes stood over Jamal, breathing heavily.
SHERIFF HAYES: "Stay down."
Jamal slowly looked up at him.
His face showed pain, but there was something else in his expression now.
Not fear.
Recognition.
He was beginning to understand that this was not a simple misunderstanding. The sheriff had no intention of treating him fairly.
JAMAL: "You just punched me."
SHERIFF HAYES: "You should have kept your mouth shut."