I got there about 10 minutes early so I had a cigarette and waited by the bus stop. The entire corner was lined with police vans and patrol cars. It was pretty busy for a Saturday morning as cell phone sporting people dodged traffic crossing the street. I'd never been to East New York before, it's an abandonded industrial neighborhood with burned-out factory buildings from what I could see.
A while later I noticed a young guy checking over the printed instructions with a court seal at the top. Soon after an other young man with a baseball cap and braids took out his instructions and looked up and down the street. They both were probably about 21 years old (if not 20) dressed in baggy jeans and Sean Jean jackets. They paced up and down the street looking for the blue van not noticing they had the same printed instructions.
"Communty Service?" I aksed.
"Yeah, you driving the van?"
With a very scared look he asked if I was with Probation. I said no, I was part of the group. He said his name was "G", the other guy said his name was 'T". Trying to sound cool I said my name was "K", which sounded very queer (Kay?). They probably wondered why I dressed like candy corn. Then nothing more was said. I put my hand out and they shook it reluctantly.
The dark blue van pull up Fulton and made a wide U-turn towards us. The lone driver looked around, I waved and we nodded at each other. I flagged the boys down and walked towards the van. I let them in first. We handed our work papers over to the driver. As he marked down the time he said "Good morning gentlemen I'm Mr. B------, and I'm not a dick so we'll treat each other with respect."
Another young guy walked up to the van and stepped in. We reviewed our Community Service hours. He explaind that the work we'll be doing is not back breaking, it wil include sweeping, mopping, painting and moving office furniture.
The Shawshank Moment
Then after answering a cell call, he turned to us and said "Today you can go back home, I put you down for an 8 hour shift for this week." Then he said that if we get arrested under his watch he'll say we walked the crew and get send to jail, "So stay home and lay low." We stepped out of the van confused. I wasn't sure what to do as the van drove off. All four of us approached the station, me, the white kid, the black kid and the Indian kid (Did the Indian kid try to hack a bank?). Looking back and then at each other we went our separate ways.
As I took the A train back I ponderred what had just transpired. I would never look a gift shift in the mouth. How do I lay low? How low do I lay? I reached my stop, and walked the rest of the way home. I though about the "Shawshank Redemption". Was I magic negro Morgan Freeman, or was I hopeful soul Tim Robbins?
Karl just saw a little light at the end of the tunnel, it was 25 degrees outside according to the morning news. He got home and peeled off the knee brace from his leg and sat down to check his e-mail.
70 - 8 = 62 hours.
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