AM and CS: Winding Down?

CS: Saturday, March 24
As with the week before we cleaned the Worship Church. Saturday's Community Service day yeilded no new experience, except for conversation. Toilet and floors can only be cleaned so many ways. The weather was sunny and warm, highs in the fifties according to the morning news. 7:58 am, Carl joined the work crew that gathered in front for the Broadway Junction station.

B---, the contractor from Bayridge flagged me down and gave me a friendly smile through his crooked teeth, "Hey", he nodded, drank his coffee and winked. He has a tattoo of his ex-wife and four kids on his back. A little short-sided considering he's divorced and re-married since. He lives near V----- but tries not to make a direct association because, shhhh "V-----'s a wife beater". More than being the cliche of an Italian A-cut work shirt, V----- talks way too much, and Irish and Italians don't get along by nature.

B--- shook his head at S---, the young white kid from Sheepshead Bay, and continued. "You know about poppie seeds? That's all b--- s---! You gotta eat a whole bag of that s--- to get on their radar. That stupid S.O.B. thought he could get one on the judge. Boom! Nine more months of Community Service for him." B--- was referring to random drug testing on Probation Report day. Someone in court failed a drug test and claimed it was his morning bagel.

"How about, pot, what if you were in the same room with a pot smoker." I asked. "You don't smoke?" I nodded no and pointed at my cigarette. "Well don't worry about it then, you gotta try to suck it in real hard for it to show up." "What if it's in your hair?" asked S---. "Wash it then! This isn't CSI, they're not gonna spend that kind of money on you unless you're on parole." B--- laughed at us, I guess in so many ways we are that naive. "How often do you get drug tested?" I aksed "When ever they want." The van pulled up, B--- finished his cigarette and crossed the street.

IC: Wednesday, March 22
Mr. L---- wanted to know what Carl thought of Monday night's Anger Mangement speaker on March 19. Carl said he was riveted by what he heard. Mz. N---- was a batterred woman who lead a life of drugs. She is now a self-made woman who went from being a drug addict, to becoming the head of a 501c3 for a battered woman. The "empress" who has risen from the ashes of a former life, told her personal story starting with her third divorce.

A heated conversation ignited the most volitile people in the group. A young man, R-- said that she left a good man and that he was really a functioning drug addict. He gave an example of his work mate who's been doing coke for years and always seems fine. She called him just another drug addict. His tone took a harsh turn, it would seem that R-- was talking about himself.

R-- said it was the black woman's role to keep her black man going. Mz. N----- sat straight up, took a deep breath and shook her long braids.

"If a man is putting that poison in his body, he doesn't repsect himself. That means he's disrespecting me. I am an empress and I need a king not a fool!"
"You telling me that You give up on him for that, every brother's on something? You're giving up on yourself then! You're goon awake up old and lonely!"
"I wake up every morning thanking God I saved myself! Let him rot!"

I nearly dropped my fruit cup, I was amazed and horrified at what I heard. This went on for some time, then Mr. L---- mediated it back down to a conversation and not a role-playing grudge match. But then another man spoke up, "That's why I don't date the black women, they always take us there." Then the conversation heated back up to a full boil. The meeting went into overtime. I found it disturbing to find out what some of these men really thought of women. Some of their comments made the Taliban look like a bowling league. And yes, most of these men are very verrrrrry angry. Oi, what a night.

At around 8:10 pm, Mz. N----- wanted to end the meeting with a prayer for peace, she wanted all of us to hold hands. I looked over at L---- with a strained look, shook my head, and mouth "no". He laughed covering his mouth. The group looked like a broken fence bowed in prayer. When we dispursed I handed the two Iwata's to L----. He was very excited, he now had the Cadilac of airbrushes. He took them out from their cases and held them carefully as if they were kittens. Again he said "I got no money." I told him to forget about the money. In a pretend whisper I said "But my empress wants you to make her a T-shirt that says 'Insane Cake Possie'."

Oola is an aspring baker with much talent. Carl ate about a third of her carrot cake for lunch once and went into a sugar coma. He couldn't stop at one bite.

CS: Saturday, March 18
Carl discovered that the Haitian crewmate's gold teeth were actually removable caps. They fell from his mouth as he mopped the "goodness" from the basement. He caught them with the grace and stealthiness of a ninja, not missing a sweep. At days end, Mr. B----- did personal interviews with each crew member to determine their total hours and term of probation.

"I was given 70 hours, 3 years of probation, and 12 weeks of Anger Management." Mr. B----- let out a whew sound and shook his head. "It'll all be over soon, son" he said. But will it? At this point I've missed instructor training at the Children's Garden, which means I won't be teaching this Spring. This is the first season that I will have missed in the eight years I've taught horticulture. Wow, that and not seeing my father while he was alive stings. Instead of training my apprentice and creating projects for kids I've been painting rooms, moving junk, and picking chicken bones and glass from bushes.

AM: Friday, March 17, Field Trip
Mr. L---- was out of town on vacation but we were assigned a group field trip. I got to the Anger Management office on time at 3:00 pm, but I was the only one there. The substitute councilor, Mr. M---- told me to take a seat in the lobby, I closed my eyes and took a nap. I awoke to find Mr. R------ sitting next to me. He's the older Haitian gentleman from our Monday night meetings. He uncrossed his leg and waved his cane. "Hello young sir, you look tired." I told him I was just resting my eyes, but he pointed out I was snoring. The other guy named L----, showed up, he talked about how he nearly clocked a punk on the bus on the way here.

Other than the usual allergies, Carl has breathing problems from a baseball accident. Oola says he has sleep apnea. Young Carl got slugged in the face when Leilani Shelton, the reformed Druish girl, finally hit the ball and with all her girlish enthusiasm threw the bat into the air. Carl saw stars then passed out from the pain.

Destination: "Slavery In New York" at the New York Historical Soceity. On the subway ride, I learned more about Mr. R-----. I always wondered what this older gentleman was doing with this group. But what I learned shocked me.

He told me his son came home bloody and beaten one day. He said it was over an iPod. Mr. R------ said to him "I never gave an iPod, where did you get this money?" His son confessed his involvment with a gang. Mr. R------ went to his school and reported his son's injuries and placed an inquirey. But instead, his 16 year old son lied about the gang beating and said he was beaten by his father. If he revealing his gang involvement, he would've put himself in mortal danger. That weekend the police showed up at 4:00 am and arrested Mr. R------ and placed his son in Child Custody Services (CCS). He was put away in Rikers till Tuesday afternoon and charged with endangering the wellfare of a child and domestic violence. His son was placed in foster care.

Mr. R------ reached into his jacket and unfolded a very worn piece of paper. I could barely make out the Kings County court seal. He showed me that the judge threw the case out after the course of a year. Of course the DA still insisted that this man who walks with a cane had violently attacked his child and should be punished. He now has to deal with CCS, and his son will not be home until after he has completed Anger Management, even though the case was thrown out. Mr. R------ caught the lone tear that ran from his eye and placed the court document back in his pocket.

Carl patted him on the hand and said "We don't have long, he'll be home with you soon." Carl wondered if he even belived himself, the court system seems to be a beast unknown to most men. Although he didn't recognise the DA's name, Carl wished her cancer. Not very usefull for a fifth level Cleric, one usually needs a first and last name and some hair according to the D and D players guide.

We entered through door that was labeled "Start", and walked through a very well designed multi-media exhibit. Although it was facsinating to see how New York was a Dutch slave trading post, I felt I was missing its depth (Carl is not black). I walked beside Mr. R------ through the tour as if I were walking with my father. I read to him when he couldn;t make out the signage. As we collected at the end of the exhibit, I asked him what he thought. With his thick Haitian accent he said "Its very interesting, but its for the white people. It makes them feel bad about the slavery. It makes black men feel ashamed."

Epilogue
On Saturdays I wear the worst clothes I own to do what has been mandated by court. Every week I wonder if I look as akward as I feel. As a joke Oola bought me a hair net and a stocking cap to complete my outfit: cafeteria chic? I've been told it will be over soon. My probation will span three years. Guess I'll write a book someday.

Scores on the board:
6 - 4 = 2 IC sessions
12 - 10 = 2 AM session
70 - 64 = 6 Community Service hours left... or maybe not