Catching the E-Train

Wednesday, April 5
There she sat in the window of the coffe shop, surround by bags of yarn and wooden tools used for twisting chord. Lady E-Train is a very talented snare maker, and a very wise woman indeed. She greeted Carl with a kiss and told him that she heard about his father. He thanked her for her kindess. Carl put his bag of twine down on the floor and brought out his snare in progress.

"How big do you plan to make that thang?" She inquired as she rubbed a wooden tool through her nappy hair for oil. "I don't know yet, maybe two skeens, maybe three? I hate small nets, they're a waste of time to make." She offered me ginger candy by quietly pushing it towards me across the table, she noticed my voice sounded hoarse (from Linden pollen). "I have a question for you. So I know this man, a nice elderly gentleman from Haiti with a teen son..." I said. "Uh hmmm." she said without looking at him.

"Does this sound right? He was acccused of beating his son, which was proven false in court. The judge later threw the case out and cleared him but his child is still with the foster family through Child Custody Services and ..." She cut Carl off "And he will be with CCS unless that man fights to get him back. I know this story well, its not new. You see the court system hates black people. Was the DA white?"

"I nodded yes and she continued "and Jewish probably, she thinks she's doing the world good by ridding it of bad parents. So I bet she's still filing papers to keep this man away. That foster family must loooooove that extra money they're getting from CCS. It's like a drug you see and they're all crack addicts." I nodded and went on to explain what Mr. R------ had told me, the gang involvement and all. She shook her head and put her work down.

"Lemme tell you, Carl. We are living in the white man's world and he better get used to it. Your friend probably didn't even know THAT fact did he. He's got to get with the program and get every legal piece of paper together to fight. If he's got no money he can go to Legal Aide, but he can't sit around wondering when his son will come home. It'll be his fault for losing his son if he doesn't follow through! Got it."

I was a bit shocked at the lack of empathy, but she's seen so much. She is probably right. The court hasn't lifted a finger to help him, they actually put Mr. R------ in Anger Management. She stopped and closed her eyes and wrote frantically on a piece of scrap paper.

"Here, take this to your friend. He needs to get these things and call these people. He's gotta do it starting with the his son's school, call this man at St. Paul Church on Schenk Avenue and drop my name. He'll need his son's ID and his last report card, a letter of character from his pastor, the original Incident Report, and the official court dismissal."

"Anything else?" I asked. "You need to gargle with salt and warm water.That will clear you sinuses and throat." Karl packed his skeens and loom and thanked her for her words of wisdom.

Carl will get the information together for Mr. R------ for Monday, Anger Mangement Graduation Day. Carl is breaking his own rule, but this might be the most needed acception.