7:50 am. The conversation continued from last week about detectable drugs in your urine. One must mind any pill, if someone on probation takes a non-prescribed Tylenol with Codeine, jail time would be emminent. V----- asked if anyone knew what we were doing today. G said Mr. B----- never knows until the day before. B--- was talking with N-----, the young West Indian woman, who had been missing for a two weeks. She said she was on vacation. Vacation?
I said today might be my last day of CS. B--- said he had over 100 more hours to go. "At least the weather's real nice, I thought they said rain" I said. "I hope we're working outside today, I wouldn't mind sweeping up a park." Replied V-----. I noticed his left hand was swollen, I asked "what's wrong with your hand?" "Yeah, I got into something stupid." he smiled sheepishly.
At around 8:10 am a man with a kufi cap asked if we were Community Service Crew. We confrimed. "Mr. B----- won't be here today, so you all just go home" he said bluntly. "Wait, do we get any credit for showing up?" I asked. "You have to call Community Service to find out." "Do we sign anything?" "No."
Carl stared blankly and wondered if this was an April Fools prank. But it wasn't. Carl has learned to lower his expectations. There's no way of knowing what will happen on CS day until one arrives at Broadway Junction. The crew dispersed and disappeared into the crowd of commuters. As Karl hopped into an A train, B--- and V----- followed behind him. They were talking about court matters. B--- was given 250 hours of Community Service for drunken driving, his third offense in two years.
"So I don't do drugs anymore, I don't miss that s---. I can understand the judge, his sister was killed by a drunken driver. But it's not like I killed anyone, you know." V----- rubbed his swollen hand and responded with a hearty laughed. "Yeah, I'm just a lousy drunk too. I had to face the judge because I was drinkin' wine at home during my home visit. My PO came at dinner time!" V----- seems like a nice guy, but he's probably a very very mean drunk. B--- contiued. "But the DA is still trying to jail me down here (in Kings County), I already did my 90 days up in Sullivan. She knows she can't to that, that's Double Jeapordy. She's just bustin' my balls with paperwork. She'll file, I gotta go to court, spend on a lawyer, refute, file papers... B--- S---! It'll get thrown out, she knows that."
The paper trail is the lowest form of torture that the court can give you, you'll spend till you go broke. Harmless? It is like herpes, it will pop up all through your life. That's what happened to me, it's perfectly legal to drive someone broke. But is this what they call justice? I reached my stop, said goodbye and shook their hands. I wished B--- luck.
Epilogue
I got home early and Oola was still there, we split a coffee. I told her I'd come by later and finish painting her apartment. Maybe it was good that CS was cancelled, I was already beat. On Friday I painted all day into evening. I can still smell the paint fumes.
There's a funny scent that I associate with CS and AM. Its a men's body wash called "Axe". Its not a bad scent, it's a little sweet like pastry with a higher citric note. Somewhat like a woodsy bakery, I guess. When I get home from either SM or CS the scent is on my hands and my sweater from people patting me on my back or shaking my hand. I'll show up next Saturday if Mr. B----- doesn't call me back. It's all the same to me.
Scores on the board:
6 - 1 = 1 IC sessions
12 - 11 = 1 AM session
70 - 72 = -2 Community Service hours left... is this possible? Is it over yet?
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