Nor-mull

Most of us try to rationalize things in a normal way. That makes good sense for normal situations, but doesn’t help much otherwise. Normal thinking will never make sense of abnormal things.

For example, the other night I was creeping around and spotted a car driving erratically through an intersection. I sped up to it and checked the license tag on the car. Stolen. The driver then sped across the intersection in the middle of traffic, trying to dodge me, I guess. But luckily, sometimes people heed the bright lights and blaring siren of a police car and stopped to let me chase after the car.

About a block away, the car pulls over to the left. I’m already anticipating the door-open, jump-and-run, bailout maneuver that most experienced criminals and car thieves have down pat. The door swings open…

I’m already out of my car and running toward the open door. Then everything seems to warp in time. The driver was sooooo stoned from smoking weed and lethargic, that he made "reverse" look like blistering fast-forward. He was completely dazed. He looked dazedly down at this pants pocket, as if he wanted to get something from it. But since it took him about a minute to stand up, I figured it would be tomorrow morning sometime by the time he did. So, I just watched from a safe distance as the driver stood there in a Cheech and Chong stupor attempting his "escape."

After a long 15 seconds, I was growing bored (watching grass grow is way more action-packed), so I grabbed the driver and slapped handcuffs on him. He slumped over from being so stoned, so I had to prop him up against the car. In his pocket, I found a loaded pistol with the serial numbers scratched off. He said he needed it ‘cuz he was "in it wit some Hoovers" (i.e., he had some discrepancies and divergences with associates of the Hoover Crips gang).

OK, the facts aren’t so weird or out of the ordinary: a stoned gang member with a gun in a stolen car. Not really a big deal. However, our super-fly-stoned-coupe-thievin’-gunslinger was only 13. Yup, he was one calendar from the discount bin older than 12. Perhaps even a bit more puzzling and perplexing, he had already been arrested for burglary, robbery, drugs, stealing cars, etc.

So, here’s the part where most "normal" folk try to make normal sense of this circumstances. Questions and proclamations such as "Where are the parents?" "How come he didn’t stay in jail before?" "We need tougher juvenile laws…" "What can we do to stop this?" typically mire such conversations.

But the truth of it is, seeking normal answers to normal questions about abnormal people and circumstances doesn’t work. Sometimes, things are just messed up because they’re just messed up. There’s no soul searching, ethical avenging, legislative lobbying, or "letters to the editor" that will make any substantial difference. The train has left the station, the ship has already set sail (and for the most part, has already sank). But an abundance of transportation/calamity metaphors ain’t gonna help either.

One can hope that he’ll get "reform" until he’s 18 (or longer) and that he’ll somehow miraculously get turned around. But that won’t happen. This is one of those instances and circumstances when you just give in or give up. It’s the talk of a jaded tongue, I know. Unfortunately, there’s not much else to say.

Off. Jay Chiarito-Mazzarella

Comments

[Kim]

I firmly believe that intervention for kids like this needs to come from someplace other than the state. The state doesn't care. The state just wants to keep things somewhat stable for the people. (This is not to say that there aren't people within the state who care--God knows I care like crazy and there are many more like me--but we can only do so much.)

The intervention needs to come from their families and people in their community. The thing is, the families are often in worse shape and/or too scattered and the people in the community are often too scared of them.

People look too much to the state to solve problems. The state isn't there to solve problems. It's there to keep the problems from getting so bad that the state can't survive. People need to realize that the society--the community--is who needs to solve the problems. Governments aren't set up to efficiently solve these kinds of problems, only to treat the symptoms. Unfortunately, not enough people want to put forth time, effort, and money to do what needs to be done, so you're left with barely effective charities that don't take care of enough of the problem due to lack of funds and resources. Big Brothers and Sisters is an amazing organization, but they are constantly begging for volunteers.

I'll step off my soap box now. :)

[Ron Quelland]

Nice story Jay. The way you are writing...you'll be ready for your next full-time job as a writer. Don't forget...Charles W. Sasser wrote about his time with the TPD. The one I read: Homicide.

Anyway...I did a stint working as a house-parent at the Tulsa Boys Home back in '86-'87. My bunch was 15-18 yrs of age and considered the toughest/worst (depends on who is calling the shot). Dennis Washington was with our crew for a while...heard he took a couple of slugs in the head after getting out of the joint and trying to get his share of the 'hood back. Thing about that...the dude who popped him was in elementary school at the time Dennis was in high school. You might remember Harold "Big H" (Bubba to you down at 911)Bittick. Well, Big H had that kid back then at his cottage. We sort of watched OUR kids grow up and saw how they blended with the community. Oh well...most of the other youngin's moved on to brighter lives.

Later...Keep up the good posts.

[Officer Jay]

Ron & Kim,

Thanks for your comments and sharing your concerns and stories. For me, one of the fun parts about writing: when people write back. You both seem to be speaking from experience in dealing with the more “troubled” of our youth. As for me, I’m still quite green, and somewhat bothered by having to watch kids pass beyond the “point of no return.” Sure, I’m a bit of an idealist, but as I’m sure you’d both agree, we need some kind of “intervention”—if not a societal heart transplant to more collectively look after the future generations.

A lot of kids have succumbed to violence recently. That waste of life is just a shame.