The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane - Part 2
By Barbara Lynn Terry

(Author's note: See Part 1 for disclaimer.)

Chapter 3 - The girls at the mall.

When the girls got to the mall, they looked around in different stores, which took most of the morning. Kathy Shepard told the others they should go the Gap and see what she could buy with the money her mother gave Francine McGuire to hold on to. So, all four girls headed to the Gap. When they went in, Kathy saw a really nice skirt, and she went to try it on. After she got it around her waist, it was just a tad too big. Then she remembered, they were in the women’s section.

Kathy gave the skirt to the lady at the changing room desk. Then all four girls went to the girls department, and she looked for a complete ensemble. She found one, but the tee shirt, leggings and retro skirt were separately priced. So, with the money Francine had for her, Kathy bought the tee shirt and the leggings. She would ask her mother for the money to buy the skirt.

Not finding any earrings in the Gap, they went in search for some really decent ones. There were costume jewelry stores in the mall, and one of them had a pair of earrings that looked like oyster shells. Of course, they were plastic, but a lot of girls and women are wearing fashionable plastic earrings these days. With the money that Francine had for her and her sisters, they looked at several pairs, until Tanya told francine what she wanted.

“Sis, these are beautiful. Look, they have deer.”

“Yes,” Tanya,” Francine said. “If you want those, we will buy them for you. Darlene, have you found a pair, yet?”

“Yes, Francine,” Darlene said, answering her sister. “I picked out these ones that have stars.”

“Mine are these ducklings.” Fracine held them up so that everyone could see them.

Kathy hadn’t made a choice, yet, because she was still looking. She looked through several pair Finally Kathy found a pair that were really nice. She remembered to look at the card and see if the posts were hypoallergenic. They were, so Kathy bought them. They were replicas of the moon. Finally, Francine yawned.

“I think we should go to the food court and get something to eat.”

“I second the motion,” Tanya said, in answer to Francine’s suggestion.

They all went to the food court, and then they had to have a discussion of what to get. That was because, if anybody has ever been to a mall food court, you know the lines are long. Today was no exception. The girls decided to get in the shortest line, at the Taco Bell stand. They pooled their money and got a box of one dozen tacos, for everyone to share.

They took their order of tacos and sodas, to the tables set up for customers of the food court. As they ate, they talked about their trip to the mall.

“I think,” Francine was saying. “That if you get more money to buy that skirt, then I will ask my mom if we can have enough money to get each of us an outfit. Those leggings will look good with that skirt.”

“Yes, Francine,” Kathy was agreeing with her friend. “I had better do that right away tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow is the block party,” Tanya said. “We can’t miss the block party. There’s going to be a carnival, and I would love going on a few rides.”

“Yes, Tanya,” Francine agreed. “We will go to the block party.”

The Ginger Lane block party was started right after Mrs. Mae Harkins died suddenly of a heart attack. There was a memorial fund set up for the purpose of giving a scholarship for sports or academics, to a deserving student of Pine Forest Senior High School. The reason the block party was held in Ginger Lane, is because that is where Mrs. Harkins had lived. She was well loved by the people in the lane, and by the townspeople. So, the girls decided that after they were done with their tacos, they would head home. Kathy had an idea.

“I know what we can do. When we get back to your house, girls, we can watch spooky movies.”

“That would be great,” Darlene agreed.

“I love scary movies,” Tanya said, in a serious tone.

The girls put the trash in the trash bin, and started for home. It was such a nice day for the middle of September, they decided to walk the mile and a half to Ginger Lane. As they walked, they talked about what scary movies they should watch. Francine had an idea.

“We can watch A Nightmare On Elm Street, and maybe a spooky murder mystery, and follow that up with Thir13en Ghosts.”

“We could even watch a favorite of my mom and dad’s. It is called The Hound Of The Baskervilles. A spooky, misty moor is just as scary as Freddie Krueger.”

“You are so right, Darlene. There is another one we can watch, too. It is called Sleepaway Camp. That one is very scary.

Those are all good movies,” stated Kathy Shepard. “The one I like isn’t a scary movie, but it is a science fiction movie, called The Day The Earth Stood Still. It was made in 1951, and my dad’s favorite. I have seen it a couple of times, and it is funny in parts, and very serious in others. But, it isn’t scary. We could watch that one, too, after I put my new clothes in my room.”

“Alright, Kathy. If we don’t have the dvd, then you can get it from your house,” added Darlene. By this time they were on Ginger Lane.

They went directly to Kathy’s house. Kathy announced herself as she got inside the house.

“I’m in the kitchen, dear,” Eileen Shepard answered her daughter.
“Mom, I bought part of an outfit. I had enough money to get the leggings and this tee shirt,” Kathy said, pulling the clothes out from the bag. “There is a skirt that goes with this, but I didn’t have enough money for it.”

“Well, I can’t have my daughter dressed in just a partial outfit. How much is the skirt, dear?”

“It said $24.95 and it is at the Gap.”

“Alright, dear, I will give you the money tomorrow and you can go and get the skirt.”

“Mom!” Kathy said, indignantly. “Tomorrow is the block party. Francine said they even have a carnival there.”

“Yes, I know. Your mother was over here looking for you four. I told her you hadn’t come back, yet. So, what are you four going to do for the rest of the night?”

“Mrs. Shepard, do you have the dvd of The Night The Earth Stood Still? Kathy thought we might watch it in between the scary movies.”

“Yes, Francine, it is in the living room, by the t.v. So, you’re going to watch scary movies, hey. Which ones did you decide on?”

“We thought we would watch The Hound Of The Baskervilles, A Nightmare On Elm Street, Sleepaway Camp, and if we have time, we could watch Thir13en Ghosts.”

“So, you’re going to watch a Sherlock Holmes mystery. The Hound of the Baskervilles is a good movie. It was made in 1939.”

“I’m going to put my new clothes in my room.”

“Alright, dear,” remarked Eileen Shepard. “Put the bag where you want your dresser to go.”

“Alright, mom, I love you,” said Kathy Shepard, giving her mother a hug and a kiss. “Then we’re going back over by Francine’s so we can watch these movies.”

“Well, you have a good night. See you at the block party.”

Kathy Shepard put her new clothes in her room and then the four girls went back over to Ruth McGuire’s house.

“Mom,” Francine called out.”

“I’m in the kitchen, Francine.” They all went in the kitchen.

“It’s about time you four showed up. I was wondering what was taking so long. Well, anyway, I told your mother why we have this block party every Saturday, in the summer, then every other Saturday in the winter at the community center.”

“Do you like our new earrings, mom?” Asked Tanya.

“Yes, I do. They’re really cute, and very fashionable.”

“Mom,” Darlene said in a serious tone. “We’re going to go and watch The Princess Diaries and maybe The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan.”

“Alright girls. By the way, did you have lunch?”

“Yes, mother. We pooled what money we had left, and bought a twelve pack of tacos from Taco Bell, and sodas.”

“Alright, well, dinner won’t be ready for another four and a half hours. So, enjoy your movies, girls.”

The girls all went in to the living room to watch The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan. This is one hilarious movie. The original Parent Trap with Haley Mills is also funny. But the remake with Lindsay Lohan is just as funny. Darlene put the dvd in the player, and they sat on floor in front of the sofa, to watch the movie. All through the movie they laughed at the antics of Lindsay Lohan playing a double role as a twin. The movie was especially funny at the beginning when Lindsay Lohan is dropped of at the girls camp. The things she gets into are very funny. Then comes the time to finally tell everyone who they really are. The camping trip they go on just before school starts is especially funny.

When the movie was over, it was stretching time. The girls went in the kitchen and each one took a soda. Ruth McGuire always kept a supply of soda, juices and cocoa just in case the girls had a sleepover. Tonight was Kathy Shepard’s first sleepover in her new neighborhood.

“Thank you, Mrs. McGuire for having me spend the night.”

“You are very welcome, and we are glad to have you. Kathy. Tomorrow you are going to see how we have fun on a Saturday here on Ginger Lane. We call it the block party, but everyone in the lane is invited as well as the townspeople. This is a tribute to the late Mrs. Mae Harkins, who passed away suddenly. This is our way of honoring her. The money collected from the carnival, and the refreshments, go in to the Mrs. Mae Harkins Memorial Scholarship Fund, for giving a scholarship to a deserving student.

“There is a lot of fun to be had during the block party.

“I think I’m going to like living here,” Kathy said, with a cheery smile.

The girls went in the living room to watch The Princess Diaries. They all loved this movie, because Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis goes from one misadventure to another, starting with her school speech as to why school uniforms are needed. She doesn’t complete her speech, but runs from the classroom. The next scene has her and Caroline Goodall at a rock climbing gym, where Caroline Goodall, playing Anne Hathaway’s mother, tells her daughter that her grandmother is in town and points out that she is the live one.

Caroline Goodall then says that the grandmother wants to have tea with Anne Hathaway. Incredulously, Mia Thermopolis can’t believe that her grandmother came all the from Europe just to have tea.

The grandmother, played by Julie Andrews, informs Mia that she is the princess of the small country of Genovia. Mia says, “shut up!” where upon Julie Andrews says, “I beg your pardon.” The waiter then explains that in America, shut up doesn’t always mean be quiet. Then he goes on to explain alternative definitions. But, Julie Andrews isn’t having any of her young granddaughter’s surprised comments. Mia asks why would her grandmother pick her to be their princess. It is explained that since the untimely death of her father, she is next in line to inherit the throne of Genovia.

The movie goes on from one misadventure to another, especially when Hector Elizondo appears as the royal head of security. It is one fabulous movie that is very entertaining.

With the movie being over, Ruth McGuire comes in the living room and tells the girls to get washed up for dinner. They all go to the bathroom to wash their hands, then they all go back down to the dining room.

“Kathy, since you are our guest, would you please say grace?”

“Yes, thank you, Mrs. McGuire. Dear God, thank you for this food that you have put before us, and thank you so much for letting me make new friends. I ask this in the name of your son, Jesus. Amen.”

“Very nice, Kathy. Are you in a Bible study group?”

“Yes, Mrs. McGuire. They told us when we pray to God, to make sure that we ask His favor by saying that we ask whatever we pray for to be done through His son, Jesus.

“That is true. Jesus said, ‘that no man shall enter the kingdom of heaven, except through me’. Alright everybody, dig in as the saying goes.”

The dinner was pot roast, cooked carrots, baked potatoes, pearl onions, cabbage, celery, and the girls had milk, while Ruth had coffee. They talked while they ate, telling Ruth that they were going to watch The Hound Of The Baskervilles first, just so they could get in the mood. Then they were going to watch A Nightmare on Elm Street, Thir13en Ghosts, and then Sleepaway Camp.
“Sounds like you have a busy night scheduled,” Ruth said, with a smile.

“Mom, this is Kathy’s first sleepover here in the lane. What we need to do, tomorrow, is …”

“We need to be at the block party, sis,” Tanya said, indignantly.

“Yes, you are so right, Tanya. We will be at the block party. While we are there, we can do each other’s nails. I mean, we don’t have to be in the house to polish fingernails,” Darlene added.

“I agree,” Francine stated. Then, that is what we will do.”

After they were finished eating, the girls all chipped in to get the kitchen and dining room clean, and help with the dishes. When the cleanup was done, the girls all went in the living room to watch their movies. Darlene put in The Hound Of The Baskervilles, starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes, and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. It said on the dvd case that this movie was made in 1939.

1939? My goodness! That was way before any of the girls were born. But a Sherlock Holmes mystery, originally written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is a timeless story that can be told again and again. The girls sat in awe as they watched Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson go from one clue after another to solve the mystery. When the movie was over, Kathy started talking.

“Now you know why this is my mom and dad’s favorite mystery.”

Tanya picked the next dvd, and she picked The Day The Earth Stood Still, 1951, starring Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe and Billy Gray. The story is a must see, but, if everybody on planet Earth would follow the moral of this story, there would definitely be world peace. Michael Rennie plays a human from another planet, who came to earth with a warning and an ultimatum. Of course, wouldn’t you know it, nobody cared about the message in the movie, because, I mean, after all, it was just a movie. Right?

Francine picked Thir13en Ghosts, (2001), for the next movie. This movie was one of mazes, writings on the glass, and all these ghosts trying to get at the nephew of the man who died leaving him his house, fortune, and collection of malicious ghosts. The uncle who died was a collector of strange and exotic things, including the ghosts. There really isn’t much to say without ruining the whole movie. That is, if you like scary movies.

For a whole one hour and thirty one minutes, they sat transfixed to the tv. Thir13en Ghosts is one of those movies. When the movie was over, Tanya put the dvd back in its place, and then took out Sleepaway Camp. This is another movie you don’t want to say anything about the plot, because it will ruin the whole movie.

The girls all screamed at the appropriate times during the movie, because it was that type of movie. When this movie was over, all the girls agreed that they had had enough of scary movies for one week. They put the couch pillows back on the couch, and then went in the kitchen to get a soda.

Chapter 4 - The block party.

By the time they were finished with their sodas, it was bedtime. Tanya, Darlene and Francine gave their mother a kiss and a hug. Kathy Shepard did the same. They went up to the bedrooms, and Kathy was going to sleep in Tanya’s room. Tanya let Kathy use one of her nightgowns.

After they were finished cleaning up in the bathroom, they both went to bed. The neat thing about the McGuire household, is that they have bunk beds in each of the girls rooms. The McGuire girls always slept in the upper bunk, in case they had a sleepover, and their company slept in the lower bunk. It was company manners, after all.

It always seems that as soon as you close your eyes, you have to wake up. Or, is it that you don’t remember falling asleep to begin with? Morning dawned bright and early for the residents of Ginger Lane. They had to get up, and set up the tents for the refreshments. There would be two beer tents that would be run by adults, and the soda tent which the children could run.

Jay Simons always ran the soda tent, because it gave her something useful to do. Everybody living in the lane respected Jay for who she was, not what they wanted her to be. Because of this, Jay was friends with all the children of Ginger Lane.

Jay’s father, George Simons, would be running the brat and hotdog grill, while Jim Winston, Dotty Winston’s husband, would be running the chicken and roasted corn grill. That left one more grill, and that was run by Bob Schwimmer, Elaine’s husband. Dotty had a daughter, Colleen, and she usually helped Jay with the soft drinks, because a lot of people liked soda over beer.

The police had Ginger Lane all blocked off from the highway leading in to town. There was already a line of townspeople waiting to get in. Admission was free, but you had to pay for the rides, food and drinks. When the girls came out on the street, they saw the carnival had already been put up. Jay and Colleen were already getting the refreshment out in the coolers that had dry ice in them.

This was going to be a promising weekend for the Mrs. Mae Harkins Memorial Scholarship Fund. Jay Simons went to the barricade and told Tony Palmetti that he and Greg could open the barricade. The townspeople entered Ginger Lane in orderly fashion. There was no pushing, shoving or threats. The people of Pine Forest, wanted this block party to continue, because it’s for a good cause and in memory of a very well respected lady.

Anthony (Tony) Palmetti was thirty three years old, and has been a police officer in Pine Forest for the last twelve years. His rich, full head of light brown hair, complimented his sky blue eyes, and muscular build. His partner Gregory (Greg) Olsen, was thirty three years old, and had been a police officer in Pine Forest for the same length of time as Tony. They actually went through the academy together.

“How is it going, Jay?” George Simons asked of his child.

“It is going good. So far we have twenty four dollars in the till.”

“Well, that is good. Keep up the good work, Jay,” George Simons told Jay.
Jimmy found the girls, and showed them the money his mom gave him for the rides. He asked if they wanted to come along. All four girls said yes, and they proceeded to the midway. They all took a vote as to what ride to go on first. Whenever the carnival came, they always brought the Ferris wheel. So, they voted to go on that one, first. They loved it when the Ferris wheel stopped with them on top. They could see the whole town and surrounding countryside.

While they were at the top, Jimmy noticed a girl at the soft drink tent.

“Whose that girl, down there, giving out sodas?”

“That is Jay Simons. She always helps out every time we have the block party,” Francine told Jimmy.

When the Ferris wheel got to the bottom, and they got off of the ride, the girls wanted to go on the Til-a-Whirl. Jimmy gave the tickets to Kathy and said he would keep enough for him to play a few games. The girls went by the Tilt-a-Whirl and waited in line for their turn.

“Why did Jimmy say he wanted to play games?” Asked Darlene.

“He did seem like he was thinking about something,” Francine added. “I wonder if it had to do with us telling him who the girl was, at the soda tent?”

“You could be right, Francine,” Kathy said. “He did seem like he was far away.”

It was then they saw Jimmy taking Jay up toward the barricade. It seemed that Jay was crying. They went to join Jimmy and Jay. Jay had a black eye.

”Officer,” Jimmy said, getting their attention. “A guy bigger than Jay, beat Jay up and gave her this black eye.”

“Jay, would you recognize him again, if you saw him?” Asked Tony Palmetti.

“Yes, officer Tony. He is still by the soda tent.”

“I would recognize him, too, officer,” Jimmy added.

“Greg, can you hold the fort, while I go and take a look?”

“Sure, Tony, you go ahead. I will be all right here.”

Tony and the two boys went over by the soda tent where Colleen was doing her very best to ignore the bully.

“Hey, look, we could sit on the top of the Ferris wheel and smooch a little bit.”

“Young man, do you have a problem minding your own business?”

“This ain’t none of your affair, flatfoot, so beat it.”

Tony grabbed a hold of the bully, and started walking him toward the barricade.

“What’s your name?”

“David Carruthers, and you had better let me go, before my dad beats some sense into you.”

“Young man, how old are you?”

“I’m twelve, flatfoot. So, like I said before, this ain’t none of your affair.”

“Everything that goes on on this street is my affair today. I suggest you wait right here. We will have someone pick you up.”

David smiled, thinking he had won the battle. Little did he know, that when the squad they called arrived, David would be going to the detention center.

“See, flatfoot, I told you I would win.”

“Win what, David? You’re going to the detention center. You caused a person an grievous injury. I know that you probably think that the person you beat up doesn’t have a friend in the world, but, everybody on the lane is Jay’s friend.”

“You freaking asshole. I’m going to get my dad’s gun and come back and shoot you in the head with it.”

“Did you hear that, Greg? He just legally threatened my life. Son, you are being arrested for injury by conduct regardless of life and threatening the life of a police officer. Oh, I see your taxi has arrived. Don’t worry about the fare, we will pay it.”

“What have were, then, Tony?” Asked Steven Hastings.

“This young man here beat up Jay. Then he threatened to get his father’s gun and come back and shoot me in the head with it. We have a real winner here, Steve.”

“He threatened you with his father’s gun while you were in uniform?”

“Yes, he did. He is being charged with being a delinquent, injury by conduct regardless of life and threatening a peace officer with bodily harm.”

“You know, Tony, I think I will take him right to the jail. Maybe tomorrow we can ask the district attorney to have him waived from children’s court, to adult court, so we can try him as an adult.”

“You can’t try me as an adult, I’m not sixteen.”

“Listen, you little punk, if they can give a 6 year old in Florida the death penalty for kissing a classmate on the cheek, we can certainly try you as an adult. How old are you?”

“I’m twelve.”

“You’re older than twelve. How old are you?”

“Alright, I’m fourteen. But, you still can’t try me as an adult. I’m from Detroit, and I know that you can’t try a minor as an adult, under sixteen.”

“Oh! I am so sorry. My bad. What did you say your name was again?”

“David Carruthers, and where I come from, that name means something.”

“Yes, well, here it means you are a trouble maker. So, now, you will go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Let’s go, young man.”

Steve put David in the back of the squad, and drove to the Pine Forest city jail. In the morning, David will be taken to the chldren’s court center, where the didtrict attorney will move to have David waived in to adult court to be tried as an adult. Steve couldn’t but think, that if David was as nasty to the judge, like he was to the him and the other officers, the judge won’t even blink, when David gets waived in to adult court. But, Steve wasn’t going to say anything.

When David got to the jail, and was shown a cell with no one in it, he had a fear run through him. Steve told David to get in the cell, and Steve locked the cell door.

“This is where you are going to spend the night. Tomorrow, we are taking you before the children’s court judge to have you waived in to adult court. You have a nice night.”

Steve left the solitary confinement area, and returned the keys to the officer on duty. David started getting madder by the moment. Then he started yelling and swearing very loudly. The jailor came in the cell area, and looked at David.

“What’s is going on? Why are you yelling?”

“You better let me go, screw, or my dad will come down here and give you an ass whipping.”

“Is that so? Well, then I guess I had better let you go, then.”

“Now you’re talking. Those other flatfoots wouldn’t listen to me.”

“All right, then, I will be right back.”

The jailor left, and David, thinking he had won this one, sat down on the hard bench seat, and started whistling. He waited and waited for the officer to come back, but it didn’t seem like he was going to. David said aloud to no one.

“That flatfoot fooled me. I’ll get even with him. Wait ‘til I tell my dad.”

In the meantime, Steve was on his way to a house where a family had just moved in. He pulled up to a two story frame house, and went and rang the doorbell. A balding man of about forty answered the door.

“Yes, Officer, may I help you?”

“Yes, is your name Carruthers?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Do you have a son named David.”

“Yes, that is my son’s name.

“What is David’s full name?

The man looked at Steve with suspicion.

“His name is David Allen Carruthers.”

“What is his date of birth?”

“August 8, 2002. Officer, why are you asking me these questions?”

“Because we have your son at the city jail, waiting to see the judge in the morning. Judge Reynolds is not going to like having to come in on a Sunday, to hear a delinquency case, but, given the severity of the charges against him, David will be lucky if the judge doesn’t send him to a girls residential treatment center.”

“He beat up a girl?”

“In a manner of speaking. May I get your full name and date of birth, please?”

“Jonah Wilson Carruthers, April 2, 1982, I’m thirty four years old.”

“Mr. Carruthers, I’m officer Steve Hastings, Pine Forest police department. David got in a little trouble today, when he beat up a transgender individual. He compounded that charge when he threatened to get your gun and come back and shoot me. He is charged with injury by conduct regardless of life and threatening a peace officer with bodily harm. We are going to recommend to the district attorney that he get waived in to adult court, so we can try him as an adult.”

“Wait just one minute, here. Are you saying you arrested my son for beating up a faggot? Why?”

“I can see where David gets his attitude from. If you wish to be at David’s hearing, be at the children’s court center tomorrow morning at ten in the morning. Have a good day, sir.”

“Wait, David is just a young boy. Can’t we just forget this ever happened, and let David go?”

“Mr. Carruthers, your son is being held on two felony warrant holds. Even if I could let David go, I would be remiss in my duty as a peace officer, to do so. No, Mr. Carruthers, I am sorry, but I cannot just let David go and I cannot forget the charges. See you tomorrow.”

As Steve was walking back to his squad car, he heard Mr. Carruthers slam his door. A smile formed on Steve’s face, because he knew he had hit a sensitive nerve. Now, all Steve could do, was wait and see what Mr. Jonah Wilson Carruthers did from this point. Steve decided to go back to the block party to add a little more security. He radioed in to tell the dispatcher that is what he was doing.

The block party was going very strong, by the time Steve got back. Tony Palmetti and Greg Olsen opened the barricade for Steve to park his squad on the lane.

“Well, you will never guess what I just went through. I went over to this house where the new family that moved in to town lived, and informed the man that we had his son, and why. The man asked me to forget about all of this and let his son go.”

“Did he try to bribe you?”

“No, Tony, he didn’t. If he had, I would have in a cell next to his son. As it was, all he did was slam the door when I was walking back to my car. Anyway, I am going to mingle and help with security.”

“Okay, Steve,” Greg Olsen said. “We will see you later.”

Steve walked down by the soft drink tent to see if Jay was alright.

“Let me take a look at that eye, Jay.” Steve looked at Jay’s eye and saw that it was really swollen and bruised. Even the makeup, Jay’s mother put over it, couldn’t hide the black and blue discoloration. “The good news, Jay, is, it will go away. It may take a few days, but it will go away. I’m going to mingle and make sure everything is quiet.”

Steve no sooner left, than he heard a loud voice coming from where Jay was.

“Where’s that faggot that had my son arrested? Somebody had better tell me, or I will wreck this place. So help me, I will.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Carruthers, but, what seems to be the problem?”

“Go hassle someone else, flatfoot. This isn’t your concern.”

“David said that very same thing, not too long ago. Now, I will tell you what I told David. Everything that goes on here, today, is my concern. I’m here with the other officers to keep the peace and make sure there is no violence.

“During our block party, especially, we have a zero tolerance for any kind of disorder.”

“I told you, this is none of your concern. Where I am from, a man handles his own affairs.”

“Mister, I don’t care if you are from Timbuktu, when you are here, you obey the law, or go to jail. I am a sworn officer of the law, empowered to make sure that those who break the law are arrested, and protect those who do not violate the law. Here in Pine Forest we take that responsibility seriously. Now, I suggest that you behave yourself, or I will have to put you in jail. Is that understood?”

“Yes, that is understood.”

Jonah Carruthers was not a man to mince words. When he told Steve that he understood, he did it with scorn and no intention of behaving, until he faced the person who had his son arrested. After Steve left, Jonah Carruthers looked at the girls working at the soft drink tent.

“Now, I have a gun. If nobody tells me where that faggot who had my sone arrested is, I will start shooting one person at a time, until someone brings me that faggot.”

“I didn’t think you’d behave, Mr. Carruthers, Steve said, standing behind Jonah Carruthers. “So, I circled around until you were so engrossed with hate, you didn’t see me watching you. So, you have gun, do you. Let’s find out.”

Steve motioned for another officer to help him, and they searched Jonah. The other officer found the gun in an ankle holster.

Jonah Wilson Carruthers,” Steve was saying. “You are under arrest for carrying a concealed weapon without a police permit. You are under arrest for threatening the lives of at least a hundred people. You are also under arrest for the attempted murder of one Jay Simons, a human being. You have the right to remain silent, if you choose to give up that right, anything you say now, can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney during questioning and if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you by the judge. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?*

“Yes, flatfoot, I understand. But, you understand this, I am going to use this gun, to shoot you through the head.”

“Sir, you are also under arrest for legally threatening the safety of a peace officer with bodily harm by means of a firearm. Do you understand that you have the same right to remain silent and to have an attorney present or have one appointed to you.?”

“Yeah, yeah, I understand all right, just so you understand what I said.”

The two officers took Jonah Wilson Carruthers to the barricade.

“What have we got here, Steve?” Inquired officer Greg Olsen

“You’re not going to believe this, but this is the idiot, who gave the other idiot we arrested earlier, his attitude. Like father, like son.”

“You mean, this is David’s father?”

“Yes, Tony, he is. He even had the nerve to bring a pistol here and threaten people with it, including me. Jack and I will stay here until his taxi arrives. I will go along to get my cuffs back.”

“Where I come from flatfeet, the police are considered on the take and enforce whatever from whoever pays them the most.”

“So, you are saying that the police in Detroit are all on the take.”

“Yes, and I have dealt with many of them.”

“Mr. Carruthers, I am going to notify the Detroit police department, and tell them what you just told us. Don’t be surprised if they place a felony hold on you, while you are in our jail. Bribery of a police officer is a felony.”

“Are you saying you couldn’t an use an extra grand or two, for your family, membership in that country club you always wanted to join, maybe buy a new car? Or, for whatever else.”

“Yes, Mr. Carruthers, but there are legal ways of getting money for all of that. It is called work.”

“Bah! Work! I worked once, it is highly overrated. By the time Uncle Sam gets done taking out the taxes, you are lucky to have anything left on your paycheck. No, flatfoot, my way is easier and a lot more fun.”

“That may be, but your way is also illegal and dangerous.”

“Yeah, what do you know?”

“I know, Mr Carruthers, that you are going to jail. It looks like your taxi is waiting. Let’s go.”

“I will get even with you flatfoot, if it’s the last thing I do.”

“Just get in the back seat. Now!”

“Aye, aye captain, what ever you say.”

When Jonah Carruthers was in the back seat of the squad car, Steve closed the door and got in the front seat. They took Mr. Carruthers to the city jail, and placed him in a cell block with other inmates. Some of these inamtes were first timers, and others were convicted felons.

Jonah would have no trouble holding his own, or so he thought. A man, twice the size of Jonah, came up to him and asked what he was in for.

“That stupid flatfoot arrested me, because I was going to kill that stupid faggot that had my son arrested. My son didn’t do anything to him.”

“Why did this person have your son arrested?”

“Because David, that’s my son’s name, beat the livin’ daylights outta the faggot, just for being a faggot.”

“So, you threatened a cop. Did it ever occur to you, that this cop was only doing his job? What was this cop’s name?”

William (Bull) McMurphey was a convicted felon appearing in Pine Forest County Circuit Court on a motion to over turn his conviction because of newly discovered evidence. He was thirty years old, and was starting to bald from the front to the back.

“His name is Steven Hastings, badge number 784 and is a flatfoot here in this dinky little town.”

“Steve Hastings might be a cop, but he is just and he is fair. Just because he arrested your son, is no need to call him names. Also, there is what is called, the jailhouse grapevine. This grapevine has the rumor that there is a minor in solitary, waiting to see the children’s court judge tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow!?! But, tomorrow is Sunday. Courts aren’t open on Sundays.”

What is your name?”

“Jonah.”

“Well, Jonah, Judge Christine Reynolds holds emergency court on Sunday mornings until noon. If that is your son down there, don’t be surprised if he joins us in here, to be tried as an adult.”

“They can’t try David as an adult, he isn’t sixteen.”

“Jonah, they can waive a minor in to adult court on a finding that the minor is delinquent pursuant to the language of statute. If that happens, he will definitely be waived in to adult court.”

“What the hell kind of town have we come to? You people seem to know about this faggot, and yet, you just sit there and do nothing.

“ Jonah,” Bull said, looking sternly at Jonah. “We don’t call people names like that anymore, even though there are still those who do. But, for the most part, we are changing our attitudes towards those people that are different.”

“You’re just like that cop. He said the same thing

“Did you just call me a cop? You listen to me. This motion will be denied, and when I get back to the prison, I will pass the word that you’re a queer and you like to suck cock.”

“Did you just call me a cocksucker?” Jonah asked Bull.

“Yep, I certainly did, and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Jonah, not one to turn down a dare, swung a fist at Bull, only to find himself on the floor.

“Stay down, Jonah, or, I will put you down again.” Everyone in the cell block was laughing.

Before Jonah could say whatever it is he said, Steve told the jailor that he had to get back to the block party. He stopped long enough to stop laughing. Then he went out and had another officer drive him to the block party.

Steve arrived at the block party, and Tony and Greg told him that everything was quiet. Steve walked around and stopped at the soft drink tent.

“Hello, ladies,” Steve said, tipping his uniform cap. “How is everything going here?”

“Just fine, officer Hastings. Thank you for asking.

Steve was one of the officers who had seniority in the Pine Forest police department. But, he never lorded that seniority over his fellow officers. He was a team player, which is why the other officers liked him.

With all of the excitement that happened here with the Carruthers, it was still early. It was only two o’clock in the afternoon. Steve made his rounds by the rides, making sure all was quiet. Except for the father and son troublemakers, everybody else was having a good time. What kind of town had the Carruthers come to?

A law abiding one.

*Escobedo v. Illinois, 378 U.S. 478 (1964); Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966). … Next time in Part 3: Jay and Jimmy become friends.
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