mistake?

Before I continue Louie's story, I need to write about some stuff thats been going on recently, or else I'll never catch up!!

I really messed up yesterday... big time! I have a good good friend on the street, I'll call him S. I love him like a brother.. he's always been great to me. Oh man I'm going to have to get into a lot to expalin this story. Believe me or not, a lot of the policing downtown is corrupt (shock!). I've seen the imprint of bootmarks on the friends chest... but usually theyll just strap a phonebook to someones chest and beat them with a bat to break their ribs but leave no marks. I had a friend, G. who was handcuffed then pushed face first downa flight of stairs. It happens, some of the cops are FANTASTIC, but it happens. Anyways... the cops know a lot of the guys out there real well, like know their records and stuff. My buddy S. has a record.. he's been involved in OC since he was a kid, and has collected and stuff for the hells angels for decades. His major charges have been assault. He and his sisters were raped for years by a family member and when S. turned 18 he found the guy beat him with a crowbar and left him for dead. The rest of S's major assault charges were all agaisnt pedophiles as well. The cops know this. The cops also have their hands tied... or pretend to atleast.

A guy whose been hanging out ont he streets recently allegedly raped a 6 year old girl last week. The cops were out looking for the guy and apparently wanted to hurt the guy but didnt want to get their hands dirty. They know S.' record though, so of course... who do they take the picture to, to ask if he's seen him and oh-so-subtly slip in what the guy is being charged with. Needless to say, although S knew he would just be the cops pawn, he wanted to beat the shit out of the guy. It's called street justice, and apparently I'm too naive to understand. The cops also offered s protection if he would 'take care of it'. It's not uncommon for cops to ask the guys on thes treet who is going to take care of certain thigns, cops or skids. It's either the cops will arrest someone and who knows the process it will all be, or the cops can turn a blind eye and be sure street justice will occour - and they don't have to get their hands dirty.

So myself and L come walking by S jsut after the cops leave him and he's FUMING - like ready to go kill this guy. I havent really developed an opinion or philosophy of harm reduction, but hte buddy I was with took him to a park north of downtown, bought him a bunch of beer and a bottle of wine, got him drunk and put him to bed. He claims that if L. hadn't done it there would have been a homicide on our hands. That's a scary thought. I get street justice, I really do. I get that thigns are different out there and if you mess up you get punched out. But just because I don't agree with it doesnt mean I don't get it.

S and I have had a few great God talks. He even came to L.'s baptism to support him. His opinion is, however that he cant believe in a God that would forgive pedophiles and people who would hurt women and children. legitimate. and he feels condemned by God. S beats his street girlfriend up.... I think only when he's drunk.. but it's pretty bad. She didnt have to tell me, it's quite obvious, I just didn't want to believe it. Anyways, after having sat with her on a number of occasions as she's bawled about the abuse she's suffering I have gotten pretty stirred about it, so yesterday more in a moment of desperation I just asked s straight out if he beats her up. bad mooooove. I thought we were close enough that I could go there, but I've realised that just becuase someone will let you in really far in one area of their life... there might be another area that youre jsut not allowed to touch. this was it for S. He flipped on me, and figured it was her that told me (though id heard dit on the street long before she told me) and stormed off. Oh man... did I ever worry and regret myself silly yesterday.

oh if i could write forever... but bed calls :)