Life Changing Events

Inanna has made me begin thinking about a lot of things with her last few posts. Let's just say, I understand where she's at. Bless you, Nanner, for where you've been and where you're going.

I spent most of last night at the police station, trying to pick up John. They called at 3 looking for J, who is in Chicago. They said they couldn't reach J's mom, and could I come down. I did, and waited...and waited...and waited. An officer came out at 4 and said it would be "a little while". John was with 4 other boys who were caught outside a house with socks over their hands, presumably to conceal fingerprints. The biggest issue is that one of the boys had a gun (they wouldn't say if it was John or not, so I just waited and worried). The waiting continued. J's mom arrived around 6:00. I had to be on an interview committee at noon, so I went home to sleep.

She waited...and waited...and waited. At 10:30, they let her back to see him. He confessed to burglarizing 3 previous houses, but claims that he didn't know the other boy had a gun. They've been charged with home invasion- a felony charge. He's 15. He's still on probation for riding in a stolen truck with a "friend". They took him to the Springfield Youth Facility until his court date tomorrow. My guess is that given the serious nature of his charges, he'll be detained, but maybe not. His grandma is distraught. She believes that he's just being led astray by his friends. J and I are more realistic- John is a decent kid who has chosen a flawed, faulty path. J wants them to keep John in custody in the hopes that he will be scared straight. I have seen kids come out of that facility- John will not be scared, but will have built a rep and will continue on the path he's chosen. No matter what, these actions will haunt him for years to come.