But, as always, my need for total transparency in all operations here prevailed.
So here it is....
I love the kids, I really do.....but, as I always tell my staff...
"Never trust the little bastards"
Today's tale is about one of the times I broke my own rule.....
We had a show with multiple bands (as we often do).... the point Im trying to make here is that the show lasted until a good 1am-2am.
At the end of the night, a young skinny little wisp of a girl came up and asked if I could give her and her friend a ride home.... I get this a lot....
I told her that I prefer not to without written authorization from a parent saying I can transport their minor before doing such a thing.
(See? I STARTED this using my head...)
She then added that if I couldn't do it, they were going to end up sleeping on the curb outside overnight....
Now, before everyone starts judging here.... if you know me, know just how skinny I am.... you will know what I'm saying when I tell you that both of them put together wouldn't make one of me.
I just couldn't imagine them fending for themselves alone in Spindale overnight.
Plus, these two were pretty much regulars here, never cause any trouble at all. Yes, they were boy and girl, but I also knew they were not dating anymore, have long been good friends and have stayed at each others house before.
Plus.... her Mom had already asked that we look out for her. She told us that while she wasnt always coming home, she was more worried about her safety.
So..... I am merely fulfilling a promise and her Mom's wishes.... right?
So... I finally caved and said "Ok.... JUST this time, but don't come here again if you don't have a ride again unless your Mom's come in and give me written permission first"
I actually had quite the carload that night but the rest were teens old enough to make their own decisions plus my youngest daughter and myself.
So, as we start piling everyone into my car... another car turns into the parking lot...its headlights pointing momentarily upon us.
I'm not sure I can adequately convey to you the look of fear and shock that came across my two youngest passengers faces. It was enough for me to wonder if child abuse was an issue......
I asked them what the look meant (as the car instead drove to the ATM, not towards us.)
Forgive me here, but I do not recall exactly what excuse they gave me at the time.... but I do remember knowing in my gut it was complete bullshit.
But, I was already on my ill-fated path....
We drove and dropped off teens as we came upon their homes.
At one teens trailer park, I pulled off the road to let them out when another car raced up behind us, their headlights blinding my vision trying to look in my rear view to determine "friend or foe".
While I may not always make the wisest decisions, never doubt my willingness to protect your children....
I told all car occupants to stay inside and I got out ready to take on the 4+ shadowed people in the car behind me.....
Turns out, it was a car load of basement teens having a laugh, wanting to say hey to me! (What a relief!)
I say hello, wish them a good night, let out the teen and my two youngest charges, my daughter and myself head on towards the final drop off before heading home.
Having the two youngsters (14 yr olds?) alone in the car now, I tell them that while I may not know what all is going on, I wasn't buying their BS story regarding their reaction to the headlights....
We get to the young mans house and it was pitch black.... not really surprising at 2:30 in the morning.....
BUT.... as the kids are getting out, that same car load of teens I saw earlier pulls up behind us.
THAT was when I fully realized I had been had.... tricked.... hood-winked....
I was fucked.
"Never trust the little bastards"
They were already out of the car and I knew I couldnt man-handle them back in....so I looked at my daughter and told her "lets get the hell outta here..... I foresee nothing but trouble here...."
We left not knowing it was even worse than I had imagined....
I hear through the teen grapevine... the boys parents were out of town that weekend.... he was SUPPOSED to be staying at his grandparents.
Which is why he apparently didn't have a house key either.... after I left...he (or they) broke into the house.
They then proceeded to have one hell of a party....drugs, alcohol (some was brought, some was found at the home) and who knows what else....
They destroyed the place....
The parents came home a couple days later and had no illusions what had happened while they were gone. There was apparently no hiding the carnage.
They were (understandably) so upset they pressed charges against all involved (their son included).
After hearing about all this, I waited and waited.... each day expecting Rutherford's finest to come get me (and who could blame them???) at LEAST for questioning....
I called his Mother and explained, best I could, my part in all of it.... my thinking, my reasoning in it.
Bless her heart, she told me she completely understood that I was simply looking out for the kids and had no clue the parents were out of town... that the kids were playing me for a fool....
"Never trust the little bastards"
She understood and did not blame me for what I had done....
DAD, however.... was a different story..... he never contacted me, faced me, talked to me.....
He simply went around telling all who would listen how The Ultimate Basement took his kid to a drug party...
And.... to be fair.... you can't say he was wrong.
The police never came for me.... I even offered my story to any I could find.... if they wanted me, lets get it over with..... but it never happened.
I got lucky I suppose..... but I never forgot what they did to me, the position they put me in.... playing on my bleeding heart....
"Never trust the little bastards"
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