Bleeding Perseverance - Episode 21

Autobiography Fridays

Eddie, having come from a world of hanging around true bad boys, always had ideas for bad things we could do. Once he told Terrence and I he was going to steal a moped. We went with him thinking we were staying out of the equation by waiting about a block away.

Once he got the moped hot-wired we sped away. We had a lot of fun driving through the empty park at night, and soon it was decided that Terrence and I would get our own too. So like a few dumbasses, for the next couple of nights we walked through neighborhoods looking for mopeds. We spotted a nice Elite parked behind an enclosed back porch. Convincing Eddie to be the one to hop the fence and take it, Terrence and I again waited about a block away.

Now we had two mopeds, driving them around back streets at night and stashing them in bushes during the day.

After about a week something happened that scared us straight. We were waiting outside the house for someone to come home and let us in when a guy coming up the street started yelling our way. “I know you stole my moped!” Terrence and I took off running.

Come to find out, it was pertaining to the first moped Eddie had stolen. The idiot had taken it from a guy he knew at school. He stood there and denied knowing anything. For me, that was it. I said we had to take the Elite back and be done with all of it. So that night we took the second moped back and walked by the residence the following morning. The owners were all gathered around it, puzzled.

A few days later, I was called to the principal’s office. A couple of plain clothes police officers wanted to talk to me about a moped. Like an idiot I said “which one?” Realizing the mistake I had made, I tried covering it up. Once I knew they were talking about the first one Eddie had stolen I told them what happened. Turns out I was just as guilty for going along with him, even though I didn’t plan anything nor stepped a foot onto the property it was taken from. So they took me down to the station, processed me, took away my belt and shoelaces and put me in a cell by myself. I had to tell myself to be calm due to my claustrophobia. Thankfully, I was able to keep my mind busy until Kenneth came to get me. Terrence and Eddie had been processed before me and were already home.

For Terrence and Eddie, being arrested was something to brag about. Eddie had been through it many times before, including with Chino, so it was nothing new. But for me, I hated it. I knew I wasn’t a criminal at heart, given my ambitious nature. I’m really the opposite. Yet I wasn’t completely done going through this stupid phase.

Daniel’s birthday was coming up. During our family visit he mentioned that his foster father Tom was going to set up his party at The Ice Castle, a local indoor ice skating rink. I told him I’d try my best to come by and see him.

I looked forward to spending time with Daniel on his birthday. Of course we didn’t tell anyone because CPS only wanted us to have official supervised visits. Having no money and no one to borrow from I did another stupid thing in order to get a gift for my brother.