More Courtroom Drama

Had a very interesting morning. This kid (looked to be about 18 or 19) was up before the bench being sentenced for an assault and a theft. The judge gave him probation but added on a 60 day jail term as a condition. I'm sitting there watching this kid...watching his face. In the split second it took me to recognize the classic "fight or flight" look, he bounded over the counsel table and made a break for it! I mean, this kid hauled ass--jumping over the bailiff, over people in chairs in the gallery, trampled a couple of defense attorneys and was out the door! They caught him in an alley a few minutes later and dragged him back into the courtroom. Turned out he had freaked out because he'd been doing coke all morning and thought they were gonna piss test him at the jail. Poor, stupid kid...more balls than brains, from a shitty home with shitty parents who couldn't even be bothered to show up in court today. No wonder he wanted to run away. It's these future inmates that are the most depressing. Caught half-way between boy and man, you can still see shadows of the little kids that they were before they learned from the people around them to treat themselves like garbage. It's only a matter of time before I see him again...and he'll be older, harder, and meaner. We call it a justice system. Days like today, I'm not so sure that's the best name for it.

(no subject)

Hey, John Sayles, will you marry me?