November 1981 (part 3)

After my mom ran me off, I thought to myself, well there is one thing that I know Oscar can do. He was always bragging that he could break into anything. He had not done so though because I wouldn't let him and he was trying to straighten up for me. I knew how to get into the store next door to our house and I dared him to do it. My intention was to pay later for anything that I took (I had done it a million times before, just never while the store was closed though) It seemed perfectly logical to me at the time.

We made three trips into the store. While Oscar and James were running around whooping and hollering, I was taking things like bologna and bread and milk and chicken backs and pinto beans - things that I knew I could pay for. What I didn't realize was that they were tearing the store all to hell. They were stealing cigarettes and beer and knives and lighters and the cash box. I know I was stupid, but again I was young and dumb and it was all my bright idea.

When we were pulling out from the store a policeman saw us pull out. He didn't think anything about it because he knew my parents lived there. Later that morning, Bob (store owner and family friend) went in early and found his store torn all to hell. He, of course, called the police. All together we did about $3,000 worth of damage to his store that night. The police knew who had done it because they had seen me pulling out. An open and close case. I did not bother to even try to deny it. We still had the merchandise in the car when I was pulled over.

When Bob found out that I was involved he tried to not press charges. The police wouldn't allow it. They pressed charges. They wanted to send Oscar and James off really bad and they weren't going to lose this chance to do it. They couldn't let me go and prosecute them (which would have been wrong anyway because it was my idea afterall). I was arrested.

I spent 3 days in jail because I wouldn't call my parents to bail me out. Oscar and James both went to prison for a year and a half. I had to do 20 hours of community service for 2 years unless I found a job. After I had been at PRIDE for 6 months (the community action agency) they hired me for 3 days a week and I worked 16 hours a week for free until the 2 years was up. By the time I quit the job to go to beauty school, I was Coordinator of the Child Care Food Program.

I also paid partial restitution to Bob.