A wrong start in life.

I think I was 7 or 8 the first time I stepped into a police station. I remember it was cold and dark, but bright in spots it hurt your eyes. The cell was cold. The officer locked the door for maybe 30 minutes. I learned later my mother and him were in the hallway and they were trying to scare me.

The police came to my house, someone had watched me unbolt the license plate on a neighbors boat trailer and steal the plate.

The neighbor who was a long resident was mean to me and would set his coon dog loose on me while riding my dirt bike. This was my retaliation.

When the neighbor witnessed this and all but had Polaroids, I was guilty. Never made it to trial. My father paid restitution to replace the tag that I threw in the river and I received a silly do nothing sentence.

When the police came to the house they arrested me, then my mother drove me to the police station in her convertible mustang with the top down. I was booked in, finger prints and a mug shot. Told by the officer ‘sit it in the cell while I do the paper work’.

Dad, as it would become normal after this, bought the attorney. He worked at the courthouse and knew everyone and how to play their game, we did for the next 10+ years. It became our family legacy, until the chain was broken.

When the police released me, Mom took me back home. I trembled on that car ride, Mom gave me the famous Cheryl stare. More on that later… we drove home in complete silence. From North East to Red Point is about a 20 minute ride. It seemed like a lifetime. Dad awaited me at home and I knew I was in trouble. We arrived at home and Mom sent me in, alone. Now I was really scared. What waited for me was not what I expected.

Dad greeted me with a smile and a reward. I was christened. My first arrest. Like a scene from Goodfellas, I was only scolded for the way I acted out the crime, witnesses and fingerprints. The silly sloppiness of my actions. Dad had a grudge with this neighbor and would come to appreciate the actions of his youngest son. So no, I was not in trouble, I was not corrected. I was educated on how to get away with it and rewarded for those deeds.

Within 6 months I would be in trouble again…