Making new friends by Happenstance

It was cold and windy when I left the house this morning at 7:20. I had a subpoena for court set for 8:15 AM. I was in the 'fast' lane and had heard what sounded like a rock hitting my car; then I wondered why the road was so bumpy; then I correlated that earlier rock sound to a flat tire. Here is where I met my first new friend of the day after slowly pulling off I-15 and finding a safe place to change my flat tire. (I didn't want to try it next to cars whizzing past me within inches.) He was on a moped, with a milk carton strapped to the back, bundled up in winter coats, knit hat and brown cloth gloves. (you know, the type you wonder about their mental stabilty) He told me he thought I could use the help as I was dressed too nicely to want to get dirty. I wore a white shirt and tie. Before I was out of the car he had the trunk open and pulling stuff away to get at the spare. We were quickly done and I threw the flat tire in the trunk. "If I pay a Good Samaritan will it lessen his blessings of kindness?" I gave him a $5 bill, it was either that or a twenty or the few ones I had. Earlier I'd learned that he was going inside the Excalibur to gamble and was out of work; the IRS took his auto repair garage away. Hmmmmmm.

I arrived downtown and parked one block away from the court house at 2-hour street parking site. It was 8:10. I badged my way past the maddening lines of good citizens (this is approved practice) heading to their day in court and I finally found Dept 5, - as indicated on the subpoena, on the 8th floor, after being told it was on 5, then "no wait, it's on the 9th." The elevators were very slow and very busy. I'd walked down to 8 from 9. My case wasn't shown on the docket outside, but I'd listened to the pre-recorded message the night before and it said, "All cases are going." I took a seat on a hard wooden bench next to some fine citizenry. It was 8:35. I worked a crossword and sat through several cases; one guy was handcuffed and set aside to begin serving his 6 mos sentence. That will teach him to show up the third time with an excuse for not having $$ for his fine. One guy was given 72 hours to pay his $19,000 late rental payments for his restaurant or be evicted. (some Iranian place I'll never eat at) Several defendants, not in custody, asked and were granted 30 to 90 days to return with payments and or complete DUI School, community service or some other behavioral training school. A few had check in hand ready to pay.

I didn’t see my defendant or other witnesses and asked a Baliff to check my case status. I soon found out I needed to be in the another dept 5, District Court, on 19th floor. I made it up there, saw my defendant in the orange jail jump-suit sitting with a dozen others also in jail togs and chains. I made contact with the D/A, explained why I was late and was told it would be a few minutes yet. It was OK. TV Cameras, media and public were all leaving the OJ Simpson co-defendants sentencing. Dang, I miss all the good stuff. I sat in a nice padded movie-theatre type seat. District Court is a higher court. I witnessed a female facing prison time for domestic violence. She had anger managment issues, with ten years of similar priors but this time she had cut up "her man" pretty bad. She, along with others, where there for one thing only: to get word on their future ~ already found guilty and getting their sentence. She was given the max prison sentence, albeit suspended with strict probation to include no alcohol or drugs. She messes up and it’s a minimum 23 months in prison. Next case. Dope possession and sales: 21 year old kid, 9th grade education, prior arrests dating back to his juvenile days. Strict probation, released to live with his momma, his new son & unmarried girlfriend. He can continue to collect food stamps but must get a job and be randomly drug tested. No alcohol either. "Oh, and get a GED." Gavel slam. Next case! Male & female facing several years for conspiracy to commit robbery. (This means they did the robbery but took the plea bargain of lesser offense to avoid a trial for armed robbery – I looked around for Monty Hall.)
I met my next friend when I went back to move my car. It’d been two hours since parking. I made a U-Turn in the street and re parked it to move the chalk mark the parking enforcement guy had put on it. He re-arrived just as I re-parked. He pulled up in his three wheeled scooter and motioned for me to roll down my window. He said he almost cited me, but for about a few inches; I was at the end of a row of cars and almost stuck out into an alley. I thanked him and explained my morning challenges. He suggested I pull across this alley entrance and park at a construction cone that closes off the rest of the street, with a no-parking sign on it, and see if this is any better. It wasn't. I ended up parking back where I was as he told me I now have a new 2-hour parking time limit. I got back up in court, sat through a few other knuckleheads’ cases – one credit for time served of 16 months in a County jail where the maximum sentence is suppose to be 6 months. The judge told the D/A I was back in court (She noticed I was gone. Wow.) He walked back to me and asked if I would be available Dec 30th. It had been rescheduled while I was out moving my car. My bad guy has been in custody since mid-October and will remain in jail until at least Dec 30. But don’t feel sorry for him; he is a thief. I left, now with tire repair on my agenda, lunch, and the rest of the day in the office. Whew.