POLICE WERE HERE

Friday night around 4:00 am there were two police cars sitting in our front circle with their lights flashing. They did not arrive with sirens blaring. Who knows what that could mean? We have often seen them in the mall across the street with one cap in our circle. They have stopped there to confer in the past. When Gail asked me on Saturday morning when I went to do my laundry if I knew anything about them. Her and I rarely know what goes on at the other end of the building in the middle of the night. We are too far away.

Some speculation was brandish around but it was all guesses. We gave that up and worked on the puzzle while my laundry was going. I later when back to my apartment, fished the book I was reading and fell asleep. There was still a trace of whatever I had still hanging on.

Gail showed back up about 5:30 and asked if I had supper yet. I had not. She had some lamb and wanted to share it. She had got it at the food back. In fact, several of us made a big haul at the food Bank on Friday. They had so much they were almost pushing in on us. We have a new Trader Joes in town and they passed a great deal along to the food bank. I was so shocked that I called a few people who had not yet made their monthly trip and told them to drop everything and go now. We are typically allowed to eats and this is the first time they ever gave us five meats. When they opened the freezers for me to choose the freezers were packed and I was told the back up freezers in the back were just as full. Most of his had come from Trader Joes. The selection was incredible.

When Gail returned with the lamb cooked to perfection, I had fixed some potatoes and vegetables to go with it and was looking forward to the meal. She stat down to talk awhile and told me she had called our walking talking newspaper to see what she knew but the police cars from last night. Our gossip in residence believed they were inside her building to go through one of the mentally challenged residents apartments. She was pretty sure they were looking for pornography.

I’m sorry. But I nearly came unglued at that point and asked what does she mean by saying “I am pretty sure.” She had better be dark sure if she is going to pass that little piece of gossip around. This man has enough difficulty fitting in here without a vicious rumor like that floating around if it is not true. She knows he has lots of videotapes in his apartment. He says he does. He has collected old TV shows of I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, and many more. He talks often about having his own personal genie. What he says and what she says are contradictory. People have seen stacks of videos and he often comes back after a day out with bags full of things. No one is sure what is in those bags or the title of any of his videos.

The only pornography they would have come after him for would be child pornography and primarily only if he were using the US mail to buy and sell. Whatever they did and why ever they were hear, the man is still here and the gossip is going around. Much of the gossip here rarely does serious damage, but this is destructive. To the best of my knowledge no one really even knows if the police were in the building.

This man is already disliked. This will have him shunned and get letters written to the office to move him out of the building. There was a man who lived her a few years ago who bought and sold child porn on the Internet. His apartment was raided and he was taken to jail immediately. No one every saw him again.

So far, I have only had the opportunity to tell two people to keep their mouth shit unless they know these rumors are true. They will destroy a man’s life.

Then this morning in church our family life pastor resigned. When he learned he was not going to be recommended for a senior pastor position, he quit. He makes a wonderful assistant, but should never be the lead pastor. He just doesn't have the skills. I suspect he will go looking for a pastoral job, but it's not a good idea.