Jail Time

One summer on the 4th of July there were a lot of activities going on in Marshall and a lot of strangers came over for the square dance. During the day they were having canoe races, water skiing, bingo, a whole bunch of different kinds of kid races, and an open BBQ for everyone. All the people were having fun and enjoying each other.

I was riding my bike on this hot sunny day when my cousin, Stan, came up to me and asked "What's up?" I responded, "Not much." But then he asked me if I had 30 dollars for some things he wanted to buy from the store and to pay for the entry fee to the races. I thought he would do as he said because I believed him. I didn't know anything different until midnight.

When they were having a square dance in the high school I went out to cool off and my sister came up to me and told me that my cousin was drunk and sitting on the steps of the storage room about 15 yards away. So I went to check him, and sure enough there he was as drunk as a skunk. He didn't know what he was doing or who I was. I realize then that he had used the money I gave him to pay for a bottle. It made me so mad that I went up to him and asked him, "Why did you lie to me?" But he didn't have anything to say! It made me even more mad to think of wasting 30 dollars on NOTHING! I mean you can spend that amount of money on food, cheap clothes, or anything that is worth it. But not alcohol or marijuana! Then as I began to take him home he started to raise hell and pick fights with other people. He refused to go home. I did everything I could to take him away from the school but he pushed me back. Then the V.P.S.O. came up in his 4-wheeler and started to question him and me. I told him I had no part in this, but when I tried to go the V.P.S.O. told me to stay because he wanted to ask me questions about my cousin.

After everything was explained, the V.P.S.O. let me go. I went back to the gym and stayed there while the V.P.S.O. took Stan down to the police station. There he was charged with a MCA and since he was only 16 he was released to his parents. After thinking it was all over, the V.P.S.O. came back up and said he needed to talk to me again. I was scared for awhile but I knew it wasn't my fault. Then he said my cousin told him that I made him get drunk. I denied it but he said Stan told him I gave him the money to get a bottle. I told the cop Stan was lieing and that he had asked me for money to get some things from the store and to pay for some of the games he wanted to play. The V.P.S.O. almost believed Stan's lies and thought about charging me. But I told him again I was telling him the truth and he finally let me free.

Later I understood the reason why my cousin lied. It was because he didn't want it to look like his fault. Plus he was drunk and he didn't know he was blaming me for everything. But after he sobered up he understood what he'd done, so he said he was sorry and that he'd never do it to me again.

A person can be so stupid and feel so brave when he is drinking! So before you take a shot, or puff, think twice. It will do you good! You won't get into trouble, and you won't mess up your relationship with your family and friends, or your education and health. And you also won't make a fool out of yourself. Take this advice if you don't want to end up in the can. And your life will be much more worth living!

By:Jackie Paul George