You know, we've got 4 boys of our own, and it seems like we've always had at least one or two extra boys living with us. This fellow here was our biggest baby by far! Tony came to live with us straight from The Colorado State Penitentiary. And, he came to be one of my best friends.
Tony was a gang leader in Denver...one rough customer. He was serving what really amounted to a life sentence for attempted murder. He had picked up a cigarette machine in a bar and thrown it on top of a guy...a stinkin' cigarette machine! (If y'all remember those things...they're heavy!)
He once beat up a rival in a restaurant with a spoon...a stinkin' spoon! He's about 6' 2", and at least 350...strong as a dadgummed ox. And just completely full of baloney, and life, and love!
He lived with us for a long time while serving his parole, and getting back into the working world, etc. He met and fell in love with a lovely lady named Janet. I was honored to perform their marriage ceremony...awwww, I guess it was about 14 or 15 years ago now...man, time flies. (The State of Colorado is not too particular about who they let perform marriages...obviously)
Another friend sent me a computer letter with a link to an online article from a Grand Junction, CO newspaper. Tony's still serving the Lord...no jailhouse conversion for this old boy. I'm proud to call him one of my boyz...
You're a braver man than me. It is very satisfying to help folks but I've always drawn the line at violent criminals.
ReplyDeletePatrick: At the time it never occurred to me. I was young. I had three young sons and a beautiful wife at home at the time...it just never occurred to me what "could happen."
ReplyDeleteI wasn't brave at all. It's a long, long story...thankfully, it had a happy ending.
I often wonder if I would do such a thing at 50, when I never doubted it at 33...dunno!