Saturday Story - September 5, 2020

 Saturday Story - September 5, 2020

(A work of fiction by Karen White)

 

Proverb 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” 

James had a tough life growing up.  His mother, Natasha, lived in a one-bedroom apartment in a black neighborhood.  She had dropped out of school at age 16 when James’ older sister Jenny was born.  James came along 15 months late; then Jaeyson - about 15 months after James; then Oliphia - about two years after Jaeyson.  

It wasn’t that his Natasha was promiscuous, it was that she was too easily swayed by men with glib lips and sour hearts. Natasha needed love.  Like all of us, Natasha sought love.  But, when you are 16 years old and a boy says he loves you, you can be swayed pretty easily.  It wasn’t that Natasha didn’t know about birth control or forcing the boy to wear a condom, he was just so glib and she was so gullible.  The kissing sessions became petting sessions and became sexual intercourse.  She had kept it quiet from her mother and father - but when she was three months along in her pregnancy and she told the boy she was pregnant, he disappeared.  She told her mother.  But, Natasha’s plight was fairly common in the black community.  She dropped out of school and took care of Jenny.  She stayed in an alternative high school through her junior year in school, but when James came and she had two children under three, school was just too hard to keep up.  

Natasha’s parents were well respected in the community.  Her father was Rafael Green, was a pastor and her mother was Ruth.  Natasha was adopted by Reverend and Mrs. Green at the age of 3 months.  Her birth mother had been a drug addict and in-and-out of jail or rehab.  Natasha learned about her adoption at age twelve.  Ruth was unable to bear children.

While Rafael Green was the pastor of the Holy Name of Jesus Baptist Church, he also was a social studies teacher in the John Jay High School in Central Houston Texas, and the school track coach.  

Ruth Green was an LPN (licensed practical nurse) in the Hermann Memorial Hospital in downtown Houston. 

Natasha grew up in the loving community around the Holy Name of Jesus Baptist Church, but she also rebelled and followed her peers into drinking and drugs.  

After her fourth child (Oliphia) was born and she had four children under five years old, she ‘knew’ what to do.  Being raised in a church, she ‘knew’ she was running from God, and through her dad’s best friend, Reverend Max Johnson, made a commitment to Christ.  She had approached her father when God had called out to her, but her dad thought it would be better if she had a different pastor, so Rev. Johnson became her pastor.

But, at age 21, without an education and with four children under five-years-old, Natasha was in a bind.  Rev. Johnson’s church was larger than her Dad’s church and had a daycare center.  She would drop her children off at the church in the morning and headed to Hermann Memorial hospital with her mom.  She worked as a nurse’s aide - not really making much, just enough for her small apartment and payments on her twelve-year-old car.  

Her parents wanted Natasha to avoid sexual situations but aware of the situation strongly suggested she get on the ‘pill’ - which she could get at the clinic at a low cost.  

On her lunch hour at the hospital, Natasha worked with one of the human resources staff on getting her GED (General Education Development) test - which was considered equivalent to a diploma. She studied in the evening after having time with her family.  Eventually, she would get her LPN designation like her mother and eventually got a small house in the neighborhood.

James grew up walking a tightrope.  He wanted to be accepted by his peers but also was under the thumb of his grandfather and Rev. Johnson.  He was a good student but opted not to be a better student.  The other kids were getting into trouble - and he knew he didn’t dare get in trouble.  The bullies could have harassed him, but he found ways to avoid them.  In elementary school, he and his siblings stayed after school with his siblings and cleaned blackboards and played basketball in the gym in the afterschool program.

*****  Years passed *****

In high school, he ran cross-country and track under his grandfather’s coaching.  When it came time for taking the SAT college admission test, his grandfather called him into his office and said, “James, I know you are a better student than your grades show.  But, this is the time to ‘rise and shine’ - score high on the SAT - do your best.  You might get a scholarship and be able to come back to our neighborhood as a teacher” (and he added) “and a pastor”.  

He studied with his English teacher after school for the SAT.  He worked on some of the things he had trouble with.  His math skills were generally good, but he still worked on them.

James did quite well on the SAT - placing in the top 15% of all college-bound students.  His track records were good - not Olympic range (yet) - but good enough to get looked at.  With his SAT score, his track records, and his recommendations, he received a 70% scholarship to Prairie View A&M University, that he accepted.  

*****

In the summer after his senior year, James was trying to save as much money as he could.  He worked at a local McDonalds franchise.  He was a good worker and frequently worked the 4:00 p.m. to midnight shift.  

One evening as he was jogging home from work in his gray Nike hoodie, with a New York Yankees baseball hat, a squad car came upon him and cops jumped out and said “Hands up”.  James had no idea what was going on.  Soon a second squad car arrived.  The lead cop approached him and yelled “Efrem Black, you are under arrest for drug dealing, petty theft, and breaking-and-entering.”  James insisted it wasn’t him.  He yelled “Check my ID”, but as he reached for his billfold, to show his ID, the cop grabbed him and started to push him to the ground. 

The cop yelled, “He’s got a gun, stop him”.  As the lead cop tried to grab him again and put handcuffs on him, something happened in his brain.  In a foolish move, he threw a quick punch to the cop’s face and ran.  Two gunshots cut him down before he had gone twenty feet. 

Other cops arrived and an ambulance took him to the hospital.  He was alive but in serious condition.  The shot has gone through his chest and while it didn’t hit the heart it had gone through his chest and liver.  A second shot had gone into his left leg.  

They had found his ID and drove to the address on his driver’s license.  Natasha, his mother answered the door at 1:30 a.m. Groggy, she asked what the problem was, although she already suspected - James hadn’t come home - was he in some time of trouble?  

The black cop said he had been shot and could she come to the hospital (“Her” hospital) where he was in critical condition.  They arrived at about 2:00 a.m.   James was in surgery to patch the two wounds.  The critical one was the gunshot wound.  Fortunately, the emergency room coordinator that night recognized Natasha.  She was guided into a waiting room off of the operating room.  She called her Dad, and immediately prayers were started among the two church communities for James.

James was in a drug-induced coma as he was wheeled into a room.  His mother sat there next to him, holding his hand and praying softly.  Her Dad came about 5:00 a.m. Her mother had gone to Natasha’s house to stay with the rest of the children.  

About 9:00 a.m. the next morning he woke up.  A nurse, who was checking his vitals came in as he started to stir.  The nurse moved Natasha out into the hallway as she checked the wounds.  Shortly after that, a uniformed policeman came into the room to question James. 

The police were doing their followup - yes, James did work at McDonald's that previous night, yes, he left about midnight; yes, he was wearing a hoodie and baseball cap.  There were phone calls between the cop in the room and the police station.  

It was about noon, when the cop who had questioned James in his room, came back and announced that it seemed like it was a case of mistaken identification, that the cop who tried to arrest him and shot him, was currently under suspension, and a more detailed report was being written.  

The cop did have some questions for James. “Why did you hit the policeman, and why did you run?”

James, although very groggy and on pain medications answered. “The black community is getting a bad rap from the police.  I’m not sure why.  I was frightened.  I knew I was innocent - and all of a sudden I panicked.  I didn’t know who he thought I was - I forget the name he called me.  I told him to look at my driver’s license, but I tried to get it out and the cop grabbed me. He wouldn’t let me show him my ID - or my McDonalds ID.  I was legitimate and he didn’t wait for me to show him the ID.  I think he yelled something like ‘He has a gun’.  I’ve never had a gun and never want one.  I think he had me as being guilty from the start.”

The cop said “You should have let him cuff you.  He would have eventually gotten your ID.  Like you, I think the policeman panicked as you went to get your ID.”

James just nodded, but his brain, tired and groggy knew to argue with this policeman wasn’t going to solve anything.  He had panicked.

The policeman tried to get more out of James, but James just wasn’t up to the questions and clammed up.  

*****

James stayed in the hospital a week.  The shot through the chest was a major wound.  The emergency doctor had said “You are lucky to be alive.  An inch to the right and it would have pierced your heart and an inch to the left would have punctured the spleen.” 

*****

Epilogue

The Houston Black community was soon up in arms over the incident.  There were demonstrations in the streets for “Black Lives Matter” and signs for “James is innocent”.  There were some in the community who more on the drug and crime side did riot and break car and store windows.  His grandfather and Reverend Johnson helped disperse the riots.  They were respected in the community - or at least in the law-abiding part of the community. 

The Houston Mayor called for an investigation; the Houston Chief-of-Police said it was under investigation and also admitted “This seems to have been a case of mistaken identity”.

The charges of resisting arrest were dropped, the police officer who shot at James was eventually reprimanded and fired from the force, the city paid for James’ hospital bill.  But, James wasn’t going to get the whole scholarship at Prairie View A&M University as he couldn’t participate in track.  But, the McDonalds foundation made up the funds - and made it so James had complete funding at the university.  

The officer (who was fired) came to Reverend Johnson’s church and publicly admitted and apologized for the incident with James also on the platform apologizing for his panicking.  The officer became a security guard at the same hospital but donated 1,000 hours to community service - especially to the black community.

And, (over many years), James graduated and became a high school science teacher in Houston, a pastor (eventually replacing his grandfather at the Holy Name of Jesus Baptist Church), and was on many advisory boards in Houston, Texas, and the United States.  At the age of 62, James was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served proudly in that capacity until he was 76 and he retired.

*****

 

Things happen!!  Yes, an 18-year-old black kid can panic when being arrested.  Yes, a policeman could identify a suspect incorrectly.  Yes, the community can react negatively when problems occur.  And, Black Lives Matter.  

*****

While today’s story is fiction, it is similar to many others in recent history.  Sure, I am a Pollyanna and James Green was vindicated in this story.  But, similar stories have not worked out.  I could have James dying from the gunshot wounds.  

Sometimes the slogan is “Shoot first and ask later”.  If James had been the Efrem Brown that the police were after and if more restraint was used, they might have solved the case.  Innocence until proven guilty is an axiom of western society.  Maybe, just maybe, we need to stop suspecting black kids in hoodies wearing baseball hats as ‘evil’!!

What do you think?

LOVE DOES WIN!!!

Karen