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Mike Fish's avatar

The thought experiment seemed easy, and obvious, to this iteration, over fifty years later.

I would not have been so afraid, and lonely.

I would have thought/“believed” that somebody had my back, when the monsters came back again.

I found, just one, of those people, in the throes of my despair, a long, long, time ago.

I “believe” that I found a second, a couple of years ago.

I’m positive that those two are reasons that I am here, able to engage in this thought experiment.

I’m no more relegated to “a substack” than you are. It wasn’t no substack that put Ivy in my arms. Wasn’t no substack on the phone, and on a plane, and in the emergency room. “Now there’s two of them” brings laughter forth from these smoker’s lungs. And tears from these weathered eyes. Both kinds.

Thank you, my brother.

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Mike Fish's avatar

“We are counting on a different outcome since thus far all the people in the court case, DA wise, judge wise, have been wise, and empathetic and aware of the cycle of abuse and the reality of murder in the first degree if guys like this get out.....”

-Black and Blue: The Many Ways of Domestic Violence World - by Paul Haeder / November 28th, 2022

I had forgotten this conclusion to this previous offering concerning this matter. It would appear that you have gotten your hopes dashed also. I hope that our mutual friend has the resources , and by that I mean thoughtful people, to avoid despondency in the wake of this travesty/tragedy.

It was a terrible, restless evening. You are well aware of what continues to transpire, just a few city blocks from where I compose this retort. My precious, disoriented, oldest daughter, still intimate with her own first degree murderer. This type is a drawn out homicide. Kills the woman slowly, but not imperceptibly, until the sudden end. But, make no mistake, the killing is a daily ritual, and the final scene is reminiscent of the many acts in this passion play, until the curtain comes down on the production. Funny parallels. (We’ll call him Kyle), tried to smother my child with a pillow. He was in jail for a grand total of two days. Also was charged with injuring four cops, during has arrest. He won’t serve another day. In jail that is. What are the odds that I took a tricycle ride, or two, down the street last evening? Insanely, erroneously, estranged and barred. It won’t prevent me from going through that door, should I decide that it’s necessary. Call the cops? Yeah right. Been there done that, and here we are. I’ve absorbed all the messages about restraint, and letting the system work, and not “taking the law (I really want to say “the lie”) into your own hands. I wonder if red nations engaged in a kabuki theater, when one of their women folk were being systematically tortured to death by their mate? I am certain that they didn’t have vast and numerous academies, to educate in the art of statute worship as a replacement for humanity. Just another example of dumbing down. And, these suit and tie jackasses actually think that they’re intelligent because they are able to memorize, and apply, ever growing volumes of duplicity, and doublespeak, and double standards. Judge Judy isn’t a character, she’s emblematic in my experience. The arrogance of these lawyers/liars/legal losers is a nausea to behold.

And, you know what else those early red peoples didn’t employ in their earlier lives? Fucking “firewater”!!!

Tell me, what’s going to happen when our friend’s abuser (we’ll call him Earache) gets drunk again, and gets angry about all the suffering that his ex wife has caused him? Then what? Call the cops? Again?? To what end???

There’s this really great meditation, super effective. It’s called Disulfiram. In short, take this shit every day and I guarantee that the consumer will not get drunk. Will get violently I’ll if alcohol intoxication is attempted. Can even expire. The consumer that is. I’m not certain about the med. But, it shouldn’t go stale, if taken as directed. I’m appalled, and contemptuous, that none of the legal geniuses even considered this help/ treatment for Earache, given his lengthy history of alcohol abuse, and violent behavior, and previous history of stalking/harassment. I forgot killers have rights, and lawyers have whirlwind world tours and holidays to focus on. Justice isn’t an art or a profession. It’s a job with pay/prestige and perks, silly me.

And, for our friend(s) and family? Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Persevere. Overcome. Adapt. It’s hard to do when your former intimate partner and the legal machine, both still have their knives inserted into your back, and your heart. Please tell our friend, I’m not a one trick pony. If she needs some support, and I am capable, she’s got it.

Next week, huh?

I was forced to repeatedly encounter my molester when I was a child (until I quit my paper route and quit society), and my attacker when I was a grown man. (I was confined behind bars with him, there’s no place to hide but inside an isolation cell) The fear. The panic. The terror was different in each instance, but still debilitating. So I worry about our friend. Maybe my problem was I had to go it alone. Let’s make sure we don’t try that approach in this situation.

And, I have other insights than just those two examples of abuse. I have battled alcohol addiction for the majority of my adult life, as well as my childhood, post pedophilia. Although, I really didn’t battle way back then. I just wanted to feel unafraid, and able to laugh again. So, I know, intimately, the power of drink. More “drunk driving” arrests than I have fingers.

And, let’s not stop there.

In the 1970s, I attacked my then girlfriend, in a fit of intoxicated, jealous, insecure, rage. It wasn’t the first time that I had been abusive towards this woman. But, on this fateful evening/morning, she escaped my abuse, and fled for her life, across the street, to the neighbors. I’m not exaggerating. She told me, and I trust her completely. (Told?=alcoholic-blackout)

The police were summoned. Interviews were conducted. I remained in the home, and she sought shelter with her parents. A cop said, in my presence, “I don’t blame you. She brought it on herself.”

The following day, I removed myself from our place, and exiled myself from her presence. The shame, humiliation, and regret, I experience(ed) are blessings. Those emotions, and the brilliant, loving nature of that wonderful woman, helped redeem me.

I lost touch with her last year, after over forty years of what I define as wedded bliss. Far from a fairytale love story. Better. My greatest dream is that our paths cross again.

I offer this history, and my perspective, in the hope that someone can glean something positive and useful from it. Our dear friend is not Fishbone, and I am not Earache, so parallels are not easily drawn. But, I hear rhymes throughout many tales of abuse, and I do strive to be contemplative. The booze issue with this Earache person has me very concerned. Impairment is not a defense, it’s an aggravating factor. I’m going to go so far as to say a primary factor. Any man who would do such things to a woman sober, should certainly be featured as a primary focus in battling practice. The remainder should be chemically compelled to abstinence, until I say otherwise. There is no compelling argument against such measures. I’d love to hear one, and have the opportunity to respond.

I the quote I referenced at the outset, you referenced wisdom. Where would this collection of preening fools obtain said wisdom? Law school? lol. I “believe” (hi John) that there’s been a little bit of an oversight. Where’s the experience quotient in this so called wisdom in “the courts”? Is this collection of prevaricators personally experienced in substance abuse, and addiction? Do they have a history of being battered, or a batterer? I know for certain that cops have plenty of practice in the latter endeavor. So, you look around in that courtroom, should you have the opportunity to attend the next act in this show, and ask yourself who in this room has a fucking clue? There are plenty of studies and statistics to cite. Because, we all know how honest, and forthcoming, addicts, and rapists, and batterers, and woman haters are. The data is bound to be completely reliable. And, the folks in charge have impaired bullshit detectors, because they’ve become acclimated to the smell of their own duplicity. Finding the essence of manure in that crowd is a fool’s errand.

I was with the surgeon, the other day, and the conversation came around to extreme sensitivity, and nerve damage, and such. This has touched a nerve. It’s chaos. A shit show from start to finish, top to bottom, front to back.

Except for one of the crew.

The emerging star of the show. Off to make another big splash in the world.

When you see her, please tell her how proud I am of her. She’s a tough cookie. Can take a punch. I know a little.

You go girl!!!!!!

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