Banana Republic Halloween

 

Listen to the music!

Nothing better than be-bopping into work headphoning the Estron's latest hit, Sound Crash, the most popular song in the country as Halloween 2023 approached.  Wearing a ruffled green skirt, Harley Quinn t-shirt, anklet sox, and pink shoes, she knew she was the bomb, the height of Dixon County fashion.

She nodded to the manager, older than her by three years, but thirty years older in behavior. "You're late," the manager complained.

"Am I," she said in a sarcastic tone.  "Did I miss anything?"

The Dixie Land Mills, a shopping district built from Dixon County swampland, was not living up to it's potential, to put it mildly.  Banana Republic was especially down.  The odds of any customers showing until school let out were pretty small.

"Not the point!" the manager exclaimed.  "Get over to lingerie and straighten it out.  Last night, some customer rummaged through it and left a big pile of misplaced bras and panties. And take your headphones off.  You're at work now!"

"Wow!  You are super pissy today, Arlene.  Didn't get any action last night?"

"I'm not talking about that with you.  Get to work."

She snapped a quick salute.  "Yes, Massah boss." Debbie immediately had second thoughts about using that phrase.  Oh, well.  What's the big whoop?  Arlene wasn't black.

"Headphones off, Debbie."

What a crank.  "Tell you what.  I'll keep them on until a customer comes in.  Then I will be the Glommer Queen, following them, upselling them, whatever it takes,"

Arlene sighed.  Not a battle worth having.  She waved to the lingerie, and Debbie got started.

A man passed by the front of the store.  He had a huge automatic rifle strapped on, it's barrel higher than his head.  Not an unusual sight.  Georgia was proudly open carry.  And nobody knew when Antifa or BLM would show up, and our Proud Boys would have to show them who was large and in charge.

Debbie had not really seen the lefty radicals, except a black guy a month ago carrying a rifle, but Security quickly scooped him out of the store.  She didn't know what happened after that.

Oh, great.  Here he comes.  Speaking of radicals, into the store came her old-ex, panting, out of breath, dressed like the hopeless nerd he was, khaki pants and button-down lumber shirt.  What she saw in him was beyond her. Despite the ending of their hook-up, they were still friends.  There was some connection that defied logic.

"What you doing here, Belmont?" she asked.

He said, between gasps.  "That guy with the assault rifle, did you see where he went?

"What?  How would I know?  Do I look like a stalker gawker to you?"

"This is serious, Debs.  I think I might be in real trouble."

"Oh, God, Bels!  What the Biden did you do now?"  Biden was the new curse word.  She didn't know why.  She just went with what's in vogue.

"I spray painted the side of Crowley City Hall."

"What?  What stupid thing did you write?"

"AOC '24."

"Who?"

"She's a politician, a Congresswoman from New York.  They don't like her.  They just arrested her on trumped-up charges to get her out of the way."

"You spray painted a criminal's name onto City Hall?"

"An accused criminal, but that's not all.  I spray painted the Pledge of Allegiance under her name."

"Well, that ain't so bad.  A lot of people like the Pledgers."

"Not when you leave out the phrase 'under God'.

"You weeble-headed moron!  Did anyone see you do this?"

"Yes.  Dotty Mathers was coming out of City Hall and saw me as I was finishing."

Debbie knew little of politics.  But she knew about local politician Dotty Mathers. She was in one part of the Congress and was gonna run in '24 for the other part.  She wasn't sure what it was called, but it had fewer people in it - maybe two each state? "Oh, Lord.  Your pooch is Bidened for sure!"

"I been running ever since, and I don't know what to do.  You're my closest friend, so I came here.  But I think they're trying to track me, like that guy with a gun."

Debbie didn't know if she was honored or insulted by him, considering her his best friend.  "Maybe you should go visit your Aunt in Pittsburgh."

"Maybe you're right.  I don't know.  Crazies rule the Earth now. You may have a point, though.  It may be easier to hide there for a while.  Man, things got really screwed up! He stole that election, don't you know.  Him and his Supreme Court buddies!"

Debbie put her hands over her ears.  "Oh, please, Louise!  Don't bore me with another history lesson!"

"History is important.  Those who don't learn from it are destined to repeat it."

"Cute.  Everyone knows the other guy was trying to steal it, with phone tappies and all kinds of things.  That's why the other guy, and the black President, and that other lady who tied to beat him the first time are all in jail."

"Do you like your cousin Rose?"

"You bet!  She is my number one A-lister!"

"How did you feel when her marriage to Lisa was voided?"

"That was some nasty piece of Biden.  I hated that."

"Who do you think did that?"

"I don't know.  Some county clerk?  A preacher?  I really don't know."

"The Supreme Court!  The President put two more on the Supreme Court, creating an 8 to 1 majority, and they've been stripping us of our rights ever since!"

"Whoah!  That is way above my pay grade! Tell you what!  You get way too uptight over this crap.  You need to chillax and listen to some music."  She tried to hand him her headphones. "Have you heard the latest from Estron?"

They were interrupted by a huge whistle blast,  The coppers!  Debbie pushed Belmont under a table of panties.

Two armed police officers approached Arlene.  "Did you call us, Ma'am?"

"Yes, I did, officer," said Arlene.  There's one of them Antifa people here, hiding under the panties."

Debbie whispered to Belmont, "Run!"

Belmont darted out, but he didn't get very far.

"Sir, you are under arrest for violation of the Dissidents Act."

They hauled him away.  They were no reading of his rights.  Under the Dissidents Act, he was not entitled to any of those.

As he was dragged out, Belmont turned back to Debbie and said, "Remember history!"

Debbie was confused.  She didn't understand what had happened, but something itched at her that it was not quite right.  It certainly irritated her that Arlene narced on Belmont.  What a Biden!

In the back of her mind, a little thought burrowed in, that she might not ever see Belmont again. That made her kind of sad.

Oh well.  Back to separating bras and panties.  Time to listen to Estron again.  Time to think about her Halloween costume.  Which way to go?  Ivanka, Harley, or Proud Girl?

Tough call.

Happy Halloween.

 

Final Grades: Saturday Political Soap Box 257

 

Weird times, huh?

Trying to get on my Soap Box about who to vote for when over 50,000,000 people have already voted?  These numbers are boosted by the Pandemic, but I think it's going to represent a permanent change - I think early voting will become almost as dominant as voting on Election Day.

That may be a good thing unless you wake up on the Monday before Election Day and find out your candidate is starring in a Borat video.

Given that, I'm still going on advocating until Election Day, even though many of you have already voted.  Indeed, my family is voting today, so we'll be part of the early brigade.  Benjamin is home this weekend, and we like to go vote as a family.  My big dream for my home county is for the Republican Candidate to receive a lower percentage of votes than they did in 2016. What did Trump get here in 2016?  87%.

I would do a post of endorsements, but it's not very involved this year.  Vote for Democrats all down the line.  Choose Reverand Raphael Warnock in the Georgia US Senate open primary style race - we need to consolidate behind one candidate to get into the two-person runoff (and there is at least a chance that Warnock could win outright with 50% plus).  

I won't dwell on the incredibly offensive and toxic personality of President Bone Spurs.  What I would like to do is grade the two candidates on a few of the issues that are most important to me. Please note issue discussions about these won't be in great detail.  For greater detail, please see some of my other 250 plus political posts.

Reversing/mitigating Climate Change/Global Warming

The ideal position is support for a Green New Deal.  Biden does not go that far, but he recognizes the crisis's reality and is willing to take serious steps to mitigate it.  On the other hand, Trump doesn't care about it, doesn't think it's real, and wants to gallop us off in a direction designed to accelerate it.

Biden B+  Trump F- 

Universal Health Care

The ideal position is universal health care, which I identify as Medicare for All.  This may be one of my biggest disappointments with Biden, as he has firmly stated he won't implement Medicare For All.  That said, he is for important improvements - improving and preserving the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare), and even putting in a public option.  Trump, on the other hand?  He knows nothing other than he wants to destroy Obamacare because it's connected to his predecessor - he doesn't have a real replacement because he really doesn't give a rip after that.

Biden B Trump F-

Raising Minimum Wage

The ideal is a living wage - whatever wage it takes so that a full-time working person can support themselves and their family.  The number most bandied about is $15 per hour.  Biden supports this.  Trump doesn't even support a minimum wage.  I'm not sure he even knows what the minimum wage is.

Biden A Trump F-

Addressing Income Inequality

This involves a lot.  It's highlighted by the fact that as most of the US has fallen into a severe recession, billionaires have actually GAINED in money and power.  Solutions involve tax reform, antitrust legislation, raising wages (as addressed above), the hated necessity of government regulations (including consumer protections - which you might hate, but I don't).  Biden is slightly flawed as he has often represented corporate Democrats, but I think he recognizes the problem and will work in the right direction.  For all of Trump's symbolizing economic resentment, he has done little but serve his Wall Street masters.

Biden B- Trump F-

Systematic Racism

This is deeply ingrained into the American system and has little to do with personal racism (that's a problem, but only a corollary to systematic racism). This will require police reform, ending housing discrimination, prejudicial bank practices, and so much more.  This has to be graded on a curve, as this will take time and requires so much from ALL OF US, not just political leadership.  For the record, Trump can't even say the phrase "systematic racism."

Biden A- Trump F-

Foreign Policy

Some may be surprised at this, given my other positions, but I am not much of an isolationist.  The world is far too complicated for America to withdraw into its own little corner.  But that does not mean that I support military intervention - that should always be a last resort and done with clear objectives in mind.  I believe in a super-strong diplomatic corp and the very best intelligence-gathering agencies we can muster.  Trump has dismantled the diplomats and has tried to turn the intelligence services into his OWN tool for his OWN means. 

Biden A Trump F-

War! What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing. Can it always be avoided?  Maybe not always, but I think it can 95% of the time.  Biden does not seem as potentially militaristic as Clinton did, but I can't rule out, since Trump has put us in so many holes around the world, that war will not happen on the Biden watch.  Trump, for all his bluster, seems less inclined to actually go to conflict.  How that would be true in a second term, and with sinking relationships worldwide, is anybody's guess.

Biden C Trump D+

Preservation of Democratic Institutions and Principles

I mean, good Lord, do I even need to discuss this one?

Biden A+ Trump Z-

Bipartisanship

I mean, I kinda want this one, but honestly, I also kinda don't care.  We have a lot to get done.  I'll take some compromise, but my God, we have a lot of ground to make up.  Nevertheless, the choice here is clear.  Biden has an almost naive Obama-esque attachment to working with Republicans.  On the other hand, Trump works well with no one, even trashing Republicans if they dare utter a hint of a word in opposition to him or to anything he wants.

Biden A+ Trump Dante's Ninth Level of Hell

Coronavirus Response

Think of the James Bond movie Goldfinger:

Biden: My god, man?  I favor science, masks, reason!  I have an actual plan!  Do you expect us to get over this without a plan?

Trump: No, Mr. Biden.  I expect hundreds of thousands of Americans to die! (Dr. Evil level chortling)

Biden A++ Trump -  A Blackhole of Death and Doom

There are other issues, but I don't want to go on forever.  

After all, I have to get ready to vote this morning.

Biden/Harris 2020

AOC 2028

A Celebration of the Commons

One of the oldest ideals of our American society, even predating the Revolutionary War, is the town commons' concept.

The town common was a space, not owned by any individual, where the townspeople could gather and participate in municipal activities or share a space.  Most often, these were small parks in the center of town.  People would gather for concerts, dances, open markets, town discussions, debates (trust me - much different from our modern debates), and many other types of social gatherings.  It was the primary way that a diverse town could feel united, that everyone had a voice and a right to participate.

As time went on, we lost many of the activities that bound us together.  I remember my parents participating in bowling leagues, bridge clubs, and square dancing.  My Dad joined Civic Clubs, such as the Lions, who helped do good works for the sight-impaired.  The movie theatres were large and packed,  television programs were watched by millions (All at the same time!)  As it is now, politics was divisive, but nowhere near as cutthroat, where we seem to be bordering on civil war.

Social media, which was supposed to bind us, has often led to more division, as people create alternate realities based on their own preferences.

Despite this assault, the commons still exist.  And that can be seen most in our community's public libraries.

Our public libraries are a great access point to the world of books, which, being a devoted bookaholic, I love.  But it is so much more than that.  There are DVDs if you love movies.  There are computers where one can research and play games - computer access does not have to be a matter of wealth.  There are magazines galore.

Much more than this, though, are the dozens of activities that the library sponsors - book clubs, Story Time for children, arts and crafts projects, gaming groups, writer's groups, instructional classes and lectures.  One of my favorites is Free Comic Book Day, where hundreds turn out for a whole range of activities, many in costume.

Everything that the town common achieved, the public library is keeping alive.  And how important is that in this world that pulls us all apart?  There is no division between race or class, rich or poor, religion or politics.  All are welcome.  All are invited to join together.  And how many area activities can make that claim?

Even in times of adversity, such as the current Pandemic, the public library does everything it can to stay vital and, as things slowly open up, to offer a safe space to join together and use its resources.

When it is time to vote for funds for the public library, such as is the case with the Waycross Ware County Public Library where a SPLOST proposal is on the ballot, please consider how important it is to hold onto this oldest and most cherished value, that of the Town Commons.

 

The Squallering Starts Early

 

squaller (plural squallers) One who squalls, a crier, complainer, or bad singer.

First, let me note that I live in a very conservative area.  In 2016, in my home county, 87% of the vote went to failed TV reality personality, Donald J Trump.  So, if you are a faithful blog reader and live far away from Southeast Georgia, please know what I'm dealing with here.

When things go bad, many people around me start to squaller about too much political talk and want to shut it down.

I noticed this particularly after the election of 2012.  Once it was clear that Obama had won re-election (which many around here were not expecting), nobody wanted to talk about it.  Politics was done, and it was time to move on to other things.  They particularly frowned at anything that my locally outnumbered progressive friends and I said or posted that was any way celebratory.

This also happened after the 2008 election, but I remember it more pronounced in 2012.  

Don't get me wrong.  There are ALWAYS people who don't want to talk about politics.  There is always squallering on social media about one thing or another. Why do people post so much about food - I don't care to see what they got for lunch!  Why are people posting so much about religion?  Why ae they are constantly kvetching about their health or their life circumstances?  Why aren't they talking about what I want them to talk about?

What I am talking about is something more than just the normal disdain for politics that many have.  A disdain that is understandable given the vitriolic nature of much of our political discussion.  

I see a turning away from politics because things didn't go your way, and you don't want to talk about it anymore.

And it's happening earlier than I've seen it before, even before the election takes place.

Many people don't want to talk about politics anymore.  Most of that comes from people who will wind up voting for Trump, but that may be just because of the area I live in.  But I don't think so.

Why are they squallering early?

I don't know for sure, but my suspicion is two-fold:

1) They know he's going to lose

I am not going to iron-clad say Trump will lose - our politics has been far too insane to do that.  I am saying they have heard and seen enough to feel like he is going to lose.

With that knowledge, they feel like it's a waste of time to talk about it.

2) They don't want to justify why they are voting for him

This, to me, is the biggie.  Even within the protective bubble they have built for themselves, they are beginning to understand that there is something terribly wrong with this man and that it may not be right to continue to support him - but they just can't help themselves.  Voting for a Democrat, even a mild-mannered centrist like Joe Biden, who has said he wants to work with Republicans and even include them in his cabinet, is just a step too far.

So, they know they will vote for Trump, but they no longer want to explain it or justify it to others.  It is easier for them to wrap themselves in the memistic* attitude that ALL POLITICS SUCK!

So, if Biden wins for many regions of the country, you can party, celebrate, even gloat.  Down here where I live?  The message is already being sent out -

Don't you DARE talk to us about politics!

-----------------------

A side note about the picture at the top - 

I was really looking for a picture of Trump sqaullering, but in a sign of how Reich Wing Facebook has become, when you search the phrase "Trump Whining,"  most of the pictures you get back are not Trump but are anti-Biden memes.  

My little bubble of FaceBook may be way too protected.  When you go out there in the Trumpian wilds, there must be some pretty vile crap: Thanx and a hat's tip to Russian trolls and bots.

*don't bother to look up the word memistic.  I made it up as a way to describe those people who share and damn near worship memes of one kind or another, people who let memes influence their social and political positions.  And yes, we Progressives can be guilty of that as well.  We constantly search for the right meme that will make Trumpeteers fall to their knees, confess their sins, and be converted to the Gospel of Progressivism.  Yeah.  Probably not gonna happen.

 

 

A Few Minutes to Say Hello

 Well, I have a few minutes I squirreled away to write. 

Let me take that time to say 

Hello!

Is that not exciting?  I found the color blue!

I wonder what else I can find!

HOLY KAMOLE'! THIS TEXT IS BIG!

There's a face button up there.  I wonder what that does.

☝👀👫💗😍😎💪🍎🐜🐕

What the heck are those things?

------

Ok, a brief check tells me these are EMOJIS.

I think that's Japanese for symbols you won't find on a 1973 Smith Corona.

I wonder if I can change their size.

👱👸👾

Wow!

I can mess with the background color.

Huh.  I'm not sure I like that.

Let me try one more thing.

Ok,  That messed with the background AND the text color!

There is so much more to explore but the time clock has ticked away my squirrely time.

GOODBYE!

This COVID-19 and politics-free post is brought to you by.....

T. M. Strait

Do you have a complete collection of T,M. Strait books?

Check out the Okefenokee Heritage Center, Amazon, or your public library today!

A Vote For Trump: Saturday Political Soap Box 256

 

It's getting tricky.

Some of you have already voted.  Bravo!  But that does mean it's too late to convince some of you to vote one way or another.

But...politicking does go on. So, therefore, I must continue my windmill tilting.

I know that the likelihood of converting a Trumpeteer at this point is very limited.  Nevertheless, I don't know if I can live with myself if I stop trying.

I will use this blog post as an anchor and add to it every day that I can until the election.

Monday, October 12th early voting began in Georgia. My time to persuade my Trump leaning friends is running out. I urge you, my conservative friends, to not make this mistake. I pray that you do not turn your back on this country and what it can achieve. Do not make a mistake that will haunt you for the rest of your life. Do not vote in a way that will puzzle and mystify future generations. How could Grandpa have done that? What was Grandma thinking? Did she/he not care about the future of this country? Please, I'm on my hands and knees. Do not once again leave this great land in the hands of Donald J Trump. Please value your country over partisanship.

A vote for Trump is a vote affirming that you think climate change/global warming is a hoax. I don't think that will go well. It is the gravest threat to mankind and civilization of our lifetime. Of all the mistakes you make in voting for Trump, this may be the greatest, causing the longest term damage. It's another thing you will have to answer for to your children and grandchildren.

A vote for Trump is a vote for continued consolidation of wealth and power for the Top 1/10 of 1%. The last tax cut he endorsed blew a multi-trillion-dollar hole in the debt, and those who pretend to be deficit hawks could care less. He's not interested in you. He wants to pay less in federal taxes than a teacher. Did he cheat to achieve that low taxation? Yes, but he also drove mac trucks through the gigantic loopholes spun for him and his buddies. If you want to keep covering their debt, then be my guest- maintain Trump and bankrupt the future for you and your children and grandchildren.

A vote for Trump is a vote for racism. Now this one causes the most sqallering. "But Tom! How dare you accuse me of racism? I'm not racist!" Well, maybe not. But Trump is irrefutably racist, and some of you have decided that is not a dealbreaker. In the past, some politicians have used subtle language, dog whistles, to signal their racism. Trump does not - he uses a bullhorn. The fact that some of you can't hear it, or worse - pretend you can't - does not mean that your children and grandchildren won't pick up on it and ask, "Why, Grandma? Grandpa? How did you not hear what that awful man was saying AND doing?"

A vote for Trump is a vote against health care. It is a vote that will result in the loss of coverage of MILLIONS, both through unaffordability and through the return of pre-existing conditions. Trump is behind a case coming before the Supreme Court in November that will effectively end Obamacare, and THERE IS NO PLAN TO REPLACE IT. When your child turns 19 and is booted off your family plan, and they have no job or means to cover themselves when your asthmatic young adult son or daughter find themselves left out by pre-existing conditions when a plan REJECTS YOU because you had COVID-19, are you going to be able to explain it to your questioning child and/or grandchild?

A vote for Trump is a vote for authoritarian fascism. More squallering? I know. That's not a thing you want to see. But that doesn't make it not true. It's clear that Trump WANTS to be an authoritarian, but he has been somewhat slowed by institutional barriers. These, however, are being slowly worn down, including adding more and more to a compliant judiciary. Don't take my word for it. Look for yourself, and look to the many former military leaders, and Republican leaders, and Christian leaders, who have spoken out against Trump and his chipping away at democracy. If we give him another four years, he may very well succeed. And your children and grandchildren may not be able to ask you why you gave up on a Democratic Republic - they may no longer have the right to speak out.

A vote for Trump is not just a vote for domestic authoritarianism; it is a vote to side with dictators worldwide. Trump's foreign policy, such as it is, more often sides with dictators (communist, fascist, anything in between - makes no difference to Trump) than he does with more democratic countries and our traditional allies. Whether it's beautiful love letters to Kim Jong-Un, siding with Russia over our own intelligence services, praising Chinese President Xi for China's response to Covid-19 (until Trump saw an advantage to xenophobically condemning the "Chinese virus), letting Turkey's Erdogan invade the Syrian border and kill our Kurdish allies, and countless other examples. Trump always views foreign policy in the same way - what's in it for ME, not what's in it for America. His policy is not America First; it's ME FIRST. How you explain, allowing and encouraging the rise of dictatorships around the world to your children and grandchildren is beyond me.

A vote for Trump is NOT a vote against abortion. What would a 6 to 3 far-right supermajority at the Supreme Court do? Overturn Roe V Wade? What will that do? Return it to the states. Do you think all states will eliminate it? Hardly. So, women will just have to travel to where they can get them. They will get Plan B, legally or otherwise. Abortions have been declining the last few decades, including under Democratic administrations (the steepest decline coming under Obama). Because the way to reduce abortions is through love and support, not through criminalization. Education, better access to birth control, supporting young mothers and families, equal opportunities for women, adoption services - these are the ways to reduce abortion in America. And what have you traded to accomplish virtually NOTHING to reduce abortion? A Supreme Court that will rule for the wealthy and corporations, attack voting rights, reverse LGBTQ civil rights progress, gut environmental protections, destroy health care, cripple unions - this is just a tip of the iceberg. And when your children and grandchildren ask you how you allowed the rights and hopes of everyday citizens to be chipped away to nothing, all in order to criminalize women and their doctors, how will you answer?

I could go on and on. There is nothing positive to say about Trump and what he has done to this country. The damage will take years if not decades to recover from. The last point I will make is that a vote for Trump is a vote against bipartisanship. Like Joe Biden or not. he is committed to being President of all Americans, not just those who voted for him. He will include Republicans (or try to include them) in his governing decisions. He is committed to compromise and moving forward together. From my own perspective, I don't know if that is very practical - we have a lot of important things to do that I'm going to be very unhappy about if Republicans (or Conservative/Corporate Democrats, for that matter) roadblock them. I'm skeptical that Republicans can be worked with. But THAT'S ME. That's not Joe Biden. So, if bipartisanship is important to you then Joe Biden is your candidate.

I'm going to close up shop here.  Election Day is near, and as I write this, over 70 million people have already voted.  So, some of you I have lost a chance to influence.

Hopefully, prayerfully, enough of you have come over that this election will be decisive and clear.  

Biden/Harris 2020

History of the Trap Vol. 2: Chapter Two - Dance Party Part 1

 

Chapter 2

Dance Party

 

1

 

One by one, they were interrogated.  The questioning led by a team of my Dad, Mr. Eurich (my favorite Social Studies teacher), and Mrs. Novik (Head Guidance Counselor), did their best to ferret out the truth.  All admitted they were friends of Mark Granite, and have often done him favors or offered him support.  All denied any involvement in the killings. 

“That’s something he did on his own, man.  We had nothing to do with that.”  That’s what I heard was the gist of what Ricky Rosalie, fellow track team member, and Granite buddy.

A few were visibly bothered by what happened and accepted with resignation that Mark was guilty.  Some vehemently rejected the idea, insisting that Mark was innocent and that he had been set up.  One blamed me and refused to talk if my Dad was one of the interrogators.  My Dad left, and Mr. Eurich and Mrs. Novik did their job without missing a beat.

Robert Pelly was one of the deniers.  Yes, the very person who witnessed Mark Granite kill Mrs.  Forsyth was one of the most adamant that Mark was being framed.  He did not accuse me of the crime. I’m not sure why.  I was the most convenient patsy, and we had no love for each other.  Up until Mark’s strange confession, I was convinced that Pelley was Lisa’s murderer.

Yes, I did tell my father and the other two interrogators that Robert Pelley was there.  No, he did not directly kill Mrs. Forsyth, but he was there and had done nothing to stop it.  The three said they would take it into account, but they would need more evidentiary support to be able to do anything about it. No one else saw him at the scene. 

Don’t worry, son,” my Dad told me. “I believe you.  We’re going to question his alibiers aggressively, and we’re going to have him under careful watch.” I nodded that I understood. But I didn’t. I loved my Dad, but I was not sure how well half measures would work.

Turns out…not so well.