The rain clouds let loose with a downpour and I poked my head out to see the wonder of it all.  Rain is so rare here.  I wasn't surprised to see two cop cars hastily pulled up in the road and people milling about in the house next door.  They were searching the son's pockets and then had him sit down on the back porch. 

   His mom went out in the street with one of the cops for a chat.  Then both cops tried to cuff the teenager and haul him into the cop car.  He was resisting and trying to dig in his heels but he was no match for them.  The rain came down harder on all of them and the cops had no coats and hats.  No one did.  

    There were two ladies in a separate car in the driveway.  They stayed close to their car and were on their cell phones.  The one cop car sped off with the kid inside and the cops and mother talked to another man by the porch under the roof of the carport for a long time.  It is so sad.

   The new neighbor with the four kids pulled up just as the last cop car was leaving.  I guess he knows what happens in this neighborhood now.  They seem to be such a cute family and get the kids to and from the bus stop on time everyday.  I know they are like any parents and want to avoid trouble at any cost for their little sweeties.  But the world has so many tricks and turns.  Kids need to be smart and educated about the ways of the world and not sheltered too much.  They will learn alot here in their new house.

    There are good teens and ones who get in trouble constantly.  I hear the rain beating down on our little houses and relish the quiet and privacy of my own little place.  Trouble.  We don't want any trouble.  That is what my mother always says.  I gave her lots of trouble in my life and I still do.  I just told her that she can't tell me what to do anymore as I am sixty five years old!   She didn't like that.  She knows I am not afraid of trouble and I know she is.  That gives me an advantage as far as I can see.   I like peace but I'm not afraid of taking chances to make life interesting.  

    Crack cocaine is so powerful that after one hit you spend the rest of your life wanting it again.  Pleasure.  I know the cops are trying to help.  I know that resisting arrest is futile.  I hope the kid will be ok and the mom too.   My mother does know how lucky she is.  I told her so and we agreed that we are going to be ok.