It's been a while since I heard from the kid who is in prison for possession.

[EFerrari]

I was afraid to open the letter. What a coward.

But he's doing great. He has a job, with about five other guys, of organizing the rest of 300 people. That allows him to be out of his cell for most of the day and night. My kid is a natural leader so I'm not surprised.

It's so hard to think of him in that situation. I have to step very far away from myself to write to him and encourage him and try to amuse him.

He believes that he will be out as a result of a hearing next month. I know so little about this that I don't know if that is a reasonable expectation or not. This is his second "offense".

Please send good vibes to my Nick.

[mopinko]

1. all the best vibes to nick and to his mom.

it's hard to imagine what you are going through.

will it be a good thing for him to be out? maybe he is better off not left to his own devices for a while. obviously depending on his circumstances in there. but if he is doing something constructive, and staying clean, maybe it is not so bad.
is there somewhere new that he can go when he gets out? sometimes that is the thing you need. something fresh.
wish i had a magic wand for him. he has a lifelong hard row to hoe, i think. hope he can make it.

[EFerrari]

3. He did great in a rehab program where he was residential for about a year.

Imho, that program made an error when they turned around and HIRED him as a counselor after he graduated. He should have been transitioned to a different out patient program and allowed to mind his own program for a good long while. I'm still pissed at them for that.

He was busted for pot possession for sale.

He's going to need structure when he gets out, whenever that is, that's for sure. And testing. Next letter, I have to ask him about that. He is in a program they have there, right now. Who knows what it really is, most of the time, these programs are built to sound good on paper. But at least, he took that step.

[laylah]

2. Good vibes,

thoughts and prayers for you both :hug: What a hard situation.

[EFerrari]

4. Thanks, laylah.

I'm hating this. ARgh.

[amyrose2712]

5. Sorry to hear. Stay strong. +thoughts coming your way.

++++ thoughts coming your way.:hug: Also, sorry in such a place for such a thing. I am a strong believer in treatment not punishment. And positive reinforcement. Hope he gets what he needs.

[Terra Alta]

6. thoughts, prayers, and vibes to you both.

Hope he gets the treatment he needs, and that he stays clean! :hug:

[EFerrari]

7. Thank you, Terra.

In his last letter, he talks about working out and reading Chomsky and that there is an important hearing later this month.

Also, a good story: When Nicky was about 16, his high school dedicated a wall to beautiful graffiti. He and a few friends wrote passionately and their work wasn't limited to that wall. They weren't taggers, they were artists. One of his friends had a bounty on his head in nearby Oakland. Iirc, it was $1000.00

Nick sent me a news story about how the City of Oakland is going to name a day after this friend, now deceased, who later became a major muralist in the community.

The funny part is, the city doesn't know the person they were hunting and this person they're now honoring are the SAME person. :)