The Tree of Darkness

 I didn't know what I was getting into when I started selling a little marijuana for some friends. All I wanted was to make just a little money while I was going to school at the university. Things seemed to work a little at a time, and before I knew it. I was learning several things, other dealers. I tried to organize when people wanted to come to get products to show that not all the dealers would be arriving at my house at the same time. That was a hard thing to do, especially since the same house is a party place almost every day. My two young daughters Exposed to this kind of living, and they were very young, happy, and smart. They got to know a lot of people, both men, and women. They got along with everyone, but I look back and see that they did not realize ordinary early on teaching yet. 

As the business was continuing to get larger with wires meant that I had to also buy bigger loads of products. I am talking about marijuana. The day came when somebody came to me and said they had somebody from Austin who wanted to get a pretty big load to take back with him because a rich man wanted it to sell in that city. So, of course, I called my dealer and told him what I would like to do, and he said that he had to talk to his boss and get back to me. But what happened was the Topman came and two visit ends told me that it might work if they had the money already in their hands. I assured him that the money was there already in my place. There I would Disperse the cash as soon as the product and everything goes as it should. That boss said that this sounds like a good plan. So, at this moment, I thought that I was becoming up the way into the business. So, at this moment, we had the people who wanted the product in our hands, and all we had to do was to wait until the load got here so there, we could send him off to Austin. That next morning, I got ready to go to school at the university, so I had a friend come over that I trusted in case the deal came down while I was not home. When I got back home about midday, it turns out it was all kinds of trouble. 

There was Sharon, two women in one Male friend, all talking at the same time I'm freaking out about what had happened. I should hold on to everybody, please one person at a time to tell me what has happened.  After a few minutes, I learned that four big White guys look like they could be football players for the university. One of them got everybody in a little place to sit down on the floor and stay there well then, a gun Looking at them to make sure they stayed just where they were supposed to be. The other two going through the house are looking at every little place in the house looking for the money. What they didn't get Was half of it, and they thought they had it all. Then they left in a nice car. It made my family and friends scared because they were still there in the same place those guys told them to stay. When I found out all that I could, I called the big boss and asked if he knew anything about what had happened at my house this morning. He said he didn't know what I was talking about. After telling him what is new, he said to be careful, and they may be coming back. He said he will keep the weed for now until things get cooled off. He said he would call me early in the afternoon and be relaxed and wait for him to call. I was at a place now that I didn't know what to do. I must get better at doing all of this.   

My young daughters, we're used to having the Doorbell on a very regular basis and the light of the little things to be the ones to open the doors. I was a little bit worried about that because I was expecting a big-shot from Mexico to work out how we were going to make this deal that half the money was gone, but we needed to get the buyers to get their product and get the hell out of El Paso. But when the door opened, there were no friends, but what I heard was someone that said hello boss. But 5 or 6 big men were coming in busting into the house. I couldn't see them because I was in the back of the house, but I did hear several people were saying stuff asking them who are you and what war you are doing. They were all dressed as they had just been working out in athletic clothes. But once they got going where everybody was worried, pulling out their guns told us all to be very cool. It was on the backside of the house, and all the others were in the front, and I noticed one of those big guys was coming at me. I had a pistol in my hand, And I pointed at him, and he came walking right at me. I told him then I will kill him if he doesn't stop. He was looking at my chest well. He was running even closer to me, never looking at my eyes. I knew then I was in some deep trouble, And I decided I was not going to shoot him, and then I would throw my gun across the room and run to the other side of the room. He then opened the back door and let some others in one of which was the Top narcotics agent for El Paso city. And he came over to me with his pistol, and he started to pound on me with it, and I went down to the floor, and then he told me that if I had to pull that trigger, he was going to shoot me in the head. He told me that he was looking inside the window. I was watching this whole thing. He began to shake, but with his gun, he just slammed me in the head a couple of times, not too strong but enough to hurt. Then shortly after that, they had a bunch of cops' cars to come over, they took us all to the jailhouse except for one lady from Austin who stayed there and took care of the kids. They even made Sharon go too though she was not part of this. We got pushed around quite a bit while we were there, and of all things that were quite understanding was there was the big boss from Mexico watching all this sitting in a place. The cops seemed to be very friendly with him. The next morning, we were all let out if we had the money.

I didn't have the money then, but I told the attorney I could go home, come to his office. So, I did that which took about everything I own in terms of money. But it turned out later that that was the best thing I ever did because when the trial came, they wanted to take me to prison, but he found the reason why those cops made a mistake while they were busting the house. This bust was all over and TV and The El Paso Times. We were getting calls from family members wondering not about Sharon and me what about our children, which is rightful. In a way, it made our life a little harder in dealing with other people. But we are living end got through the situation for the most part 

Do you know what they think? It seems that I need to get an attorney.  The law seemed to be somewhat over by now. Our family was still in the house. Sharon's case was dismissed right away, visitors from all our friends have stopped coming around and as much. It was nice to have the silence for a bit. One lovely Saturday morning, Mr. Law knocked on the door to see if I could help him put a small tree into his front yard. Being that he was quite old, I thought it was the best thing to do by helping him out. Him with his coffee and me with him, we start to have a pleasant conversation on this beautiful morning. After a while, one of the women came to talk to Mr. Law. I thought this funny conversation was peculiar. They didn't move too far away from me, but they were whispering very low. Now, I knew that this lady and her family did not like me one little bit, so it didn't seem unusual. But in a while, she went back to her home, watering her yard, and Mr. Law was stinging back a few feet. I could hear two cars coming fast into our street. Like something out of the movies, this quickly spun around. Then into our lane and slid right into the front of our house, then jumped out of their prospective cars and ran to the door and started knocking. Sharon answered the door, then looked over to me as if "are you coming over here, or what" I was stunned by watching all this that I didn't go over there until she gave me that nod. When I went over there, one of them told me they had a warrant to search my house. I asked him what the charge was, and he said it was for stolen property. I told them to have it. I did have a little bit of weed in the bedroom, and while I was talking to the cops, Sharon put the pot out the window. Another neighbor noticing this told one of the police about it, and he came to me and asked me if this was mine. I said yes, and he asked me where I got it. I said it was a given. I then could be charged for this. I told him I was aware of it, but I am no thief, and I wanted to know what makes the police think I stole something. He told me that the lady two houses down found one of her pillowcases in my trash can in the alley. I told him I didn't do him, and I think this was a setup. I started to get nervous because I was just about to be charged for a fellow with a little bit of pot and that the numbers were out to get me. I asked the cop if he had a smoke, that I was out of segregation. He said he didn't smoke, but he wanted to take me for a ride anyway so that I could go with him to the store. I was in for anything currently. When we got out of the street, I said. With happiness. Living on told me that if I tried to get into the pot business, I was going to get killed or in prison for a long time. If I wanted to be in the industry, I would have to work for them, and if people come to you wanting to get loads, you must send them to the right people. In all honesty, it took me a few days to understand what he was telling me. 

Malcolm McGregor the Guardian angel

I got a call from the attorney telling me to know that the trial date was coming the next week and that he wanted me to come over so we could talk about the things. He wanted to present to the court what he expected, what he thought the district attorney was going to do, and what I should be saying and what not to be saying when I was on the stand. He walked with me out of the building as we were finishing up our talk and asked me where my vehicle was. I told him I got here by bus. He asked me how I got to school. When I told him how I got around, he seemed to be doubtful about it. He asked me if I knew how to drive. Then I was incredulous and told him I was a good driver. He asked me if I could drive a little classic VW bug. I told him yes because I had one for a while, but my dad has it now. So, Malcolm took me to his garage and offered to let me borrow this classic Volkswagen bug that was very old and tripped out with a beaut till color on, and of course, I would not damage his favorite toy. Of course, I said yes and away I went to the lower valley in a classical bug.

On the day of the trial, I put on the best as best I could, but that meant I was in my best genes and shirt. It seems the Judge had several people in the docket, which said to me that the trial would go fast. I was third in the group. The district attorney brought in the same narcotic guys that came into the house. There were four agents in the house, but only two were at the trial. The one narcotics officer who planted the drugs on the carpet didn't tell the story the way he said it in the house that night. The officer who almost had to take me out told a mostly true story, and I thought it was over for me. But when Malcolm examined the one who supposedly found the drugs on the carpet, he asked him who was with him when you opened the door. He said he was the only one there. Malcolm left it alone at that, and then Malcolm dismissed him and asked the other narcotics officer. Malcolm had more questions for this gentleman. First, he asked what position was in the narcotics department, and that is when I found out he was the head of the department. Then Malcolm asked him where I was on the property when the Warrant was Dismissed to the head of the property. The agent said he was stationed in the back of the yard observing. "so, you were not the person who issued the Warrant? "Yes, that is true, but I gave orders to two of my men to do this when we were all in place for the Warrant.

"So. do you know who opened the door that night"? "I suppose it was someone because my men were in there." What happened sir was that two very young people opened the door and you men went in without notice in your raid. You are responsible for making sure the Warrant processed according to law, and that didn't happen that way. Malcolm asks the court to dismiss this case because the agents came into the hours without proper notice to the head of the house. And that when someone believes their home is being violated, they have the right to protect themselves. The Judge agreed with Malcolm and dismasted this case due to a grievous error by the law. I just got saved from going to prison, and it was a happy day.