12 FEBRUARY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® The Un-Comfort Zone II by Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. Arrested for Skipping Church Taught Me How Much My Father Loved Me Dad gave me money to buy a soft drink and candy bar before Sunday night church service. It began with Youth Group, followed by dinner in the social hall, then a 20-minute break before services. At the vending machines, I ran into my friend Hal and a new kid named Carl, whom I’d just met. As Hal and I reviewed our choices, Carl offered a suggestion - to save our money by having Coke and cookies at his house a few blocks away. It meant skipping church, but at 13 years of age, neither Hal nor I really wanted to sit through a boring sermon. The three of us talked busily all the way to Carl’s house. Meanwhile, I didn’t watch how we got there as we traversed the city streets of uptown Atlanta. At Carl’s, we consumed the treats he promised while watching a 30-minute sitcom on TV, then it was time to go back to the church, meet up with our parents, and go home. It had gotten dark, and I did not know how to get back to the church, but I wasn’t worried because Carl was leading us. Then a block from his house, Carl stopped in front of a closed liquor store and asked, “Hey you guys want to get some free money?” “Sure!” we replied. Carl pulled two screwdrivers from his back pocket and started trying to pry open the coin slot box on a newspaper machine. Hal joined in as I watched uncomfortably. I did not want to get involved, so I asked if we could just go back to church. Carl said it would only take a minute since he’d seen his friend do it many times. As the seconds passed, I felt increasingly uncomfortable. I wanted to leave, but I had no idea which way to go. We had walked at least six city blocks, including several turns, to get to Carl’s house, and I had not paid attention. I had foolishly put myself into the position; and I was angry at myself for being so stupid. More than anything, I felt extremely vulnerable and nervous. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to get away from there. I saw an alley running between the liquor store and an office building - it seemed to go in the general direction we’d been heading - so I started walking toward it saying I would wait for them at the other end of the street. “Okay, we’ll be with you in a minute.” Carl replied, and then added with a chuckle, “You can beour lookout.” I grimaced because it implied I was participating, which I was not, but as a 13-year-old, I didn’t have the confidence or self-esteem to insist he stop and show me back to the church. I quickly walked away and waited. I had hoped to spot the church steeple, but between the hills and the tall buildings, it was nowhere in sight. Minutes passed while my anxiety level increased. Then I saw headlights illuminating the office building as if a car had parked at an angle in front of the liquor store. I yelled down the alleyway, heard no response, so I walked toward the headlights. When I turned the corner, I saw a police car. A policeman grabbed my arm and said I was under arrest! He didn’t handcuff me, but opened the back door of his car and pushed me in where I joined Carl, but not Hal. Hal had run away when he saw the police. I started crying, harder than I ever have in my life. I was terrified. Exactly what I wanted to avoid had happened. We were taken to a juvenile facility and told to phone our parents. We were not photographed, fingerprinted, or put in a cell, but one was right there where we could see it, and it looked plenty intimidating. Waiting for our parents, I was surprised to see Hal and his parents show up. Hal had told them what happened, and they turned him in. My parents and Carl’s mother eventually arrived and we were released into their custody. All three of us were given a date to meet with a probation officer. I was relieved to get home, Wilson Cont’d on page 14. GROUNDWATER Week 2022 Dealmakers Send your deals to: michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com Located in Bakersfield, California, Well Rehabilitation Services, Inc. was proud to accept delivery of the 3000th pump hoist manufactured by SEMCO of Lamar, Colorado. SEMCO, Inc. Mike&Michael (C) withGreweBryant Pump Service in Rosamond, California, showed off their new pump hoist with Marty &Randy of Pulstar Manufacturing/ Preferred Pump of Dodge, Nebraska. Pulstar Manufacturing/ Preferred Pump
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