First of all, I’m not saying whether I saw anything or not unless I already know you, be that as it may, but on top of that, why you’re asking me is what I want to know, with those fake-looking credentials. Let the evidence speak for itself is all I’m saying. They tore that place apart for two days. There’s probably DNA and forensics all over that place, instead of sending you out looking for witnesses. Otherwise, they can frame some other poor sucker from some other poor neighborhood. You know I’m right about that. Nothing more frustrating than watching justice come down on some harmless punk because he doesn’t have a job. Guilty isn’t the question! What makes them think he’s guilty is the question. Shut up, man, you know what’s good for you. I didn’t say I know any harmless punk. Let me ask you this, since you know so much. You feel confident about making it home safe, black Honda Prelude, AKE-383? That’s like a song. No way I could ever forget that. Maybe we should talk about that. You haven’t tried to live here. You can’t just look at this from one side or the other. This whole thing is a system. When do you hear about cops arresting cops? Are they innocent? You have no idea what goes on with the people you’re asking us to talk about. Crooked judges—do they get turned in by other judges? No, but everybody expects us to turn ours in. People get themselves killed around here. You understand? The only reason I’m here is I don’t get myself killed. You want to investigate something, you should investigate who stays alive. That’s somebody who can teach you something. Stop wasting time on the ones that get themselves killed.
Copyright © May 4, 2007 David Hodges
3 comments
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May 5, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Annelisa
Hi David
This would make a perfect start to a longer novel… I found myself asking more – who, what, why… but getting no answers. Or rather, very few. This is all about the guy who’s not going to grass, because he knows what’s good for him… or else he knows what would be bad for him. I get his part in it. I just want to know what’s going on round him… which is why it would be an absolutely perfect intro to something bigger.
BTW – Have you written any full-length (as in book length) novels?
Thank you, Annelisa. “Going to grass” is a new bit of slang for me. I appreciate it. To answer your question: No, nothing more lengthy than these. Just about the time you start to get deeply intrigued, I’m starting to think: Well, that’s enough on this topic for me.
–David
May 6, 2007 at 4:34 am
litlove
Only you, David, could manage a meditation on the ideology of reading by means of a gangster interrogation scene. And pull it off so neatly and brilliantly. For me, this was about what’s always already read in society, about the individual as legible only in certain ways, and about asking questions as a form of power play. There’s danger in the wrong questions and in the wrong answers. Actually you could subtitle this one (as it amuses me to think up subtitles for you) the politics of misrecognition.
One day I really am going to reach 299 words in this comment section…
Thank you, Litlove. What’s most interesting to me in what you say is how often it’s the object of the interrogation who understands best the real meaning of the questions and what’s being done to him/her in the asking. Also, your credit is good; use as many words as you like.
–David
May 6, 2007 at 11:12 am
Wizzer
Another fine observation of a “different” world. I love these insights into how people from different sectors of the community have different standards (ethics?) and methods due to the nature of those very sectors and the very need for survival.
Thanks, Wizzer. We cross those lines at our own risk.
–David