Page 102

By Jack Joseph Smith

103 of the polices while 1 nad continually refused to subait to tieik trickery, I Fe my father) shaking fingers, as his whole hand forced the pen across the paper, signing over our home, They did not get what they wanted from me, and I was certainly ready to aeet a experience of jail so they had to watch my father suffers When we were walking out of the police station, 1 had wanted a gun so bad I now felt the angry taste of confrontation in my mouths I tightened with my thoughts, as I rere REY blur of blue tymble my head into a deep atauind It was all clear to mes the way they had everything set up, as silence came across the courtroom, as if everyone was waiting to suck.on the unseen niple of the laws Our buldging mother, who throws our shouts in the wastebasket, The judge began to talk, as my probation officer made the final submission of my report, The probation _ officer was blind, and I really believe he only felt the kids How else could he be there? He wore shades, That was enough for meg He was a good man; His movements seemed so sensitive among all these bull facess The negro kids looked on him with pleasure and made way for him, when he walked, Blind or not, in this stupidity, those shades are a good sign, I thoughts Tt seems to mey Coughs lt seems to me,.that this boy is headed toward alot of trouble, This is the first time that he has actually been brought before the court, but according to my report, he has been questioned on many occasion. What about this Michael? With your permission your eae ag iichael’s representive, .I will speak for Michaels stated the aid of Father Lawnegans. On occasidns:Michael has been knowhto be involved in fist fighting, but we of Saint Bernards believe it has always been in interest of the underdog, Gang fights, + believes .would be the more correct term,!Rather;.

Original Scan

Page 102

AI Interpretation

GPT

Courtroom silence sharpens into accusation and spectacle as the judge takes up Michael's record, the blind probation officer submits his report, and Saint Bernard's begins to answer back in his defense.

The blind probation officer stands out as one of the few figures Michael reads with any respect, because he seems to feel children rather than merely process them. Against the judge's language of delinquency, Saint Bernard's reframes Michael's violence as loyalty to the underdog.

Claude

Walking out of the station Michael tastes confrontation and wants a gun for the first time; the blind probation officer in shades is introduced as the one good man in the room full of bull faces.