SAM
Anne, our friendly school cop, called to tell me about Ella and Danny’s fiasco. Anne asked me to meet them at the tram at the corner of Lewis and Clark, and that the two were huddled together and crying when she left them. She said she thought that they needed the comfort the other was providing, so she left them alone. Anne chuckled a little as she said this. I felt that it was very kind of her. The school I had gone to didn’t have a single soul who would even think of that.
“Anne, our school cop, called and asked me to pick you up, and gave me the name of the corner where I could pick you up. She thought you two needed to have some time to help each other after what happened on the tram. I’d like to hear your version of it. Now, let’s get in the car.”
When Danny saw my car, he exclaimed, “Wow, an electric Chevy, I’ve never seen one before. How do you like it?”
“I like it, it’s five years old and no trouble. The state asks us to buy American cars whenever possible. I think their cars are almost as backwards as their schools.”
Danny shook his head, and I asked him why. He replied, “Back in Ol’ Miss, everybody was ordered to get gas-powered American cars; that’s a law.”
I told Danny, “Anne went to the hospital with the fellow who she says was bellowing that you had broken both his arms. She also said he was much bigger than you. How did you take him down?”
“He is a mean bastard, and he reminded me of Ratso, and he was viciously grabbing Ella’s face and groping her. I guess I lost it. I used what I learned in aikido class, and it worked.” He looked down and added, “I guess I went too far in hurting him. Will I be kicked out of school?”
“I don’t think so, but we’ll have to talk about it,”
Ella looked startled and yelled, “That’s insane, Sam, that guy was twice as big as Danny, and he’s a bully and mean as a snake. Danny did good.” She reached over and took his hand. “I’ve seen him before, and everyone in our neighborhood hates him. And his dad is just like him. And here’s one for you: the family lives in the biggest house in all of Monte Vista. And lots of people cow-tow to them.”
I dropped Ella and Danny off at their respective homes, and just before I got back to school, Anne called to tell me that Bruno is the big kid’s name and that he’s a freshman in Monte Vista High School. She added that Danny had hurt himself so severely that he had to stay at the hospital and have some treatment. She said that Bruno’s father wanted a meeting with her and the school's administrator. So, I’m calling you. You are some administrator, aren’t you?” She didn’t give me time to respond and went on, “I told the big boastful bastard that we would meet with him and his wife and Bruno tomorrow, Saturday, at 10 am. And I’d like you to meet him and Bruno, and I hope you will bring Ella, Danny, and perhaps the bus driver. You okay with that?” I told her that I was, and she added, “Do you know if the trams have videos in them?” I told her I’d find out, and if they do, I’d get a copy for us.”
Just before 10:00 Saturday morning, Anne and I opened the only comfortable room in the school that we thought was appropriate for our meeting. We arranged the ten somewhat comfortable chairs in a circle. We watched the video that showed the entire incident from the moment Bruno and his companions got on the tram until Anne got on. It showed Bruno reaching over and hitting Danny on the head, pinching Ella’s face, and groping her chest. I couldn’t hear, but I could see that Ella screamed. And I could see that Danny swiftly grabbed both of Bruno’s wrists and literally threw him face down on the bus’s rough floor, and blood spurted from his nose. I stopped the tape and backed it to the time Danny grabbed Bruno’s arms. I timed it, and it took Danny only 6 seconds to throw the much bigger boy down. Anne shook her head and muttered, “How in hell did he manage to do that?”
“I once sat in on one of Lance Pillars' aikido classes, and one of the main things he insisted on was to use an opponent’s force against him. Danny evidently did exactly that.” We set the laptop on a desk and waited for the others to join us. The bus driver, Sal Jackson, a large black man, arrived first, followed by Danny, Ella, and her father, Mark Haloren. We had just sat down when Bruno Norse and his parents, Steve and Elizabeth Norse, arrived. All three were tall, blond, and handsome people. I was amazed by how big Danny’s opponent was. Bruno was nearly as tall as me and heavier. He sported both arms in white slings and looked a bit in pain. Both parents were also large and imposing figures who acted like royalty. An attractive, middle-aged brunette woman accompanied them. Bruno introduced his father, who introduced the two women. The non-blond woman, Catherine Withers, was the family attorney, we were told. All three of the adults looked around at our clean but plain room, and all had a rather snobbish expression on their faces. Anne invited everyone to take their seats in the circle.
I was impressed with the easy and professional authority Anne showed as she said, “Thank you, Mr. Norse, and the folks I have invited to join us here.” She gestured toward me, “Sam Collins, one of our school faculty members, Ella’s father, Mark Haloran, and those involved in the incident on the tram, Sol Jackson, the tram driver, Ella Haloran, and Danny Sherman. Now, please tell us why you wish to have this meeting.
Elizabeth, Bruno’s mother, asked, “And where are your parents, young man?”
“My dad is dead, and my mother is home taking care of my two little sisters.” Danny sounded quite confident, and I was proud of him.
Anne said, “And Elizabeth, I did not think that we would need his mother, as you will see.”
Elizabeth imperiously corrected her, “The name you need to call me is Mrs. Norse. I reserve my first name for my family and intimate friends.”
“I’m glad to hear that you may have some friends. I’m sure they are few in number.” Mrs. Norse turned up her nose even more and looked away.
Steve cleared his throat and imperiously announced, “You need only take one look at our severely injured son here to know what this is about. That little hoodlum attacked our son, and he was so severely injured that he had to be taken to the hospital emergency room. Both arms needed to be surgically taken care of.” I suppressed a smile as I saw that Danny, about three years younger, and although tall for his age, looked like a midget next to poor Bruno. Danny sat there, looking on, almost proud of himself, and I was proud of him. Steve Norse went on, “We believe that that little weasel there needs to be arrested for assault and battery.” Steve was nearly yelling. “That, little lady cop, is what this is all about!”
I could tell that Anne was seething inside but said, “I see. Now, in my defense of Danny Sherman, I would like to show you a film of what happened on the tram. Is that okay with everyone?” Everyone nodded. I focused on the attorney – the ‘little lady attorney’. Anne turned the laptop so that everyone could see the screen.
I watched Bruno, his father, and the attorney most closely as we watched about seven minutes of the tape. I stopped the film when Anne entered the scene. Bruno kept shifting back and forth between the film and the floor. Bruno could not meet his dad’s glare even a little bit. The dad continued to stare at his son as if he were the ‘little weasel.’ I guessed that Elizabeth Norse believed that she needed to do something to defuse the situation before her husband exploded, “Well, son, this video tells a different story from the one you told us about when we were in the hospital.”
Before Bruno could answer, Daddy Steve Norse interrupted, “That film has been altered. Let us see it again and, this time in a slower – more truthful – speed.”
Sol Jackson spoke for the first time, “Sir, I was there, and I am sure that this film is accurate. And this pretty girl here… “ He nodded toward Ella, “…took down one of Bruno’s companions who was about to hit me for grabbing his other young companion who was headed for Danny, here,” Sol pointed at Danny, …” who was kneeling on Bruno..”
Mr. Norse ignored Sol and muttered, “I still want to see the take-downs even if it is, as you say, not in slow motion.” Anne looked over at me, and I nodded. She rewound the video, and it started with Bruno hitting Danny and grabbing Ella. Then it looked like Danny rather leisurely took hold of Bruno’s wrists and shoved him down onto the floor. If anything, it made Danny look stronger and Bruno weaker. Steve turned to Bruno and yelled, “Why in hell didn’t you fight back, son. What the hell is wrong with you? That little shit is half your size.”
Bruno cowered in his chair and stuttered as he said, “Dad, uh, the first tape shows, uh, the true picture. Danny was just too damn fast for me. And, uh, every time I moved, he yanked my arms even more, so, I uh, I swear, I’ll get him for this.”
Steve slapped him hard enough to knock him off his chair. The boy screamed in pain. Sol Jackson, the tram driver, immediately bent down and said, “You’ll be okay, son.” And, as gently as possible, he picked Bruno up and placed him on his chair as Steve Norse stood there and smirked.
Catherine Withers, the ‘little lady lawyer’, looked at Bruno and then his dad and said, “And. Bruno, you just gave the reason for Danny to keep jerking your arms back. If he had let up on you just a little, you would have thrown him off. “
Steve Norse turned to the family lawyer, “Well, Catherine, I guess we won’t be needing your services here, after all.”
“No, you will not, and I will no longer serve you in any way as of now. I will file a report on what I just witnessed. You struck your injured son so severely that you knocked him off his chair. I will send a copy of my report to the district attorney and to you, Mr. Norse, along with my resignation as your attorney.” Catherine got up from her chair, picked up her briefcase, and with quiet dignity, left the room.
The Norse family followed soon after without saying a word. The only sound in the room was Bruno’s crying. As soon as we were sure the Norse were out of earshot, we all shouted and clapped and even danced around. Ella was the first one to give me a hug. She also gave Sol a hug. I was very proud of ‘my’ kids. And I was worried about Bruno’s comment that he would ‘get’ Danny for what he had done to him. Bruno would try to hurt Danny for making him look weak in front of his daddy. Anne learned that I had not broken any of Bruno’s bones but had dislocated both shoulders and one elbow. It had taken some kind of treatment that was painful, and he did need the slings. I was glad that Danny did not seem to feel any kind of guilt for hurting him.
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