For years now I have envisioned and carefully practiced how I would handle the situation if ever encountering or engaging in conversation with some of the confused, disillusioned youth dealing drugs in our city streets. The opportunity finally presented itself with a couple of youth moving not only into our block on Melrose Avenue, but actually alternating between my recessed Roanoke Tribune doorway and the brick wall at the driveway entrance for several hours before I realized what was going on. Once made aware of the situation by a couple who came in on business, none of my years of preparation for that moment seemed applicable. I just couldn’t seem to find a handle on these lost, misguided souls.
I always thought I could give them serious food for thought by associating the “damage and death for sale” they peddle with someone they love more than themselves. I don’t think such a person exists. Neither do they seem to have any experience, knowledge or examples of love. So – Strike 1.
I thought just maybe they might respect the fact that we at the Roanoke Tribune have worked for years (and continue to do so) with neighborhood kids who work tenaciously each week to get the Tribunes folded, sorted by zip codes and mailed to subscribers throughout the city, country and abroad. This is an effort to give them something which they can identify with and take pride in and one of the two youths in question is related to one of the kids who has worked with us, although not lately. But like love, respect is another word, which eludes their vocabulary – Strike 2.
I would love to have been able to offer them some attractive alternative profession with comparable income, which does not require years of extensive, expensive education and preparation which, under present circumstances, is highly unlikely that they would obtain. But realistically I could come up with nothing. Only that their present escapades endanger not only the lives of their customers, but their own lives as well, for in that particular profession, the more knowledgeable and successful they become, the slimmer the chances that they will ever come out of it alive.
How do you convincingly take away something (anything) that someone is profiting by without replacing it with something better or more profitable? – Strike 3!
So how did I handle the situation? With the only language they understand – intimidation. “If you can’t convince ‘em, confuse ‘em” is a strategy I learned years ago.
When the next car pulled up to them, perched all day on the brick wall next door—where incidentally I had invested thousands of dollars into a center at the time to offer neighborhood kids an alternative to the streets—I excused myself from the two customers who walked in and commented on what was going on outside. I picked up my little Fuji camera, walked outside, and proceeded to photograph the two questionable youth as well as the individual in the car, the car and the license plate.
They were all taken by surprise and seemingly took it lightly at first, but later became more belligerent as they demanded the photos. I assured them that they would remain in safe keeping in case I ever needed them.
So far they’ve not been back. But I cannot feel triumphant knowing that they, and millions like them, are being driven to such drastic measures for a combination of reasons. It is not enough to blame them or “the system”. There’s enough blame to go around and we need to pitch in and unite our efforts to survive and to save our youth, our communities, our cities, nation and the world from a far more deadly and widespread threat today from a more obscure enemy.
It’s our turn at bat…but who’s on first.
