I Believe in Love
But we all need to learn How
Somehow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUOgFP2BQd4&list=PLXTXo61xxlWgoHYRK9Nq8BbYnsmooekm-
But we all need to learn How
Somehow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUOgFP2BQd4&list=PLXTXo61xxlWgoHYRK9Nq8BbYnsmooekm-
Okay so here's what happened:
I was on my way to New Orleans in The Green Gust to Save Hayley/beg her to give me another chance/win her Love.
On the highway through Birmingham, Alabama, I notice a person walking in the breakdown lane. Now I've seen hitchhikers before but this was very strange because this was a section of highway built high above the city. This individual must have been walking for several miles to get up there, and they had no way off. So, naturally, I pulled over to offer aid. As it would happen, this person's name was Tracey. She was from somewhere in Tennessee and was trying to get to some family in Florida. I told her I was heading to New Orleans, and if she wanted to ride that far South with me she could, and it'd probably be pretty easy to cut East for her after that. Tracey agreed, and I told her my whole story—Elementary School Teacher turned Bicycle Journyer turned Mad Man in Love. Tracey herself seemed a little off balance. For starters she didn't have anything. She literally had no possessions at all on her person save a couple cigarettes. Her shoes were torn up and her clothes were dirty. With her shaved head and lack of conversational skills she was a rather bizarre guest to have. I intended to buy her some toiletry supplies and food and drop her off at a good spot to hitch a ride East.
We made our way down the highway together and were approaching New Orleans when to my surprise, the flashing lights came on behind me. "Of COURSE" I thought, because obviously everything was going too smoothly and something needed to go wrong. I pull over and the State Trooper comes to the window.
"What seems to be the problem officer?"
"You was swervin'"
"Hmm. Was I?"
"Had anything to drink tonight?"
"Just this tea here. Wanna smell?" I open the top of my bottle of tea and point it at him. He shakes his head. I shrug and take a sip.
"Hey I didn't say you could drink that."
"O... K?"
"Step outta the car please sir."
"Alright..."
So the State Trooper asks some dumb questions trying to get me in incriminate myself. "Is there anything illegal in the car?"
"Nope"
Then he does some dumb test with his finger and I have to watch him move it back and forth. Which I do a really great job at. He asks me self-incriminating questions several more times and assures me he's on my side and I should just tell him the Truth so everything will be okay. He says he really doesn't want to have to search my car so I should really just fess up. Then he goes over to the passenger side and finds Tracey. After a minute with her, he turns around to me again and says,
"Look what I just found on the side of your passenger seat!"
And in the palm of his head is a pretty sizeable bud of weed.
Now, I can't legally say that that Officer of "The Law" pulled that weed out of his pocket. I can say that I don't smoke in my car. I can say that if I did I wouldn't be in the passenger seat. I can say that even if I was going to smoke in my car and for some reason was seating in my passenger seat to do it, I'm very frugal with the stuff and wouldn't drop some huge nug of weed on the floor and just leave it there. So I can't legally say he planted that weed on me, but I can tell you, that was not my weed.
Must have been not-a-dollar to her name Tracey's huh?
So without a word from me the Trooper just turns around and starts going through stuff. I kept a small bit of weed in a film roll container I got from a Native American man named Kieh-Tigh in Salam, MA in Hayley's Rainbow Backpack (She had given me that in return for my Hiking backpack that I'd taken on the AT the last time I saw her). So he finds my weed. Fucking great. Now he comes back with more attempts to get me to incriminate myself. He's also very upset I lied to him (shit ain't illegal where I'm from asshole). Once again, if I just tell the Truth, it'll all work out better for me (lies). So I say nothing.
I unfortunately let my guard down and I've fallen for their trap. I didn't hide my weed well enough and I didn't think they'd pull it out of their own pocket to get probable cause for a search and now they've got me. They put me in cuffs, open my trunk, and just start tearing everything up. I have a little bit more weed in the back they find (they never found the bit I had in my Journey Mix hahaha) and they get really excited when they find my saffron (that Claire had given me) and can only imagine what dangerously illicit substance it might be. Also at this point, my emotions shift to Manic. I had been straight driving with just a few naps for the last 24 hours or so worried out of my mind about Hayley because of all of the Nightmare scenarios I thought up and couldn't stop thinking about so being apprehended here officially absolved me of being able to do anything so now it really was totally out of my hands so great.
The Trooper is all high and mighty now. He won, so great. He pats me down, including pulling my pants up and frisking my genitals, which seemed like something I've never seen or heard of cops doing, but I've never been arrested before so what do I know. He sits me down in the squad car and asks me if I'll consent to a Blood test.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like needles."
"Will you consent to a Urine test?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like peeing in cups."
As a side note, back in Connecticut, when becoming a mentor AND an Elementary Science Teacher, for neither position was I drug tested, at all. So no, I do not consent to your "test" because I fell into your scam.
The tow truck appears to take my car away. I yell out to the guy, "Hey! The E-Brake doesn't work!"
The Officer says, "That's illegal."
"It is!? FUCK!"
So I incriminated myself after all.
The officer then strides me about having picked up a hitch hiker. Tracey apparently has a number of assaults charges against her and is a very dangerous individual. They tell me this as they are forcefully detaining me because I have less than a handful of a plant that grows out of the ground. Okay. When she gets into the car with the tow truck driver, I can't help but find the entire situation absurdly hilarious and start laughing pretty hard (the manicness added to this of course). Falling for their trap actually didn't bother me so much, but how self-righteous they were about it all, as if they're under some sort of delusion that this isn't just Highway Robbery and that I'm some sort of bad guy up to no good and any sort of Justice is being done here, at all.
In the squad car ride to the penitentiary I faced another barrage of questions aimed at getting me to incriminate myself more (this is what they are trained for. Police Officers are literally trained to try to get you. YOU (Note to taxpayers: That's not 'Protecting and Serving' that's extortion and it's NOT what our Police Force should be DOING)). Amidst these questions, the Trooper said one that made it all clear.
"You was tryin' t'get head weren't ya?"
Now I understood. They saw Tracey in the passenger seat, with her shaved head and raggy clothes, and I, some long-haired hippie in a weird old car coming from Connecticut. Going to New Orleans chasing after a Lost Love? And you're just helping this lady here out? Yeah right. Of course, had they bothered to investigate, it doesn't make ANY SENSE that I'd be seeking anything like that from Tracey because, uhm, what part of in Love with a Beautiful young Lady and literally (or so I thought) riding to her right now does not compute? But they don't care. They are looking for ways to Judge me and looking for ways to get me because they're not trying to Protect. They are not trying to Serve. If they have any sense of Justice it is deluded and misguided. All they are trying to do is book me so they can... Take one guess... That's right. Cha-ching. They want my fucking dollar.
DUI
Possession of Marijuana
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Careless Driving
Improper Vehicle Maintenance — No E-Brake
Improper Vehicle Maintenance — Infractions Numbers
I honestly don't even know what that last one is. Bail was set to $3500. The car tow would be about $200 (which would get higher and higher the longer I sat in Jail, until they could just legally own and sell MY car. Welcome to Mississippi ya fuckin' Yankee). They have some dumb rules like, you can't bail yourself out, even if you have the money. Some other body HAS to post it for you. If you get a bail bondsman to do it and you don't appear for court, they'll send Bounty Hunters after you. Legally. The system is set up so that they can legally send armed men operating outside the confines of the law (but protected by it) to track you down and forcefully capture you and drag you against your will back to the backwater county that made up false charges against you in the first place so they can take more of your money (or if you don't have any, get more money from the federal government by counting your head +1 in their Jail cells).
Anyways, back to the squad car, among questions the Trooper asked about "that red stuff."
"What red stuff?"
"Y'know, that reeed stuff." It was almost cute how he got all excited because I said something.
"Ooooh, you mean the saffron?"
"Saffron? What that? Some kinda drug?"
"No... It's a spice..."
"A spice? Like the kind you smoke? To get high?"
I chuckled, "No. Like the kind you cook with. Saffron is also called Red Gold. It is the most valuable spice in the world, worth more than Gold by weight."
He seemed irked by the lecture. He started going on about how the jail is pretty messed up inside and a white-boy like me ain't gonna do so well and that "you probably gonna get raped."
Yeah, real professional Trooper Etienne Mixon. Suggesting to put me into the cell with the "one we been havin' problems with. The one who bites" seems equally against proper procedure, but at that point I wasn't even surprised. Clearly they do whatever the hell they want down there. I never saw my saffron again either (don't worry I have more).
Jail was actually quite the opposite of what the Trooper described. The people inside were very nice and interesting and I actually made a bunch of friends! They started calling me Lover-Boy! I felt that name fit. Most of them had lots of different advice on what I aughta do in the case of my Love Life (I had the opportunity in there to tell them the whole story) which honestly just freaked me the fuck out and only affirmed exactly why I felt the need to race down South to rescue Hayley from this culture that wouldn't understand or accept her and potentially probably opt to Judge her and Eat her (and other fun Nightmare scenarios that I literally can not stop playing in my head). Luckily though, I generally don't judge anyone, so rather than be appalled at how they suggested I treat Hayley, I just declined and suggested pathways of respect and Love.
After a few phone calls and a couple of the in-mates pointing me in the right direction (Thank You Guys! I remember you and if you read this contact me!) I was able to have my father wire money to a bail bondsman and I was free! My mother had given me a couple bucks for an early Birthday present and thanks to that I had just enough cash to get Green Gust out. However, they kept my license, and I had some hearing scheduled in a month! So, I (legally) couldn't drive or leave the state. Another Trap! All they need to do is catch me driving and they could probably just arrest me again! So I had to play it really stealthy... After moving over to the nearest town of Picayune to figure out What, I only drove at dawn, when cops are changing shifts and not likely to pull people over for no reason. I always drive like a Saint anyways, but full and complete stops at Stop Signs, rather than 2nd gear through them, just to be safe...
As I walked around the town gathering points of resource (Free wi-fi spot. Hotel to park at) I saw a Lady wearing Elephant pants, which spoke to me, so I spoke to her. She ended up knowing of a nearby farm operated by the "Hare Krsna people" and she'd give them a call for me! Just a few hours later, a man named Mayapur came out to meet me. I had not really heard of Hare Krsna before (save for a meal they gave me at The Rainbow Gathering) but I am a man on my own spiritual journey, so we were able to speak of such things and connect together through that. He invited me back to their nearby farm for "Prasada" (what they call their blessed food) the following day, and after a night in the Green Gust behind a truck, I headed over there. I met the monks and other denizens of the farm then but had to get to New Orleans to Save/etcetera Hayley so left after eating and receiving some Holy gifts and Blessings.
Upon arriving in New Orleans I learned Hayley wasn't there and wasn't going to be. She also didn't want to see me. Obviously this was (another) painful blow, but I shrugged it off (as I do) and had some pretty awesome adventures in NOLA. I
ended up going back and forth from the farm to New Orleans several times over
the following weeks, exploring and venturing around the city, and working and
praying at the farm. They have a wonderful Temple as well and a wonderful
community of people around it. I am truly blessed to have been guided here
during these trials in this state I've faced.I was on my way to New Orleans in The Green Gust to Save Hayley/beg her to give me another chance/win her Love.
On the highway through Birmingham, Alabama, I notice a person walking in the breakdown lane. Now I've seen hitchhikers before but this was very strange because this was a section of highway built high above the city. This individual must have been walking for several miles to get up there, and they had no way off. So, naturally, I pulled over to offer aid. As it would happen, this person's name was Tracey. She was from somewhere in Tennessee and was trying to get to some family in Florida. I told her I was heading to New Orleans, and if she wanted to ride that far South with me she could, and it'd probably be pretty easy to cut East for her after that. Tracey agreed, and I told her my whole story—Elementary School Teacher turned Bicycle Journyer turned Mad Man in Love. Tracey herself seemed a little off balance. For starters she didn't have anything. She literally had no possessions at all on her person save a couple cigarettes. Her shoes were torn up and her clothes were dirty. With her shaved head and lack of conversational skills she was a rather bizarre guest to have. I intended to buy her some toiletry supplies and food and drop her off at a good spot to hitch a ride East.
We made our way down the highway together and were approaching New Orleans when to my surprise, the flashing lights came on behind me. "Of COURSE" I thought, because obviously everything was going too smoothly and something needed to go wrong. I pull over and the State Trooper comes to the window.
"What seems to be the problem officer?"
"You was swervin'"
"Hmm. Was I?"
"Had anything to drink tonight?"
"Just this tea here. Wanna smell?" I open the top of my bottle of tea and point it at him. He shakes his head. I shrug and take a sip.
"Hey I didn't say you could drink that."
"O... K?"
"Step outta the car please sir."
"Alright..."
So the State Trooper asks some dumb questions trying to get me in incriminate myself. "Is there anything illegal in the car?"
"Nope"
Then he does some dumb test with his finger and I have to watch him move it back and forth. Which I do a really great job at. He asks me self-incriminating questions several more times and assures me he's on my side and I should just tell him the Truth so everything will be okay. He says he really doesn't want to have to search my car so I should really just fess up. Then he goes over to the passenger side and finds Tracey. After a minute with her, he turns around to me again and says,
"Look what I just found on the side of your passenger seat!"
And in the palm of his head is a pretty sizeable bud of weed.
Now, I can't legally say that that Officer of "The Law" pulled that weed out of his pocket. I can say that I don't smoke in my car. I can say that if I did I wouldn't be in the passenger seat. I can say that even if I was going to smoke in my car and for some reason was seating in my passenger seat to do it, I'm very frugal with the stuff and wouldn't drop some huge nug of weed on the floor and just leave it there. So I can't legally say he planted that weed on me, but I can tell you, that was not my weed.
Must have been not-a-dollar to her name Tracey's huh?
So without a word from me the Trooper just turns around and starts going through stuff. I kept a small bit of weed in a film roll container I got from a Native American man named Kieh-Tigh in Salam, MA in Hayley's Rainbow Backpack (She had given me that in return for my Hiking backpack that I'd taken on the AT the last time I saw her). So he finds my weed. Fucking great. Now he comes back with more attempts to get me to incriminate myself. He's also very upset I lied to him (shit ain't illegal where I'm from asshole). Once again, if I just tell the Truth, it'll all work out better for me (lies). So I say nothing.
I unfortunately let my guard down and I've fallen for their trap. I didn't hide my weed well enough and I didn't think they'd pull it out of their own pocket to get probable cause for a search and now they've got me. They put me in cuffs, open my trunk, and just start tearing everything up. I have a little bit more weed in the back they find (they never found the bit I had in my Journey Mix hahaha) and they get really excited when they find my saffron (that Claire had given me) and can only imagine what dangerously illicit substance it might be. Also at this point, my emotions shift to Manic. I had been straight driving with just a few naps for the last 24 hours or so worried out of my mind about Hayley because of all of the Nightmare scenarios I thought up and couldn't stop thinking about so being apprehended here officially absolved me of being able to do anything so now it really was totally out of my hands so great.
The Trooper is all high and mighty now. He won, so great. He pats me down, including pulling my pants up and frisking my genitals, which seemed like something I've never seen or heard of cops doing, but I've never been arrested before so what do I know. He sits me down in the squad car and asks me if I'll consent to a Blood test.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like needles."
"Will you consent to a Urine test?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like peeing in cups."
As a side note, back in Connecticut, when becoming a mentor AND an Elementary Science Teacher, for neither position was I drug tested, at all. So no, I do not consent to your "test" because I fell into your scam.
The tow truck appears to take my car away. I yell out to the guy, "Hey! The E-Brake doesn't work!"
The Officer says, "That's illegal."
"It is!? FUCK!"
So I incriminated myself after all.
The officer then strides me about having picked up a hitch hiker. Tracey apparently has a number of assaults charges against her and is a very dangerous individual. They tell me this as they are forcefully detaining me because I have less than a handful of a plant that grows out of the ground. Okay. When she gets into the car with the tow truck driver, I can't help but find the entire situation absurdly hilarious and start laughing pretty hard (the manicness added to this of course). Falling for their trap actually didn't bother me so much, but how self-righteous they were about it all, as if they're under some sort of delusion that this isn't just Highway Robbery and that I'm some sort of bad guy up to no good and any sort of Justice is being done here, at all.
In the squad car ride to the penitentiary I faced another barrage of questions aimed at getting me to incriminate myself more (this is what they are trained for. Police Officers are literally trained to try to get you. YOU (Note to taxpayers: That's not 'Protecting and Serving' that's extortion and it's NOT what our Police Force should be DOING)). Amidst these questions, the Trooper said one that made it all clear.
"You was tryin' t'get head weren't ya?"
Now I understood. They saw Tracey in the passenger seat, with her shaved head and raggy clothes, and I, some long-haired hippie in a weird old car coming from Connecticut. Going to New Orleans chasing after a Lost Love? And you're just helping this lady here out? Yeah right. Of course, had they bothered to investigate, it doesn't make ANY SENSE that I'd be seeking anything like that from Tracey because, uhm, what part of in Love with a Beautiful young Lady and literally (or so I thought) riding to her right now does not compute? But they don't care. They are looking for ways to Judge me and looking for ways to get me because they're not trying to Protect. They are not trying to Serve. If they have any sense of Justice it is deluded and misguided. All they are trying to do is book me so they can... Take one guess... That's right. Cha-ching. They want my fucking dollar.
DUI
Possession of Marijuana
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Careless Driving
Improper Vehicle Maintenance — No E-Brake
Improper Vehicle Maintenance — Infractions Numbers
I honestly don't even know what that last one is. Bail was set to $3500. The car tow would be about $200 (which would get higher and higher the longer I sat in Jail, until they could just legally own and sell MY car. Welcome to Mississippi ya fuckin' Yankee). They have some dumb rules like, you can't bail yourself out, even if you have the money. Some other body HAS to post it for you. If you get a bail bondsman to do it and you don't appear for court, they'll send Bounty Hunters after you. Legally. The system is set up so that they can legally send armed men operating outside the confines of the law (but protected by it) to track you down and forcefully capture you and drag you against your will back to the backwater county that made up false charges against you in the first place so they can take more of your money (or if you don't have any, get more money from the federal government by counting your head +1 in their Jail cells).
Anyways, back to the squad car, among questions the Trooper asked about "that red stuff."
"What red stuff?"
"Y'know, that reeed stuff." It was almost cute how he got all excited because I said something.
"Ooooh, you mean the saffron?"
"Saffron? What that? Some kinda drug?"
"No... It's a spice..."
"A spice? Like the kind you smoke? To get high?"
I chuckled, "No. Like the kind you cook with. Saffron is also called Red Gold. It is the most valuable spice in the world, worth more than Gold by weight."
He seemed irked by the lecture. He started going on about how the jail is pretty messed up inside and a white-boy like me ain't gonna do so well and that "you probably gonna get raped."
Yeah, real professional Trooper Etienne Mixon. Suggesting to put me into the cell with the "one we been havin' problems with. The one who bites" seems equally against proper procedure, but at that point I wasn't even surprised. Clearly they do whatever the hell they want down there. I never saw my saffron again either (don't worry I have more).
Jail was actually quite the opposite of what the Trooper described. The people inside were very nice and interesting and I actually made a bunch of friends! They started calling me Lover-Boy! I felt that name fit. Most of them had lots of different advice on what I aughta do in the case of my Love Life (I had the opportunity in there to tell them the whole story) which honestly just freaked me the fuck out and only affirmed exactly why I felt the need to race down South to rescue Hayley from this culture that wouldn't understand or accept her and potentially probably opt to Judge her and Eat her (and other fun Nightmare scenarios that I literally can not stop playing in my head). Luckily though, I generally don't judge anyone, so rather than be appalled at how they suggested I treat Hayley, I just declined and suggested pathways of respect and Love.
After a few phone calls and a couple of the in-mates pointing me in the right direction (Thank You Guys! I remember you and if you read this contact me!) I was able to have my father wire money to a bail bondsman and I was free! My mother had given me a couple bucks for an early Birthday present and thanks to that I had just enough cash to get Green Gust out. However, they kept my license, and I had some hearing scheduled in a month! So, I (legally) couldn't drive or leave the state. Another Trap! All they need to do is catch me driving and they could probably just arrest me again! So I had to play it really stealthy... After moving over to the nearest town of Picayune to figure out What, I only drove at dawn, when cops are changing shifts and not likely to pull people over for no reason. I always drive like a Saint anyways, but full and complete stops at Stop Signs, rather than 2nd gear through them, just to be safe...
As I walked around the town gathering points of resource (Free wi-fi spot. Hotel to park at) I saw a Lady wearing Elephant pants, which spoke to me, so I spoke to her. She ended up knowing of a nearby farm operated by the "Hare Krsna people" and she'd give them a call for me! Just a few hours later, a man named Mayapur came out to meet me. I had not really heard of Hare Krsna before (save for a meal they gave me at The Rainbow Gathering) but I am a man on my own spiritual journey, so we were able to speak of such things and connect together through that. He invited me back to their nearby farm for "Prasada" (what they call their blessed food) the following day, and after a night in the Green Gust behind a truck, I headed over there. I met the monks and other denizens of the farm then but had to get to New Orleans to Save/etcetera Hayley so left after eating and receiving some Holy gifts and Blessings.
After about a month of that, the hearing came about, which I believe was on December 22nd, 2016. I had a strategy of relative open honestly, hoping my sincerity would shed light onto the false charges. I wrote a (VERY WELL WRITTEN) letter to The Judge, hoping he'd read it and dismiss the fabricated charges. I arrived at The Justice Court expecting my hearing to be among perhaps a few others, and a chance to speak and perhaps recite my letter before any additional legal proceedings.
I was surprised to find The Justice Court packed with more than sixty people into one tiny courtroom. It seemed all traffic violations were to be processed on this day as well. The Bailiff instructed everyone who would be pleading Guilty to line up first to get them out of the way. What followed was a couple hours of people approaching the podium, announcing their Guilt, some people typing some stuff in, then a machine whirring out on a piece of paper... A receipt.
Yup. Cha-ching.
(I wrote an if-I-do-say-so-myself Great poem about the whole charade but I can't find it right now so I'll post it in the future)
So yeah no way was I gonna do that. I was willing to pay whatever they wanted to rob me of for possessing the marijuana (even though the search, seizure, and arrest were all ILLEGAL) but there was NO WAY I was going to admit Guilt to a crime that I was not Guilty of which was made up on the spot just so I could be arrested.
During the time of the cash register bzzzzting away, I was able to speak to a man named Paul. He'd been pulled over by the same officer. The Trooper had said to him, "I smell weed. Are you smoking?" Which Paul reports, no, he does not smoke in his vehicle ever, so the Trooper did not smell weed. But he did mistakenly admit to the Trooper that he smokes weed on occasion, just not now. Unfortunately for Paul, knowledge of his cannabis use and the fabrication of smell is enough for the Trooper to make up a DUI charge and arrest him. Marijuana will stay in your system (as in you will test positive for it) for about a month (actual effects last a few hours) so even though a driver might not have touched the stuff in three weeks they can still test positive and have solid evidence against them. The Troopers know this, so they have all the power at their ready to take advantage of this and make as many DUI arrests as they please. In Paul's case, he consented to the drug tests and they came back negative. As I spoke with Paul, I told him my story as well and that there was no way I was going to plead guilty. Paul was on the fence at first, but he ended up getting in line. He didn't want to have to deal with it all. He didn't want to have to get a lawyer and he definitely didn't want to come back. He opted to just plead guilty and pay them. Then he could just get back to work and his life. Paul walked out of there with a bill for $870 for a crime he did not commit.
I also had the opportunity to face the trooper that arrested me that day. Not surprisingly, he tried to intimidate me, saying if I plead not guilty and went to trial then I'd definitely serve jail time. I told him we'd see about that. He wanted to read my letter. I told him it wasn't addressed to him. Just before my hearing began I stepped outside and was called over to him. I said it is improper for us to be speaking before the hearing. He said I aughta just plead guilty. I reminded him that I was not guilty. He said I would lose the trial. I excused myself, saying I needed to prepare my questions.
I returned to the courtroom and to my surprise—no one was there. That is, none of the sixty or so other "defendants" were there. It was just The Judge, the DA, the Trooper, a Secretary, and Myself. I said I had a letter I wanted to hand to the Judge and read. I was denied, saying that the Judge may only hear/read my words during the trial. And in order to go to trial, I would have to sign a number of forms waiving my right to any legal representation. Also, we would go to trial immediately, as in, once I waived that right. So... Not quite what I was expecting. The letter was all I had and now for the Judge to even look at it I'd have to give up my right to any aid on my side. There was also no one else in the courtroom, no one on my team. So, they could really just do whatever the hell they wanted to, I realized. This was not a fair fight, and moving forward felt like less of a gamble and more of a snare. I recalled some of the advice one of my Best Friends David Fu had told me about due process. I was looking at the forms to waive my rights and stopped,
"What about the Process of Discovery?"
The DA chirped up, "What about it?"
"Well, when is that supposed to happen? As part of my due process it is supposed to take place after the hearing but before the trial."
"Here in the State of Mississippi, the hearing and the trial happen at the same time."
"Okay. But then when am I supposed to have the opportunity to gather evidence?"
"You were supposed to have done that already."
"How was I supposed to have done that already? I was told this was a hearing."
"Your attorney should have done that."
"I can't afford an attorney."
"Then you should have been appointed one."
"How? I was never given that information. I wasn't even read my right when I was arrested."
The Judge spoke now, "You weren't read your rights?"
"No, your Honor. Never."
A Pause.
"So how could I have ever gathered any evidence?"
The Judge took out some papers from beneath his podium and proceeded to question me on my fiscal situation.
I have about $200
No I don't own any property
I have a car.
It's worth less than $1000
Yeah I have a bunch of student loans.
No I don't have employment at this time.
Great so I qualified!
The Judge appointed me an attorney and announced, "We're done here."
The Trooper was sitting on the witness stand the whole time, mostly silent.
He scoffed quietly as he got up to walk away.
The Judge gave me some papers with details about my attorney and when we'd reconvene, which was to be in a few months.
I felt I had narrowly avoided yet another Mississippi legal trap.
I returned to the farm for one last night of rest before heading back home for Christmas.
Through the months following, the case was delayed several times, mostly because it's not easy just getting down to rural Mississippi and I wasn't ready at all to resume what I am now doing. But as the months passed and I healed and figured out my logistics and how to carry my emotions, I came up with the plan you now see... To resume my bicycle journey from where I left off in Carbondale Illinois, follow the Mississippi River South to New Orleans as I had been planning on doing anyways, and knock this troublesome bit of business out of my way as I blasted past!
And I was ready I tell ya! License revoked? Don't care I'm on a bicycle. Fines? You're not getting one damn dollar of mine Mississippi. Jail time? Whatever I'm on my adventure that'd be fun! My bike would be safe at the farm! I was gonna go in there and, with respect to the strategy my wonderful defense attorney Mr. James Gray was planning, let 'em have it about their whole system taking advantage of different laws and culture in different states and the needs of their very own population, disrupting peoples' lives just to make a buck.
That didn't happen though...
As I rode up to the doors of the Justice Court
Five minutes before my trial
James Gray was standing outside
"So I got an e-mail this morning saying your trial will have to be postponed today."
"Well, at least it was a nice ride!"
"Heh. Park your bike. We're gonna take care of this right now."
And Mr. Gray marched into that courtroom
Went right up to the Podium
And said to the lady there as he handed her a stack of papers,
"This young man is Justin Heriot. He just rode his bicycle here from Connecticut for court today. Please put this on Judge Mitchell's desk. We expect a full dismissal."
I shit you not.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt1jWM8XX9A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt1jWM8XX9A
Pain in Your Heart makes Your Heart Stronger
Keep Rising
Mississippi was pretty rough
But I knew they'd help me
I just had to make it...
But I knew they'd help me
I just had to make it...
I missed my Spiritual brother Alex by ONE day!
So they gave me his bed (:
Any food that is served is first offered to Krsna
The food is thus his leftovers and is blessed
This is known as Prasada
True devotees will not eat anything else
The food is thus his leftovers and is blessed
This is known as Prasada
True devotees will not eat anything else
This might look like a normal cup of milk
But that would not be quite right
This Holy Gift from the (Cow) God's is so far beyond what we get in the supermarket it's not even a comparison
In The Hare Krsna Way, Cows are a sacred animal
Here at New Talavana, cows are never sent to slaughter
After their milking days are done they are cared for and live out the rest of their lives here on the farm
They have a nice huge field to graze in and obviously aren't fed a bunch of chemicals
This is the way Milk SHOULD taste
Once again
So thankful to be able to enjoy this Holy gift to my lips
But that would not be quite right
This Holy Gift from the (Cow) God's is so far beyond what we get in the supermarket it's not even a comparison
In The Hare Krsna Way, Cows are a sacred animal
Here at New Talavana, cows are never sent to slaughter
After their milking days are done they are cared for and live out the rest of their lives here on the farm
They have a nice huge field to graze in and obviously aren't fed a bunch of chemicals
This is the way Milk SHOULD taste
Once again
So thankful to be able to enjoy this Holy gift to my lips
Turned a corner and EEk!
Found this Beautiful Moth chillin' in the Ashram
Officially moved in
This bird was trying to get into this truck for like an hour
Just kept flying into the glass
Silly birb
Just kept flying into the glass
Silly birb
First task on the fields...
Prepare for transplants!
Gotta get rid of the weeds first...
Prepare for transplants!
Gotta get rid of the weeds first...
Use the trowel to break up the packed soil
Then add in a handful of worm castings!
I guess they're really great for the soil
I guess they're really great for the soil
Mix that together by hand and viola!
Ready for little plantlings to root in :D
Ready for little plantlings to root in :D
Farms take a LOT of work
Thanks to riding my bicycle all day and martial arts
I Love to work now
I remember when I used to be lazy
Glad those days are over
Thanks to riding my bicycle all day and martial arts
I Love to work now
I remember when I used to be lazy
Glad those days are over
Fellow farmhand and devotee John and I are a great team
Thanks John!
Thanks John!
He's an even harder worker than I am!
Then we had to turn this field
to this!
Now we can plant a row of something edible here...
But not before I picked some Purple flowers
Love You Forever <3
Love You Forever <3
I'm sorry Love.
I'm working for my vision
I won't accept anything less.
You KNOW I will ALWAYS Care.
Every day the people in this community rise before dawn and go to their Beautiful Temple to sing and dance and chant and study their Holy Texts.
They're a wonderful people that took me in when I needed help.
I am honored to walk these Holy Grounds
I am honored to walk these Holy Grounds
And I'm happy to help out in any way I can!
Often I'll be in Krsna Kitchen washing dishes
I could make some great culinary delights if they'd let me on the stove but
Oh well
They don't know what they're missin' (;
So here I'm just planting some Mustard Green seeds.
First I use the trowel to remove top layer of debris
Then loosen up the Earth
Then I use my hand to get the dirt nice and fluffy
First I use the trowel to remove top layer of debris
Then loosen up the Earth
Then I use my hand to get the dirt nice and fluffy
I make three little holes and place a seed in each
Then cover them lightly
Then cover them lightly
Hope they grow (:
If you're down South and you see a mound of Dirt that looks like this
Beware!!!
FIRE ANTS!
Beware!!!
FIRE ANTS!
Take THAT you little monsters!
When their nest is disturbed they spread out in a swarm to attack anything they find.
They bite and it stingsIt's not as deep as a wasp sting but their fangs have this venom in them:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenopsin
So it'll feel like they're still biting you for like 15 minutes after and the bite will swell up with pus in a couple hours and itch terribly.
I find bleeding out the boils helps but maybe lancing my hand multiple times isn't so wise.
I paid for this photograph
They jumped down onto my hand and my camera from the plant leaf
Four bites
Added to the many others from just diggin' 'round in the dirt
They bite and it stingsIt's not as deep as a wasp sting but their fangs have this venom in them:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenopsin
So it'll feel like they're still biting you for like 15 minutes after and the bite will swell up with pus in a couple hours and itch terribly.
I find bleeding out the boils helps but maybe lancing my hand multiple times isn't so wise.
I paid for this photograph
They jumped down onto my hand and my camera from the plant leaf
Four bites
Added to the many others from just diggin' 'round in the dirt
Fresh fig from a tree!
Met this little fella meowin' outside
Skiddish at first...
But after some food she was more receptive to pets <3
Then this happened!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeG0qLjv-uw
Skiddish at first...
But after some food she was more receptive to pets <3
Then this happened!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeG0qLjv-uw
The grounds were opened to all visitors and many people came to learn more about the Hare Krsna Religion and enjoy the various festivities going on!
Kirtan is the chanting and singing of verses or scriptures or song for Worship and Prayer
So there was a lot of that going on jubilantly for the whole weekend
So many awesome amazing people came!
I absolutely Love music festivals
This was a really special one though
Taking place here
Lots of folk set up stands for all sort of different wares
Spiritual Books and Artifacts and Garb
Local Foods and Herbs and Tinctures (I got some medicine for my knee!)
Thank you two Matajis for letting me take your picture!
I absolutely Love music festivals
This was a really special one though
Taking place here
Lots of folk set up stands for all sort of different wares
Spiritual Books and Artifacts and Garb
Local Foods and Herbs and Tinctures (I got some medicine for my knee!)
Thank you two Matajis for letting me take your picture!
There were a bunch of workshops throughout the Farm too
I wasn't really able to go to any though because...
I was doing dishes!
There were three feasts each day
There were three feasts each day
Lots and lots of amazing (free) food!
So I was actually really busy
So I was actually really busy
Ta~Da!!
I don't mind doin' the dirty/tough jobs people don't wanna do
'Cause I'm Humble as fuuuuuuuuuck
lol jk it's 'cause I find it meditative and go to my happy place (:
Too bad though
I need more Yoga in my life ),:
'Cause I'm Humble as fuuuuuuuuuck
lol jk it's 'cause I find it meditative and go to my happy place (:
Too bad though
I need more Yoga in my life ),:
This was a completely free event
The grounds accepting any donations for their continued operation
Besides that bonus there's a pretty large community around The Temple and Farm here that help this place thrive
And of course 'tis Blessed by Lord Krsna
The grounds accepting any donations for their continued operation
Besides that bonus there's a pretty large community around The Temple and Farm here that help this place thrive
And of course 'tis Blessed by Lord Krsna
I actually wasn't planning on staying here so long after the court stuff was done and done
But Mataji told me about the Festival and said I should stay for it
And I am not one to argue with Mataji
I truly Love this place
So it wasn't a hard decision
But Mataji told me about the Festival and said I should stay for it
And I am not one to argue with Mataji
I truly Love this place
So it wasn't a hard decision
Contributing to the People and Places that you Love feels so good
So thankful to be here and be able to help and be a part of it
I danced (;
'Cause of her gray fur
This is an all vegetarian location
So there's not too much for a cute carnivorous cat like her
Luckily though
They do all sorts of stuff with that Holy Milk
I've been sneaking her Curds, and Milk, and a little rice and curry
All happily exploring the area
How can ya' save a cow without a doggo?
After finishing my work and sitting down to enjoy my Prasada
It occurred to me that this really is Heaven I found.
A Sacred Protected Beautiful place
Held in Reverence
Sewn with Love
Tended with Care
As much as I appreciate being here
I can not stay
I have a Journey to continue
With many miles yet to go
And besides...
You're not here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrzErTSxxq4
Good Rest
But time to get back to Adventuring
Next time...
My Return to New Orleans!
WHO DAT!?
It occurred to me that this really is Heaven I found.
A Sacred Protected Beautiful place
Held in Reverence
Sewn with Love
Tended with Care
As much as I appreciate being here
I can not stay
I have a Journey to continue
With many miles yet to go
And besides...
You're not here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrzErTSxxq4
Good Rest
But time to get back to Adventuring
Next time...
My Return to New Orleans!
WHO DAT!?
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