John Zewizz Appreciation Society

I had just moved to a section ov Everet that seemed to be a quiet middle class neighborhood.  I waz living alone... and trying to distance myself from over partying.  Without pointing any fingers at anyone or make anyone feel bad, I thought that a little space between friendz would be good to put my head on face front.

I had enough ov the methadone clinics and the public detox out patient programs. You are treated more like a criminal than a patient.  Granted...most junkies got it kumming.  A mass wad ov dysfunctional lost souls.  Totally misunderstood and hopelessly categorized az a lost cause.  Not to get into all that shit, but I waz in a stage ov my life that needed to bereconditioned almost completely, without destroying my personality.

Anyway... maybe another time about all the drug era...

I waz trying to alter my social adaptation.  I'm not the type ov person that can go to AA or NA (Narcotics Anonymous).  My own personal conditioning iz much stronger.  So - short ov 'cold turkey'  -I waz more or less winding down.  Unfortunately I started with the isolation part.  I avoided contact with friendz that were big partiers.  Probably everyone in my Social Sirkle.  Other than a cat, I waz on my own.  A new apartment.  A new neighborhood.  And an attempt ov refocusing.  

Well, after a month I started to venture out to local bars.  Which at the beginning waz adventurous.  A stranger among strangers.  But because ov my unusual appearance (to small town types).  I had a black eye patch  because ov the first stages ov having eye surgery.  Years ov smoke, fog, and incense had left me with vision that waz like looking thru a shower curtain in that eye.  So I had to wear a patch to block out light and possibly making the damage any worse.  For a few weeks I waz excepted.  Almost az "your local friendly freak".  I waz constantly being sent free drinks and a genuine wave or nod.

This went on for a couple ov months.  Well, until the one-in-a-million type envied my attention and admiration!   Now most all ov theze people could not figure out my social status ov where I fit in among the crow at this particular bar, "The Derby".  It contained a nightly crowd ov about 50-60 people.  Some people had gotten friendly enough to start to know my personality.  They first thought I had lost my eye in Iraq or something.  But the way I dressed, (all in black) high laced boots, black leather pants, topped off with a bondage belt and shaved head... this had sent all kinds ov mixed messages.... to say the least.  I had visited probably 3 bars a nights on weekends.  First a pub, then a Chinese restaurant (both for a drink or two, no more).  I'm not an obnoxious drunk or a sloppy drunk.  

The 3rd bar waz the night rap-up about 3 Wild Turkeys and ginger ale cocktails.  I waz familiar with some ov the people but did not know any names.  Just familiar faces.This night had a thickness to it.  One ov those vibes that follow you everywhere you go.  I payed no mind to it - just thought it waz a "down day" or night.  

A middle aged drunk that always found it interesting talking to me, and knew I waz always good for a free drink, approached me, and not knowing he waz the town drunk, I usually bought him a beer.  Some conversation waz exchanged and he waz on hiz way.  But after turning away from me he had bumped into a younger aggressive type ov guy and started to give him shit.  

I paid little attention until I heard the statement "I'll kick your ass and his ass too"...  now I waz starting a new social style and had the intention ov just laying low - but something in my personality had a hard time excepting this threat and more from a mid 20's big mouth.  Hiz girlfriend had bitched at him to "cut the shit" or he would probably "get hiz ass kicked"....   Regretfully I responded with something like "don't run with scissors".  He had drunkenly approached me and the local drunk that I just bought a beer.  He knocked the drunk down and at the same time a large man - the manager - who had always given me a distant glare, out ov no where grabbed me by my throat with both hands and started to squeeze. 

I always am aware ov my individuality and never take it for granted that I stand out and alone.  I am always in a frame ov mind that being different, even as simple just az you are iz unacceptable by those who do not understand something different.  The look or appearance ov an individual.  The instinct that this person iz different - somehow....

The manager had a tight grip on my throat - I had kneed hiz knee and pushed him across the room.  The younger "big mouth" had sucker punched the drunk and he went down.  He waz on hiz way towards me...  But before he waz within 3 feet I had jumped up and kicked him in the balls. At the same time I had suckered him with a left hand punch and a right uppercut.  He waz pretty much going down for the count.  My assumption waz that it waz over.  But not being use to bar room brawls, I waz caught off guard by (get this) a deaf guy kumming at me az his buddy.  The manager had regained hiz footing and the "big mouth" also... my back waz towards the door, so being hit and pushed toward the door backwards I knew I waz definitely going to end up on my back - and I did.  We ended up outside... the manager - the larger ov the group, waz the least ov the aggression - he waz unsure ov his ability to beat me, so he waz at the back ov the group - the first punches came from "big mouth" which were many.

My nose waz bleeding an my eyez were swollen.  I had got into a position where I had gotten into a "SLEEPER" (haha) hold and started to squeeze hiz windpipe tight enough to render him unconscious, but before he went to sleep I waz kicked by the deaf guy in the face twice which temporarily knocked into a 2 second black out.  Enough time for him to break free from my hold.  Az I started to focus I waz rising to my feet from the ground with a broken nose and both my eyes swollen shut.  I could still see but limited.  I had only gotten a few good kicks and punches in but I knew I waz not the champ ov this brawl.

The manager had grabbed my human thighbone piece that I wore around my neck az sort ov a dagger - I knew if the cops had found this I would be damned - so I put it in my back pocket.  The manager noticed this and snuck up and grabbed it.  I ran after him and he freaked and tossed it.  To keep me from chasing him.  I retrieved it and hid it.  By then the police arrived.  They searched all ov us and ov course the four ov them claimed I started it and I waz told to leave.   I automatically went to the police station with my injuries and explained what happened.  The desk Sargent waz a lost cause and I said I should forget it, but that's not me - halfway home az I waz walking my vision waz getting worse - so I called an ambulance, they arrived with the police - and ov course it waz the same cops!

They said "you had caused shit down at The Derby", and should go home.  I demanded to be brought to the hospital because ov my injuries and wanted to document them for a future court case.  Instead the rookie cop said I had "2 seconds" to split.  I asked the 2 girls to examine my injuries and escort me to the hospital.  The paramedics, from 10 feet away, claimed I looked "fine" and az the cop gave the female paramedic a back massage the other cop arrested me.

I never opened my mouth, knowing how cops are!  Mind you az I am getting the shaft because ov what I look like, one cop iz arresting me and the other iz massaging the females back.  It's really perverted - unless you seen it, it would be impossible to believe.  Well, I went through the motions.  I explained that I had eye problems and...a third cop shows up (4-now) for 1 guy!!

He started to joke that he had a Lincoln since I had a cataract.  I spent 3 nights in jail because it waz a weekend and a holiday.  When I waz bailed out I went straight to the emergency room and had my injuries documented (for court).  The cops continued to play games like they were constantly tying to contact me and I would not respond.  They claimed they did an investigation and the people at the "derby" stated I started the fight, and I waz a "Hells Angel".  I went to court to sue the ambulance compamy for not bringing me to the hospital.  Their defense waz they had no report ov me or my injury.  Probably becaue they never took my name or injury down.  Anyway, the prosecuter decided not to bring any charges against me.  Probably because there waz none.  I offered to take a breathalizer to prove I waz not drunk - the police refused - so instead ov arresting me for "drunk and disorderly" they only had me down az "disorderly" .  They knew it would not hold  or that it waz a totally useless arrest for 2 cruisers or four cops.  No charges were brought against me, but I still spent 3 days in jail and ha to pay a $500 in court costs.  SHIT!  

For someone innocent I still got fucked huh?!?!?  Now anytimie I am asked if I waz arrested - it will still show up! (guilty or innocent) - No matter.  I later foud out... if I had a copy of the 911 call I would have won!!