Steeling Newspapers Hollywood & Vine
Scary experience - 1st and last time...Issue #16
ifOnlyi…If only my parents had known the kind of kids they brought to our home to hang out with me. They were kids of my Moms fr’s friends. Yes, those nasty kids who took advantage of my innocence and taught me how to steal newspapers. I wish I had been courageous enough to say no, but I felt weak and vulnerable…. In my life, it became a nightmare for me to say no, almost impossible, it messed up my life in so many ways, just because of how difficult it was for me to say NO.
I was always willing to try anything; sometimes, “anything” is not good!
I once went out with one of my Mom's employees' sons and his friends, who came to hang out with me at our house. I was much younger, probably four years younger, and I didn’t really understand why they were even visiting, although I always liked to be around people older than me, and friends who came into my life were also a lot older.
The three guys drove us tonight to Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood, California. It was a long way from home, about 50 minutes. They were short on cash, so they showed me how to get some money for them: to steal newspapers.
The newspaper stands were old, the kind you would drop a quarter in, open up, and take one paper. It was on the honor system, a trusting thing, I guess, with people. These guys that I hardly knew, Ben, Rick, and DJ, ordered me out of the car and told me to hold the handle, pull it out, and kick right underneath the bottom at the same time. POP, it opened up; no money was needed. I was shocked!
“Grab ALL THE PAPERS,” they shouted to me. “Really?” I replied. Yes, I was told. Feck, I knew this was wrong, but I was in a strange place with older, long-haired, cigarette-smoking dudes—I bet you know the kind of guys I’m talking about—and I was doubly scared—afraid of them and afraid of the wrong I was doing.
I’m pretty sure they were taking some drugs I’d never seen before, too. Next, they told me, “Take a bunch of the papers, run into Denny’s and walk by tables asking diners if they would like a paper for a quarter and maybe even get tips”.
Okay, it worked! I sold them all, so now I thought that I was done, but no! “Let’s go find more machines until we can get enough cash to buy ourselves a takeout meal. Taco Bell would be nice,” Ben said, and off we went raiding one stand after another, running into the fast food places, and selling until we had enough money for the food.
After we ate, I asked to go home. It was well past my curfew time, and cell phones didn’t exist. I was worried about what the consequences would be when I got home. Luckily, the kids' parents worked for my parents, so I didn’t get punished for being late. If only they knew what I did!
I never again went on an adventure with any of these dudes, and I never wanted to hang out with them. Your soul talks to you, listen! It works.
My biggest mistake was not telling my parents the truth about what happened so I could have gained confidence and learned what else to do besides saying no if I ever ended up in a situation like that again. They would have learned to be more discerning in who they invited to hang out with me. WOW!
ifOnlyi…. short stories are published chronologically, and follow my life growing up in California from 4 years old. If you’ve just found me the stories will come together when you start reading from….Issue #1
good 🌹🌻🌸💐💚💛💜❤️🌼😍🥰