The next morning, Michael got up earlier than he normally would on a Saturday. The night before, he and Evan had waited all evening for Freddy to come home, but he never did. Evan kept asking to call the police, but Michael ignored him, insisting that Freddy needed his space. Finally, at around 11 at night, Michael called Freddy’s communication device, but found that it would not go through.
“If I can’t reach him in the morning” Michael said to Evan “then I’ll call the police.”
Before making a call to the precinct that following morning, Michael got up and looked around the house. After checking both floors of their home, Michael pulled up a communication device and dialed the number for the police precinct. After a few rings, a man answered on the other end of the line.
“Precinct” the officer said.
“Hi” Michael replied. “I need to file a missing persons report.”
“Has it been 24 hours?” the officer asked.
“No, but…”
“Then I can’t help you. Call back when 24 hours has passed and…”
“His name is Freddy Benson.”
“Huh?”
“My husband’s name is Freddy Benson. He’s been missing since last night and…”
“Oh, why didn’t you say so?”
“Huh?”
“He’s here at the precinct, locked up.”
“What!”
“Yeah…”
“Why?”
“Well, he was arrested last night.”
“For what?!”
“Interfering in an official police action.”
“Oh God.”
“He’s going to be seen by a judge in a little while. If you want, you can come down and be prepared to pay bail if the judge sets it.”
“Alright, I’ll be right over.”
Michael ended the call and got himself dressed, forgetting to take a shower in the rush to get ready. As he shuffled around his bedroom, his son Evan walked past his room with concern showing on his face.
“Did papa come home last night?” Evan asked, with a mix of worry and grogginess in his voice.
“No, Evan” Michael replied frantically. “He was arrested last night and I have to go to the precinct to bail him out.”
“What?! For what?!”
“Interfering in an arrest. Your bone headed father probably tried to stop them from arresting someone, being the public defender he is, and they arrested him.”
“Maybe he didn’t ‘interfere’ like actually try stop the arrest. Maybe all he did was film it.”
“Still, it’s none of his business and I don’t know why he needs to get himself involved in these things.”
“Isn’t that kind of his job?”
“In Sacramento, not here. Listen, I’m going to head over now. Can I trust you to be alone for a little while?”
“Can’t I come with you?”
“It’d be best if you didn’t.”
Evan stared silently, as Michael finished preparing to get ready to leave. When he was done, he ran downstairs and Evan followed closely behind.
“You be good, ok?” Michael said, as he gave Evan a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“Ok dad” Evan replied nervously.
Michael set out to the precinct by car and parked a block away. Paying the meter for two hours, Michael minded the time on the digital receipt. The meter maids in their town were ruthless and would start ticketing cars a minute after the receipts expired. Michael knew this and other things drove Freddy crazy, but Michael was of the philosophy to put your head down and keep yourself out of trouble. He’d already had enough taking on evil for one lifetime. This wasn’t a necessary fight, in his estimation.
Quickly making his way into the precinct, Michael spoke to a female police officer minding the front desk.
“Hi” Michael said. “I’m here to find my husband Freddy Benson. He was arrested last night and…”
“Anyone who was arrested last night is at the court house waiting to be seen by the judge” the officer replied coldly.
“Thank you.”
Michael went out of the precinct and made his way over to the court house. After going through a metal detector, he sat in the gallery waiting for Freddy to enter the courtroom. Sitting next to him were two black adults, a man and a woman, anxiously fidgeting in their seats.
“What are you waiting here for?” the black man asked Michael.
“My husband, Freddy” Michael replied. “He got arrested for supposedly ‘interfering with an arrest’ last night. I’m assuming it’s your child’s arrest, since no one else is here.”
“Most likely” the black woman said. “If he had the arrest on film, that would be great. It would help vindicate our son of whatever they claim he did. They’re constantly going after him and making his life miserable. We’re sick and tired of it and we’re about ready to move. We can’t take it here anymore. This town is incredibly unwelcoming to black people.”
“It never used to be this way” Michael replied. “I don’t know what happened.”
“Well whatever happened” the black man replied “it stinks. This town has a good school, but what good is it if our son can’t learn in peace? We’re sick of this. It has to stop.”
Just as the black man finished this thought, the court was brought to order. The judge, an elderly man in his 70’s, entered and sat at the bench. He gaveled in both Freddy and Devon into the courtroom.
“Well, since it’s only the two of you” the judge began “I figured we just get this over with in one fell sweep so we can all go home for the weekend. Let’s start with Freddy Benson.”
Freddy stood up, as a court ordered public defender stood beside him. Devon’s family had their own separate attorney, who was experienced and prepared to deal with the court system in this town.
“Freddy Benson, you have been charged with obstruction of justice and the attempt to undermine the authority of the police. How do you plea?”
“Not guilty, your honor” Freddy replied.
“Mr Benson, since this is your first offense, I would normally be willing to let you go on your own recognizance. However, the district attorney sees these as very serious charges and ones that should not be dismissed so lightly.”
“Oh my god” Michael thought to himself. “This is ridiculous.”
“As such” the judge continued “I feel obligated to set bail for the sum of $5000. I know, as you are a public defender, that you will return when a trial is set, but I am under pressure by the political system in this town, so I have to take a firmer hand. Officers, bring him back to the precinct and keep him there for twenty four hours, until either bail is posted or we transfer him to a state facility.”
Freddy stood up and felt nervous about his predicament, before he spotted Michael sitting in the gallery with Devon’s parents. When Freddy got up, Michael got up and headed outside.
“Good luck” Devon’s father called to Michael, before he left the gallery.
Michael couldn’t believe that this was happening. Admittedly, he knew this whole situation stunk and that Freddy all but certainly did nothing wrong. Freddy probably filmed the police or tried to get them to stop being so brutal, in Michael’s estimation. However, Michael didn’t think that this was any of Freddy’s business. He would hope this would get Freddy to mind his own business in the future, but he knew this arrest would do the exact opposite.
At the precinct, Michael pulled up his communication device and set up a payment for $5000. When it was set up, he spoke to the officer at the security desk.
“Where do I go to post bail?” Michael asked.
“The judge posted bail?” the officer asked, curiously.
“Yes, he set bail for $5000.”
“Jesus. Even that kid Devon isn’t going to have any bail set. That man must have done something really bad to piss of the judge.”
“He didn’t. He sat quietly in the courtroom and said nothing but ‘not guilty.’”
“What was he charged with?”
“Obstruction of justice and the attempt to undermine the authority of the police.”
“Well, there you go.”
“Huh?”
“Those are very serious crimes. That’s probably why bail was set.”
“But he’s never been arrested before. All he probably did was film an arrest.”
“Filming an arrest that can be used as a narrative to attack the police department. If you don’t get the whole picture, it fuels anti police sentiment, which puts us at risk. That’s why the judge set bail.”
“This is absurd. Where do I pay bail?”
“I can take it here.”
Michael processed the bail payment and was escorted to the cell. Sitting in there was Freddy, as Devon had already been released, with his charges likely dropped. Michael got to the gates and watched as another officer opened them. Looking worn out and dejected, Freddy stepped out as his handcuffs were removed.
“You’re free to go” the officer said. “Remember to show up for your trial next week.”
“Yes officer” Freddy replied.
Michael went in for a big hug, as the two of them embraced. They were both quiet as they made their way out of the precinct and into Michael’s car. When they got in, Michael confronted Freddy on what had happened last night on the drive back home.
“Obstruction of justice?” Michael asked bitterly. “Undermining the authority of the police? Freddy, what the fuck did you do last night?”
“All I did was film the police brutally arrest this boy in our neighborhood. When the officers wanted the footage, I wouldn’t give them my communication device, so they beat me and then arrested me.”
“Jesus, Freddy. You got yourself arrested for some kid.”
“Michael, this shits not right. This kid has been harassed by our police department non stop. They follow him, press him with false charges and bring him and his family through the ringer. The shit has to stop.”
“It’s not your business, Freddy.”
“It’s all our business, Michael. Can’t you see? If the police have such authority in our town to shut down all dissent and stop people from monitoring their bad behavior, then we don’t live in a free society. This has to end.”
“It’s not our business. If we keep our head down and just go about our day, nothing is going to happen. If you stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong, then we become targets by the police.”
“But that’s the point, Michael. We shouldn’t have to live in fear. Something has to change and we need to change it. That’s why I decided last night that I want to run for mayor.”
“What!”
Michael stopped the car short, before realizing his mistake. He pulled over to the side of the street and then shut off the car.
“Are you fucking serious?!” Michael asked with an angry tone.
“Yes, Michael” Freddy replied earnestly. “The only way this is going to change is if someone stands up to the mayor and calls him out on this shit.”
“First of all, didn’t we just have a conversation about you needing to be home more for your son and for me? Running for mayor is a full time job. If we don’t see you now, we’ll never see you if you do this. This is literally the exact opposite of making more time for us.”
“I know this, but sometimes, people are called upon to make sacrifices for the greater good of society. We are dealing with a crisis here. Our town is a police state and it’s time someone come in and end the racket.”
“Someone else can do it, Freddy. We don’t have to subject ourselves to the kind of harassment that will inevitably come with running for mayor. And if you’re so concerned with wanting to change things around here, why not run for district attorney? It’s less hours and pays better than what you are making now.”
“Because the DA is a servant of the mayor. The mayor has total control and the DA follows orders, like every other elected official in this town does.”
“Well perhaps you could use the DA position to challenge the mayor and also be home more.”
“That’s not going to stop the police department. The mayor has total control over that and he’s beholden to the unions who shield bad cops from punishment.”
“I thought the mayor was supposed to be some anti police communist. How is that possible?”
“I thought so too, but Devon explained a lot of this to me last night and he’s right. Despite the rhetoric, nothing has really changed policy wise.”
“The kid could just be making things up.”
“I don’t think the kid is making things up.”
“How do you know this?”
“Because I saw how the police interacted with him last night. That’s why I had to pull up my communication device and film it.”
“And where did that get you? Do you even have the footage anymore? If the police deleted it, then it's your word against theirs. And where's your communication device? I tried calling you last night and it wouldn’t go through.”
“They confiscated it, hoping to delete the footage.”
“Oh great.”
“But before they could, I put the phone on lockdown mode and uploaded the footage to a remote server. When we get home, I plan to start spreading it virally so myself and the kid can be vindicated of whatever narrative the DA comes up to try to justify what happened last night.”
“That’s good and all to clear your own name, but Freddy, what about your son? You’re showing such concern for a kid that isn’t your own, that you’re neglecting to spend time with your actual son.”
“He’s not my son!”
A hush passed through the car, as Michael glared at Freddy, who looked down at the floor, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. After a minute passed, Michael spoke up.
“So this is what this is all about. Because of who Evan’s biological father is.”
“Michael…”
“Look, I get it. It’s uncomfortable knowing that Daniel, the big jerk from high school, is Evan’s biological father, but Evan is nothing like him.”
“Michael, when I look at his face, all I can see is Daniel staring back at me. It makes me sick. I try so hard to put aside those feelings and bond with Evan, but it’s really tough. Daniel was a huge piece of shit and I can’t help but worry that Evan will go down the same path.”
“He won’t, Freddy. I’ve been raising him not to be like that.”
“That’s part of the problem, too. You are always in 100% control of how Evan is raised.”
“Freddy…”
“I mean it, Michael. If you want to be a more involved parent, then you have to let me make more decisions on raising Evan. You can’t be dominating the whole entire parenting conversation.”
Michael thought to argue, but after a brief pause, he knew deep down that Freddy was right. He thought that if he let Freddy get more involved in the decision making, then perhaps he’d give up on this silly dream of his to run for mayor and actually be around at home more. Sighing, Michael concurred.
“You’re right, Freddy. I admit. I’m a bit too controlling when it comes to how Evan has been raised. In fairness to me, though, I think I’ve done a pretty good job.”
“You have, Michael. Evan is such a sweet boy, but you have to let me be more involved. I promise after I finish my mayoral run, that I’ll find a way to be home more and spend more time with Evan.”
“Freddy…”
“Let me try to run for mayor, Michael. The odds are completely against me, but someone has to be willing to stand up and speak out on these types of abuses. Perhaps a serious election will get the mayor to think twice and use his pulpit to stand up to the police for once.”
“This isn’t a good idea, Freddy. If you run on that kind of platform, you’re bound to become more a target than you already are going to be after this arrest. You should think this over.”
“Let’s go home so I can shower and take Evan to the park.”
Michael sighed, as he turned the car back on and drove the rest of the way home. Upon entering the house, Evan quietly went over and gave Freddy a hug. He took a few whiffs and immediately stepped back.
“Eew papa” Evan said, crinkling his nose. “You stink.”
“I know” Freddy replied. “There aren’t any showers at the jail. I’ve been there all night. Let me clean up and I’ll take you to the park. Sound good?”
“Ok papa.”
Freddy and Michael both went upstairs, as Evan sat on the couch in the living room and waited for them to come back downstairs. The two men showered together, feeling each other up before growing mutual erections.
“I’d take care of this now” Freddy said “but I promised I’d go to the park with Evan.”
“Agreed” Michael replied. “Go spend time with him and we can have some fun tonight.”
Freddy and Michael kissed, before finishing up and getting dressed. While Freddy took Evan to the park to play soccer, Michael sat in the living room and worried about what was to come. He knew Freddy. He knew that when he set his mind to something, that nothing, not even logic and fear, would stand in his way when it came to doing it. It was all but inevitable that Freddy was going to begin a run for mayor the following week. He just hoped that it wouldn’t be a decision that he’d later come to regret. Little did Michael know at the time that this would lead to another furry adventure.
Many miles away…