How did I get to this point in my life

Chapter 5 Booking at the county jail

We got into the van that was waiting for us, before we drove away the lieutenant made sure I had my seat belt on. He then stated "normally anybody being transported while under arrest would have to have handcuffs on them. He would make an exception this one time, and only this one time. Unless I get released and have to be transported by the police or Sheriff's department I will have handcuffs on while in a police or Sheriff's vehicle." I just looked down, he paused for a while. I felt terrible and when I looked up at him again he asked me if I had any questions?

I just shook my head yes, and he said "ok what is it." I asked, "Does this mean I was being arrested?" He just shook his head, then added "unfortunately yes Joshua." He then said "Joshua, because you are a minor we can't keep you here in our county jail. We don't have the ability to house minors. We have to take all minors to Sweetwater County. So, we will have to take you to the Sublette county detention center, which is about an hour drive for fingerprints, mug shots, and some paperwork, then to the juvenile detention center. Do you understand what we are going to do?"

I just sat there for a second, kinda shocked. I started to feel like I was going to cry, but I think I didn't. I shook my head yes, then mumbled the best "yes sir" I could out. I was kind of in shock, I guess dad was telling me I was arrested but I was not listening.

I had only known a couple of people that had been arrested that I knew of, my birth mom, her boyfriend, and their drug dealer. They were still arrested, my birth mom was supposed to be in prison for 60 years, her boyfriend got 50 years, I could not remember how long their drug dealer got but it was a lot of time. I know when I was a kid and had to testify at the court, and was later told how long she got in prison I thought that's all heck she will be out in no time and will hurt me for testifying against her. I was now thinking about what was going to happen to me. I just started to sob. I had somehow convinced myself in a few minutes that I would never get out of prison for defending myself from Chris Joyner, and Eric Frost.

I never liked them, they always tried to hang with the football or soccer teams. But they never played, and were only talkers when it came to sports. I hung out with the high school teams a lot because I am, well I guess not anymore, was the captain of the middle school soccer team. We called Chris, a Klingon, it was a private joke for both teams meaning 'when you didn't wipe your but good and still had some of it on you that was a Klingon'. That was because we thought he wasn't very brave. He wouldn't try out for any team.

He also talked about how great of a horseman he was, but he used to stable his horses at my dad's stables. That was until he fell off his horse almost 2 years ago at the county fair, then he got up and sold everything.

He even took riding lessons from me when I was 11 and 12 years old, but he didn't take many from me. He was always saying that I don't know what I am doing and would only use me as a last resort. The stable manager is Cheyenne Indian, I call him tséháa'éhaestse which means elder, it is a term of respect. He also taught me hemęšemo, which means grandfather. He said when I came to live with the people he calls his family I became part of his family also. I was wondering now would he still talk to me. I am sure he would not have approved of what I did. I was always more afraid of disappointing hemęšemo than dad.

When Chris Joyner would come to the stables for lessons Ed tried to get him to work with me. I learned a lot from Ed, the first day I moved in with my family was the first time I saw a horse in real life and not pictures or TV. Ed let me touch the horse and pet him. Then he put me on the horse and led me around. I always wished I knew everything Ed knows about horses, but I guess I never will because I am going to prison for the rest of my life. He taught me everything I know about horses, and a lot of other stuff including fishing, hunting, tracking, and camping.