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03 July 2014
“Good morning, Chuck. Have you heard the news about Shakes?”
“Is he dead?”
“Yes, he died Sunday.”
“I can’t say that was unexpected. What was the cause of death?”
I said, “Heart attack.”
“Well, you can only abuse your heart so much. I know that from experience. Where was he when he died?”
“At Little Jake’s place. Jake called 911, the paramedics worked on Shakes for about twenty minutes. They got a faint pulse, but he died on the way to hospital. Jake was really shaken up about it.”
Chuck said, “I always liked Shakes. He was a good man. At one time he was quite the ladies’ man. I remember this tall, beautiful native woman that he was going out with. She wore a doeskin dress. He was all spiffed up, walking tall and proud. They made a striking couple. That lasted a couple of months, then he went on a bender, she left, he went back to the way he was before.
“He went on a twelve step program for about a month, was given a certificate. His family was there. After, he declared that he was cured. He went to a bar to celebrate. That happens with a lot of alcoholics. A month isn’t enough time to be cured of alcoholism, you’re never cured. I should know, I still crave a drink, even after six years.
“There was an incident that happened in the alley behind the grocery store. Shakes, Ian, Tim and some loudmouthed guy were drinking, sharing a bottle. This guy bragged about beating a woman then raping her daughter. That didn’t go down very well. Also, after the bottle was empty. He pulled out his own and wouldn’t share. That also didn’t go down well. There was a fight, this guy was set on fire. He spent a horrible week in hospital before he died.
“Shakes was staying at the Salvation Army at the time. He went to the chaplain and said, “I’m not sure, but I think I may have had something to do with that guy being burned. A chaplain isn’t like a priest, there’s no code of secrecy. He told the police and Shakes was arrested. Ian and Tim were already in jail. In court Tim took the blame. He said that Shakes and Ian didn’t have anything to do with it. The judge sentenced him to life in prison.
“There was another incident where a native woman was in a guy’s apartment. He ripped her clothes off, raped her, then stabbed her in the back. The blade of the knife broke off in her. She went running outside. The guy followed her and was met by Ian and a couple of other native guys. They killed him. In court they plea bargained for a lesser sentence of manslaughter. They were all given two years less a day. They served eighteen months, then they were out.
He continued, “I went to that wedding on the weekend. It turned out really well. We were at the farm. I took Goldie out in a field, took her leash of and said, ‘Go!’ She ran a few feet, turned around to look at me. I said it again and she took off. She ran around like that for a couple of hours. She had a great time.
“She hasn’t had very much chance to run free like that. One time I had her over at the university parking lot. It was Saturday, so there were no cars around. I let her run around for a bit, then a security guard came out and said, ‘That dog should be on a leash.’ I hate those pumped up assholes. They’re given a uniform and the power goes to their heads. Some cops are like that as well.
“I said, I have to head off now, Chuck, but I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you.”
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