Scattered Chapter 1

[Trevor Race]

I have been living in Sacramento, CA for almost 2 years now...working full time as a private security officer.
Now, keep in mind, a full time job may not sound like a special or
new idea to you or anyone else for that matter, but for me...it's a brand new world.

I was 15 in 1996. A short, highly under developed (or as my mother calls it, "late bloomer" )
freshman in high school in the small Swedish village of Kingsburg, CA
The town had been dubbed the "Swedish village" because it was founded by Swedish
imegrents back in what some would refer to as "the olden days"
I cant remember my first day of high school. Hell I can hardly remember what I did yesterday.
I do however, recall some things. Things I'm sure for one reason or another I will never forget.
It must've been only a month or two into my freshman year when I was sitting in Mr.C's history class.
I don't know what prompted the confrontation. Could've been me kicking the back of Omar's chair.
It happened so fast. All I really remember is the entire class laughing at me.
there on the classroom floor. I had just had my ass kicked by a kid whos entire purpose on earth
is to be picked on and made fun of. I guess he passed the torch that day.
Omar, was maybe the shortest kid in school. Anyone could punk him out without even trying.
anyone that is, except me.
I left the class out of shame and pure embarrassment over being taken out by the tiny Indian nerd.
Thats how high school was for me. Either getting picked on, beat up, or
picking on someone else so i could pretend I was the tough guy for once.

I remember sitting with a few long time friends in the park next to the school during our lunch hour.
We would either sit on the concrete stage in the middle of the park and talk s*** to each other,
or we would sit next to the fountain and watch all the "cool
kids" drive by in the brand new car daddy bought them.

I remember smoking thin Capri cigarettes that I would steal from my step-mother
in the ally on the way to school with my neighbor Joey.
I remember ditching school with my best friend Derek so we could go down into the basement
where my bedroom was and play my drums, not realizing that the noise would somehow bring the local detective
to the front door in hopes of catching a few kids ditching school.
thats how small Kingsburg is...the f****** DETECTIVE, for Christ sake,
would go knocking on doors to try and catch a few misfits playing hooky.

that was pretty much my life until July 5th of '97. I was 16
I came home from my friend Tony's house, where I had stayed the night
for the 4th of July and did a little underage drinking and smoking. The usual.
My father had some yard work for me to do...well Tony was with me so
I wanted to get it over with so we could go do whatever we had planned on doing.
See, there are a few things you should know about my father.
He is what some would call a hard ass.
A perfectionist.
An a****** even.
Now, there are times when I've thought these things about my father as well, BUT
when it comes down to it, he has always done what he thought was best for me.
He's a good dad.
But on this particular day, he wasn't what I would call a good dad, and I wasn't being what anyone would call a good son.
I was doing a half assed job on the yard work and when he confronted me about it we both blew a fuse and
next thing I know we are swinging at each other in a fit of frustration and anger.
I took off running and my father was in chase.
Tony somehow made it back to his house before I got there and told his dad "Big Tony" what had happened
well, Big Tony. What can I say about this man.
Big Tony cared so much for other people in a way that you wont ever know.
I have never met anyone with such a heart of gold and I don't ever expect to meet his equal.
Big Tony was about 5'9" if I exaggerate.
He was weighing in at a good 425 if I under-exaggerate.
Italian, had a trach in his throat from sleep apnea, at least a 100 tattoos, and drove a big green van.
well after "little" Tony told his father what happened at my dads house, Big Tony jumped in his van...well
more like slowly walked to his van and drove straight to my fathers house and pounded on the door, ready to fight.
there was no fight between the 2 dads that day. there weren't even words exchanged.
But from there on out I looked up to Big Tony with the eyes of a child in need of guidance.
He took me in, I stayed with him and lil Tony for quite sometime. I went on home studies due to my s*** job in school.
my mother, the amazing woman she is, supported me in this knowing it was what I needed.