Split

N was half an hour late today. He seemed upset, so I asked him what was wrong. After a series of questions and one to three word answers, he finally revealed to me that he had been arrested yesterday for stealing a car. But he didn't steal a car- they were just in a stolen car "because they felt like it." I asked him if J was involved, and he said no, but it seemed a touchy subject. J came in an hour late, and immediately started making fun of N for getting arrested. Then they started talking, and eventually revealed that they had both been present last night, but that J got away.

N and the other guy they were with, BJ, were arrested. The cops had IDed J, and said that he had until 4:30 today to turn himself in or they were going to "bust his ass" the next time they saw him.

The cops had threatened J with much vulgarity and violence while they were questioning N and BJ. I believe that the cops really did say that if J didn't turn himself in they would stick a night stick up his... well, you get the idea... because as the boys continued to talk, their stories changed, but the wording of those threats never did. The story as far as I can tell is that the three were in a stolen car that they bought for $10. They ran a red light, and the cops got after them. They jumped out of the car and bolted. N and BJ were caught (N was chased down by the one cop who drew his gun). J was stopped, but then ran when the opportunity presented itself. But they had a positive ID on him, and he has a record so they know where he lives. N said that the cops told him J and BJ are both facing time because they've got too many points on their record. I'm not sure if BJ's parents were able to sign him out of jail last night like N's parents (N has a shorter record), or if he's stil in jail. I know BJ because he was briefly in my RCIA group months ago.

J told me that Oscar and Marco were going to come and talk to him at 2:00, but at a quarter till, the boys started fighting, and I yanked them out of the computer lab without bothering to warn them this time. I warned them on Monday when I kicked them out for fighting.

(Oh yeah. Monday, they were doing great, until about 2:30. Then they started fighting- right in the midst of thousands of dollars of computer equipment. Not wanting to kick them out, I told them to go on break. They said no, they were taking their break at the end of the day so they could go home early. I said, then get to work. I broke up three fights and then told them if they didn't go on break to blow off some steam that I was kicking them out for the day- resulting in an absence. I made sure to tell them three times before they left that if they did not come back in 20 minutes, they were absent for the day. They didn't come back.)

Back to today, I pulled them into the reception area and called Oscar to come and meet with them early. So they fought in the reception area. Oscar walked in while they were wrestling on the floor and I was yelling at them to break it up. He called Marco, and then the five of us sat down to talk.

Long story short- they want to stay in the program, but they won't behave when they are together. So we've split them up. Two hours each, four days a week, starting tomorrow. N refused to work today, so he left after the meeting. Oscar took J to the police station so he could turn himself in.

So now I sit here and wonder what tomorrow will bring.