when a SON has been wronged (2 parts)

Ted learned to ride a bike, and he became proficient riding in a small area in our suburb.  Rules stated he had to either leave it outside or carry it up 3 flights of stairs.  I made it very clear to him that I was not going to carry the bike upstairs for him on a regular basis or any-kind-of-basis!!

He had a lock for the bike.  Did he use it right everytime?...........................................2 months later his bike is missing and the lock cable left there at the condo's bike stalls.  About the same time, Maribeth started talking about a homeless person walking around the neighborhood, and that he set up a shack in a  neighboring Christian church near our place, a little less than a mile.  Then around the same time, Ted accidentally put a scratch on top of the seat of his bike.

Then about a week later, Ted, Brianna & I went to Walgreens.  As I stood in line, a man with salt & pepper (grey and black) hair rode up to Walgreens on a bike.  I didn't think much of it.  Then Brianna grabbed my shirt and whispered something unintelligible in my ear........."man.......bike.........Ted...." I nodded.  He grabbed a candy and got in line behind us Brianna walked away from him.

He mentioned something about the penny I left in the change circle after I made the purchase. 

"Don't need a penny", I replied and looked at his Army jacket.

"Yeah, well some of us do,"

ok I thought "take the change" I didn't say that but he looked at the penny as the cashier got it. At the same time, Brianna motioned and SUMMONED Ted to Walgreens'  door and gave me a strong, hard stare. 

As we walked to the car, she said, "HE stole Ted's BIKE!  He rode in and I SAW THE SCRATCH ON TOP OF THE BIKESEAT !"  She was smart enough not to say it loud and provoke a confrontation. Ted didn't hear Brianna and got in the car.

I told Ted that we had some bad news and hoped he would control his bad temper he received from both parents.  We locked doors and with the Army guy and the bike already zoomed away from Walgreens, we told Ted

"If he needed the bike that bad, let him have it," Ted replied.  I asked out loud how desperate is he?  Maribeth quickly confirmed that he's pretty desperate, b/c he keeps away from our Pit Bull MINNIE. 

We should all pray for him...........

PART 2 

Early, this month, my 3 kids and Ted's best friend, Jake (of AZ)  all go to my hometown west of Madison, WI.  The Ithaca Fair occurs on Saturday, and we get there Friday night.  As we are speeding north toward WI, Ted and Jake talk about the bike thief.  Jake came from a bad part of a city in Arizona, and he always carries a knife 6" blade and only a few inches shorter than the one evil "Wakefield" is carrying below. 

Jake is older and quicker than Ted.  He gave Ted a knife but Ted is like me & hates a ton of violence.  So both of them were in the car fantasizing what they would do to him on the upcoming Halloween. Ted mentioned throwing stuff at his shock.   Jake jokingly mentioned cutting deep into his neck. So, I said, "Wait Jake, he's stronger than you, so if that don't work, then what?"

"Well, Ted would stab him in the ribs and puncture a lung!" Jake replied.

"YEAH" Ted said with GUSTO!

"Ummmmm, Ted?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"If you were to puncture a lung how would you do it? Cross ways or hold the knife up & down?" I asked............

"I'd take that knife and drive it down into him with everything I had!" Ted replied.

"FOOL!! YOU both would be dead because there is NO WAY IN HELL WILL A KNIFE GO THROUGH RIBS WITH THE BLADE UP & DOWN" I yelled in my most Germanic voice, "YOU BOTH WOULD BE DEAD!"

"Well maybe I could stab him in the nuts after Ted......."  Jake slowly and tentatively replied. 

"YOU BOTH WON'T BE THAT STUPID, RIGHT!!!!!?"

YES, they said at the same time.  We talked about the virtues of running in different directions. 
The cops are notified after they both see him again.  The thief took down his shack by a church and set up near a sub sanwich place.  Ted and Jake saw him while eating elsewhere with a group of friends, and Jake is still carrying his ole' Arizona hunting knife. Ted is much faster than he was when he 1st joined football
& I still buy Streetwise a way in which homeless can better themselves in Chicago. 
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