Another brick in the wall
Pink Floyd
I don't need no arms around me
And I don't need no drugs to calm me.
I have seen the writing on the wall.
Don't think I need anything at all.
No! Don't think I'll need anything at all.
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall.
All in all you were all just bricks in the wall.
"Atwood, Ryan Atwood." The call echoed down the hallway of Orange County Juvenile Center. The blond sitting on a bench turned his head slightly at the call. He closed his eyes, held his breath and deliberately stood up. From his actions, he appeared unwilling to respond. "Hurry up Atwood, we don't have all night."
Approaching the guard, Ryan mentally geared himself for more bad times, it was always bad times. After today, he didn't think good news was a possibility. Processing had been depressing, this was his third time going through it. Once in Chino, twice now in Orange County. It got worse each time, there were more charges in his record, more past history to be scrutinized. Each addition to his file made the guards look at him more closely, more aware of his potential for causing them trouble.
"Line up over there, hands behind your back" the guard intoned.
Ryan joined a group of four other inmates. GQ was not in sight, all five were wearing the clothes de jour of the OC Juvenile Center; blue coveralls. The guard came down the line, checking ID bands against his clipboard. After the ID Band was checked, handcuffs were attached. "All right guys, let's go."
Ryan thought back to the Intake Center, he'd been given one call- it was supposed to be to his attorney. He called Seth instead. He wasn't sure if he wanted the voice mail or Seth himself, but it worked out better with voice mail.
"Hey, Seth, they let me make a call. I don't feel like talking to your parents right now. Anyway, don't worry, I got this covered. I'm fine. Seth, I can't let you visit me here. It's not gonna work out. I. I. well, anyway, I said no visitors. It'll just be easier."
Yeah, it was better, just make the break at once, the way this was going he wasn't going to get out for a while. He didn't think Seth would take it well at first, but he'd recover. Summer was finally talking to him, he could turn to her. School was starting, yeah there was plenty to take his mind off of a loser from Chino.
Next would be to ask for a new attorney, he should be able to get a Public Defender again. That would take care of Sandy, no need for him to take time off from his new job. His case didn't fit in with the new office. He was sure he could come up with an excuse for needing a different attorney. Yeah, two out of four taken care of.
Kirsten, well she would have no reason to visit him either. She wouldn't have come the last time if Seth hadn't talked her into it, no Seth, so no Kirsten. Three out of four.
Marissa. Well she shouldn't hear about this for a bit, by the time she heard he'd be in the system so deep he could play the no visitors rule for sure. All it took was a fight and you were only allowed contact with your attorney. And fights were easy to arrange.
Yeah, he'd be laughing at how easy his life was to fix right now if it wasn't so depressing. It was calming though to get rid of the baggage of other people. No worries, no cares, all he had to do was live through this. And living wasn't really a big concern. He'd either make it or not.
He almost bumped into the guy in front of him. The group had stopped without his noticing. "All right guys, first stop. The counselors want to talk to each of you before you hit Juvie. Take a seat, they'll get to all of you."
Five blue clad teenagers dropped onto a bench. Boring, what the hell was some do-good counselor going to tell them about juvie. The perspective was different on their side, they had no idea what went on in the Hall itself. Ryan had been through this the first time. All he had to do was promise that if he had problems with other inmates he'd tell a guard. As if that would solve the problem. Yeah, just turn on the Sunday School face and look innocent. That should do it. Worked in Chino juvie, it had worked in school before that too.
"Atwood, you're first. Turn around, let's get the cuffs off. We're watching, so no trouble. Got it?"
Ryan took a second to get ready to enter the room. Look innocent, look like you really believe everything they tell you. It'd be over in seconds.
He stepped into the room, a hand waved over a record-"Sit, give me second." He took the chair in front of the desk, looking around the room. Not much there, a few landscapes on the wall, a few diplomas or some such. A desk, a chair. A person behind the desk. Boring, the room was boring. This counselor stuff was boring. You just promised to behave and you were out of there. Why did they even bother, nothing came out of it.
The record fell to the desk. "OK Ryan, this has been interesting reading. Let's see if I get this right. You were arrested in Chino with your brother Trey for car theft?" Ryan nodded at the pause. "Your mother threw you out?" Ryan got still, keeping that innocent look on his face, he nodded.
"Your Public Defender, a Sandy Cohen, took you home for the night? To Newport Beach? There are suggestions of a fight the next night, but no report was filed, by the victim or your attorney?" Ryan kept quiet on that one, no report no proof. Hell, he wasn't going to make their job easier.
"Next, you ran away from the Cohen's. Then, let's see, another fight at a restaurant and, oh yes, an arson charge that was eventually dropped. A house was burned down during a fight causing a lot of damage. Your name ended up on three reports right there. Three fights in one weekend even, are you trying for a record?" Ryan had stopped answering at all, this was getting too uncomfortable.
"A fight in juvenile hall the next day. Another report. I'm seeing a history of a lot of fights here. Do you want me to go on? All right Ryan, let's get this straight. Fights do not solve problems. They rarely fix anything and in your case, they make things worse. The way your record reads you only have two choices. Your best choice is to go to counseling and anger management classes, given your past history, you'll be doing that until you turn eighteen. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"
"OK, Ryan. I'd suggest you take me up on this. You don't have much time here. Your other choice is CYA, California Youth Authority. We can hold you there past eighteen if we want. Depends on you. And once you start CYA, you'll more than likely continue into prison."
"Tell you what, I'll give you until tomorrow morning to answer that one. Your Probation Officer has a meeting set up with your attorney tomorrow morning, if they come to an understanding on your next step, we should be able to squeeze you into a court time shortly after that. I have to have an answer for them on where you want to go by 8 am. My schedule is clear at 7 am, I'll expect you back in here then."
"Next, you told the Intake officers you didn't want visitors, do you want to explain that? I see that in your last trip to juvenile, both Seth and Kirsten Cohen visited. You realize asking for no visitors will only allow your attorney to see you?"
Ryan didn't answer, he was still working on the threat of counseling. He'd just figured out how to make it through his time, and this changed things. He had never liked talking to others, figured if they couldn't see it themselves, there was no reason to tell them. And if they did see it, there was no need to discuss it. Counseling sounded, well, painful. This day was ending up worse and worse. Counseling seemed to be full of talking about feelings, why you did things, how to change. Things he didn't want to even think about let alone discuss with a stranger. Dr. Phil type stuff. Or maybe in his case, Jennie Jones. But was it worse than CYA? Compared to CYA, juvie was kindergarten. Car theft shouldn't even have brought CYA into the picture.
"OK, Ryan, I guess you have enough to think about. We'll go over that tomorrow morning. I expect you back in here at 7 am. If we finish in time, that should give you a few minutes for your attorney before his meeting. Do you have any questions for now? OK, let's get you out of here then."
I don't need no arms around me
And I don't need no drugs to calm me.
I have seen the writing on the wall.
Don't think I need anything at all.
No! Don't think I'll need anything at all.
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall.
All in all you were all just bricks in the wall.
"Atwood, Ryan Atwood." The call echoed down the hallway of Orange County Juvenile Center. The blond sitting on a bench turned his head slightly at the call. He closed his eyes, held his breath and deliberately stood up. From his actions, he appeared unwilling to respond. "Hurry up Atwood, we don't have all night."
Approaching the guard, Ryan mentally geared himself for more bad times, it was always bad times. After today, he didn't think good news was a possibility. Processing had been depressing, this was his third time going through it. Once in Chino, twice now in Orange County. It got worse each time, there were more charges in his record, more past history to be scrutinized. Each addition to his file made the guards look at him more closely, more aware of his potential for causing them trouble.
"Line up over there, hands behind your back" the guard intoned.
Ryan joined a group of four other inmates. GQ was not in sight, all five were wearing the clothes de jour of the OC Juvenile Center; blue coveralls. The guard came down the line, checking ID bands against his clipboard. After the ID Band was checked, handcuffs were attached. "All right guys, let's go."
Ryan thought back to the Intake Center, he'd been given one call- it was supposed to be to his attorney. He called Seth instead. He wasn't sure if he wanted the voice mail or Seth himself, but it worked out better with voice mail.
"Hey, Seth, they let me make a call. I don't feel like talking to your parents right now. Anyway, don't worry, I got this covered. I'm fine. Seth, I can't let you visit me here. It's not gonna work out. I. I. well, anyway, I said no visitors. It'll just be easier."
Yeah, it was better, just make the break at once, the way this was going he wasn't going to get out for a while. He didn't think Seth would take it well at first, but he'd recover. Summer was finally talking to him, he could turn to her. School was starting, yeah there was plenty to take his mind off of a loser from Chino.
Next would be to ask for a new attorney, he should be able to get a Public Defender again. That would take care of Sandy, no need for him to take time off from his new job. His case didn't fit in with the new office. He was sure he could come up with an excuse for needing a different attorney. Yeah, two out of four taken care of.
Kirsten, well she would have no reason to visit him either. She wouldn't have come the last time if Seth hadn't talked her into it, no Seth, so no Kirsten. Three out of four.
Marissa. Well she shouldn't hear about this for a bit, by the time she heard he'd be in the system so deep he could play the no visitors rule for sure. All it took was a fight and you were only allowed contact with your attorney. And fights were easy to arrange.
Yeah, he'd be laughing at how easy his life was to fix right now if it wasn't so depressing. It was calming though to get rid of the baggage of other people. No worries, no cares, all he had to do was live through this. And living wasn't really a big concern. He'd either make it or not.
He almost bumped into the guy in front of him. The group had stopped without his noticing. "All right guys, first stop. The counselors want to talk to each of you before you hit Juvie. Take a seat, they'll get to all of you."
Five blue clad teenagers dropped onto a bench. Boring, what the hell was some do-good counselor going to tell them about juvie. The perspective was different on their side, they had no idea what went on in the Hall itself. Ryan had been through this the first time. All he had to do was promise that if he had problems with other inmates he'd tell a guard. As if that would solve the problem. Yeah, just turn on the Sunday School face and look innocent. That should do it. Worked in Chino juvie, it had worked in school before that too.
"Atwood, you're first. Turn around, let's get the cuffs off. We're watching, so no trouble. Got it?"
Ryan took a second to get ready to enter the room. Look innocent, look like you really believe everything they tell you. It'd be over in seconds.
He stepped into the room, a hand waved over a record-"Sit, give me second." He took the chair in front of the desk, looking around the room. Not much there, a few landscapes on the wall, a few diplomas or some such. A desk, a chair. A person behind the desk. Boring, the room was boring. This counselor stuff was boring. You just promised to behave and you were out of there. Why did they even bother, nothing came out of it.
The record fell to the desk. "OK Ryan, this has been interesting reading. Let's see if I get this right. You were arrested in Chino with your brother Trey for car theft?" Ryan nodded at the pause. "Your mother threw you out?" Ryan got still, keeping that innocent look on his face, he nodded.
"Your Public Defender, a Sandy Cohen, took you home for the night? To Newport Beach? There are suggestions of a fight the next night, but no report was filed, by the victim or your attorney?" Ryan kept quiet on that one, no report no proof. Hell, he wasn't going to make their job easier.
"Next, you ran away from the Cohen's. Then, let's see, another fight at a restaurant and, oh yes, an arson charge that was eventually dropped. A house was burned down during a fight causing a lot of damage. Your name ended up on three reports right there. Three fights in one weekend even, are you trying for a record?" Ryan had stopped answering at all, this was getting too uncomfortable.
"A fight in juvenile hall the next day. Another report. I'm seeing a history of a lot of fights here. Do you want me to go on? All right Ryan, let's get this straight. Fights do not solve problems. They rarely fix anything and in your case, they make things worse. The way your record reads you only have two choices. Your best choice is to go to counseling and anger management classes, given your past history, you'll be doing that until you turn eighteen. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"
"OK, Ryan. I'd suggest you take me up on this. You don't have much time here. Your other choice is CYA, California Youth Authority. We can hold you there past eighteen if we want. Depends on you. And once you start CYA, you'll more than likely continue into prison."
"Tell you what, I'll give you until tomorrow morning to answer that one. Your Probation Officer has a meeting set up with your attorney tomorrow morning, if they come to an understanding on your next step, we should be able to squeeze you into a court time shortly after that. I have to have an answer for them on where you want to go by 8 am. My schedule is clear at 7 am, I'll expect you back in here then."
"Next, you told the Intake officers you didn't want visitors, do you want to explain that? I see that in your last trip to juvenile, both Seth and Kirsten Cohen visited. You realize asking for no visitors will only allow your attorney to see you?"
Ryan didn't answer, he was still working on the threat of counseling. He'd just figured out how to make it through his time, and this changed things. He had never liked talking to others, figured if they couldn't see it themselves, there was no reason to tell them. And if they did see it, there was no need to discuss it. Counseling sounded, well, painful. This day was ending up worse and worse. Counseling seemed to be full of talking about feelings, why you did things, how to change. Things he didn't want to even think about let alone discuss with a stranger. Dr. Phil type stuff. Or maybe in his case, Jennie Jones. But was it worse than CYA? Compared to CYA, juvie was kindergarten. Car theft shouldn't even have brought CYA into the picture.
"OK, Ryan, I guess you have enough to think about. We'll go over that tomorrow morning. I expect you back in here at 7 am. If we finish in time, that should give you a few minutes for your attorney before his meeting. Do you have any questions for now? OK, let's get you out of here then."