Just Another Night

“Did you grip her by the throat,” asked the officer. “Yes sir,” the words drifted out my mouth, cold and dignified. Metal cuffs clamped firm upon my wrists and I was ushered to the tank-like car with flashing blue-red lights outside. “Goodbye,” I thought, “Good riddance, I’m off to where I’m meant to be.” No looks back at teary eyes, no response to guilt-ridden cries. Not fear, but curiosity, crept into my mind. Wondering what this new world held in store and how I’d be defined. Life alone was nothing new, being watched, being under lock and key, none of these were new to me. The colors in the things around as we drove through the city seemed muted, even gray, not in the literal sense, but as far as I was concerned they could all just fade away and nothing would change. Some other world was passing by that meant nothing at all to me. Processing, exposing everything, leaving past things, that was my future to be. But, sitting in a holding cell at 2 AM the doors were opened up. Bailed out in a single night. Guess that makes everything all right. Pick me up and take me back and pretend it’s just another night. Just another blameless fight. Just another bailed out white. Just another night in the usual cell. With open arms, welcome back your son, with good intentions, send him back to hell.