Little Boy Lost

by J.D. Trafford

The storefronts stuck out among the burned houses and vacant lots like the remaining teeth in a broken mouth.

Assumptions made during an initial interview are where most mistakes are made.

First, a criminal defendant denies; he claims to be innocent. Second, he gets angry at the system, lashing out at the cops or the judge or his attorney. Third, he bargains, searching for a plea deal that will keep him out of jail or prison. Fourth and fifth come depression, and, ultimately, acceptance.

Things were going well, but it was now getting too complicated, and when it got complicated, things inevitably fell apart for me. Depression is like that.