Ann Arbor 1979
Sometimes the simple
act of buying cigarettes
doesn’t go as planned. I lived a block from a
Stop n Go convenience store while I went to
school in Ann Arbor. Near the corner of Packard
and Stadium, it wasn’t far from Michigan Stadium
and it was the beginning of the outskirts of town.
A smoker then, it was where I picked up my
cigarettes. Pack a day.
Stop n Go convenience store while I went to
school in Ann Arbor. Near the corner of Packard
and Stadium, it wasn’t far from Michigan Stadium
and it was the beginning of the outskirts of town.
A smoker then, it was where I picked up my
cigarettes. Pack a day.
This
was part of the
ritual with Rennie
the Labrador, who
followed me
everywhere.
I was never able
to teach him to run
this errand on his own;
he never brought back
the change. Sometimes
he'd wait, or he'd take
off- home or elsewhere.
ritual with Rennie
the Labrador, who
followed me
everywhere.
I was never able
to teach him to run
this errand on his own;
he never brought back
the change. Sometimes
he'd wait, or he'd take
off- home or elsewhere.
Saturday
night.
Out of smokes. A moment later we were at
the store. The dog spun around and left when
I went in. As I said hi to the clerk, a commotion
erupted near the back beer cooler. Some guy was
rolling around on the floor when shots rang out
from outside. The clerk yelled, “38!” hit the lock
on the door and dove behind the counter.
Out of smokes. A moment later we were at
the store. The dog spun around and left when
I went in. As I said hi to the clerk, a commotion
erupted near the back beer cooler. Some guy was
rolling around on the floor when shots rang out
from outside. The clerk yelled, “38!” hit the lock
on the door and dove behind the counter.
I was hiding from a gunman behind a wall of
chocolate. Was the last thing that I would ever see
be a Snickers bar? We breathed once we saw red
and blue lights roll towards the store. When the
officers got to the door, the clerk tossed me the keys.
As I opened it, they grabbed me, shoving me up
against the counter, hands behind my back.
be a Snickers bar? We breathed once we saw red
and blue lights roll towards the store. When the
officers got to the door, the clerk tossed me the keys.
As I opened it, they grabbed me, shoving me up
against the counter, hands behind my back.
“Wait!!! He’s not the guy! In the back! Shots in
the parking lot.”
the parking lot.”
Cops
let go, kind of dusting me off as they went.
They got the guy, things settled down, and all
was sort of clear. Buying a pack would never
be the same. Convenience stores can be
hazardous to your health.
They got the guy, things settled down, and all
was sort of clear. Buying a pack would never
be the same. Convenience stores can be
hazardous to your health.
You’ve
just been shot at by the bad
guys and roughed up by the cops!
Welcome to
Marlboro Country!
As
I walked back, I remembered what Sir
Winston Churchill said about his experience
in
WWI-
Nothing is quite so exhilarating as to be shot at
to no effect.
The dog was waiting on the porch.
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