pat loughery

Presenting… an IM transcript from this morning:

Pat says:
so… i didn’t tell you about my bus ride home, did i?
Shannon Loughery says:
What happened on the bus?
Pat says:
i was sitting in the back with these 3 high school kids, dropouts, talking the whole time about the truancy laws and how they blow off court, all this stuff. i kept my head in my book and ignored the one kid’s dog who was sniffing my shoes.
Pat says:
but the kid with the dog took out a rock and started scratching the window, all over it.
Pat says:
i looked up at him and said, “hey, don’t do that.” he says, “why not?” I said, “just don’t, ok?”
Shannon Loughery says:
what happened then?
Pat says:
his response is classic: “my taxes pay for this bus”. My brain’s thinking, “ok, do I say… yeah, sounds like you’ve paid your fair share of taxes in your years”… so i didn’t, ijust said “mine too, don’t vanadalize the bus.”
Shannon Loughery says:
Oh, my gosh. Be careful. I don’t want some 15 year old punk pulling a knife or a gun on you.
Pat says:
i can tella t this point he’s gotta look cool to his buddies, so he says, “i’ll do what i want”. starts scratching again. so i take my bag up to the front of the bus and tell the drive as we’re moving that the young punk back there in teh blue hooded sweatshirt is scratching the window with a rock. i pointed him out to the driver, he sees i’m doing that.
Pat says:
at the next stop as the driver’s turning around to talk to the kid, one of the kids breaks out the window of the rear door and jumps out of the bus.
Shannon Loughery says:
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pat says:
the driver calls his dispatch and describes the kids.
Shannon Loughery says:
OH my gosh!!!!!!!!!
Pat says:
so then a lady behind me is talking to somebody next to her and says, “yeah, that guy NARCED on those kids!”
Shannon Loughery says:
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pat says:
i’m thinking, “so, you want me to just let the punk be an idiot?”
Shannon Loughery says:
Were you so mad?????????
Pat says:
i’d have done the same thing, but i’ve gotta tell you, it was scary. my heart was racing. at my next bus stop i’m looking all directions to make sure these kids aren’t coming.
Shannon Loughery says:
OH, MY GOSH!!! How scary!!!
Pat says:
this morning one guy at the bus stop looked like the main kid, but wasn’t
Pat says:
both buses i got on i looked all around for thesed kids
Pat says:
tonight i’ll be scared too
Shannon Loughery says:
OH, my gosh. Be careful.
Shannon Loughery says:
Sit near the front by the driver.
Pat says:
but… what else can i do? if you just turn your head away, these kids geta way with it.
Shannon Loughery says:
You did 100% the right thing.
Pat says:
i figured later i should have just prayed that jesus would break his arm or something. maybe that’s the truth of the psalm
Shannon Loughery says:
I wouldn’t have had the courage to do that.
Shannon Loughery says:
You totally did the right thing, though.
Pat says:
but the lady who was mad i narced on the kid, and that’s why the bus stopped for hte driver to check the borken window… that was funny.
Shannon Loughery says:
I would have wanted to say, “Have you even worked one day in your life to pay taxes, idiot??”
Pat says:
i’ll leave work at the same time, should be the same bus, wonder if it’ll be the same driver.
Pat says:
but i also know that jim fitzgerald fears those kids, the street punks, more than anyody else on the street. they have no wisdom, no fear, they just go.

Shannon Loughery says:
No kidding. I remember Jim saying the teens were the only ones he was afraid of because they had no fear. THey’d just look you in the eye and shoot you. Pray before hand. Rebuke the enemy. Pray for angels. I’ll pray too.
Pat says:
anyway it’s hard to read the Rule of Benedict and how he mentored monks when your adrenaline won’t settle down
🙂