After the incident at the Net Ball Center which left Officer Quashie a little banged up and his ego well brushed. I knew the officer will be looking out for me. However, I had two things working in my favor; the primary of which were: the officer's supervisors were convinced that he did not know who he was involved in the incident with.
At this point in my life, I was still a second form student at the Intermediate High School (IHS) also known as Timmy School. Attending the Intermediate High School was convenient for me. Each day after school finishes for the day at 1:00 PM I went to help my best friend ply his trade, there I helped a friend #10 and in turn put a few dollars in my pocket.
Each time the Special Service Unit (SSU) transport pass the St. Vincent Automotive Corporation Gas Station on Benthic Square and PC Quashie was in that vehicle his eyes burned a hole through me. He could not wait to get his hands on me. My friends who remember him and what happened, always took the opportunity to bring the hasty officer's behavior to my attention. I was too busy helping my best friend Winston "#10" Frankly to noticed. It was going to be a difficult task for Quashie to get to me, for the simple fact I was very discipline and I was a law abiding person.
However, fast-forward a few months; the Ads were everywhere, they on TV, on the radio and the bills were posted around Kingstown, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) was coming to St. Vincent to put on a show. On the card for the night's show was King Kong Bundy, Big John Stud, Abdullah the Butcher, Mr. Fuji and it was rumored that Andre the Giant may make an appearance. I wanted to go and see the show. After all our favorite T.V programming was wrestling.
On the evening before the show, without even asking my father Hamilton Palmer; gave my sister Andrea and I money to attend the show. Andrea used the money for the purpose it was giving. However none of my friends had money for the admission and they were going to slip into the show. I did not want to miss the excitement of evading the security, with my efforts to get into and enjoying the show without paying. So I decided to join my friends. It was all about the excitement.
At this stage in the history of the Victoria Park, the facility was enclosed with Galvanize sheets. The Galvanize sheets were nailed onto wooden frames, which were attached to 4x4 wooden stakes, which were anchored in the ground with a concrete base.
On our arrival to the event, to our surprised, the members of the SVG Police Force were responsible for security; they were armed with long wooden baton. The South Eastern side of the park was scarcely lit and therefore was the best point to enter the park without paying. However, the security was tight, the police were ensuring that no one enter the facility without paying and those who so tried were thrown out of the park. For kids it was understandable and not a bad punishment for one’s effort.
There were three police staffing the South Western side of the facility, I recognized Corporal Lenford Brewster, He was in Uniform however. at this point of Brewster's policing career, his normal dress code was regular or civilian clothes. This was so because he was attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Kingstown. I was familiar with Brewster’s work and his habits. I had seen the injuries about the body of Gomma a noted criminal who specialized in stealing, As well as on my good friend and mentor Thin Legs and my mentor Crab. All the injuries were sustained through the violent beating at the hands of Brewster, Spencer and the other members of the CID in order to extract confession from these men for crimes that may or may not have committed. They wanted resolution to their cases at any cost.
I had also seen Lenford Brewster smoking weed under the Jacks Mango Tree and in back of Banks pool room and bar at Rose Place (Bottom Town). Therefore, when I became a police, It was no surprise to me, when I discovered that the police authority had caught the rough police officer; smoking Marijuana in the back in the Spring Village Police Station. As a result, of this encounter on the police premises, Brewster was black listed by the police authority.
I did not know who the other police were; they were further away from me in the dark. I saw the three police had a huddle. I did not know what was discussed in the little meeting, however with Cpl. Brewster and the officers abundant their post, we saw this as the opportunity we were looking for. Someone declare they are must be on their break that is why they leave.
As a result, my friends, the other people who were also trying to get into the Victoria Park for free and I; all stormed into the park, Some jumping over the galvanize fence, some squeezing themselves through the little gap between the galvanized sheets, whichever way the objective was to get into the park, then as soon as possible, mix in with the crowd at the function.
then without warning, and like a group of hyena the police came out from absolutely nowhere, we all dispersed, I noticed there was a particular police officer, that singled me out, and no matter what I did he will not relent. He refused to chase even the people who were closer to him than I was. I ran to the northwestern part of the park to where the old Red Cross Building was located. with the intention of climbing up the wall with the aid of the tree that was close to the building, which I had done numerous tomes before, The officer was not very close to me, but he was close enough to catch me before I can make it up the wall of the Red Cross building and out of the park.
I decided to stop running because I would eventually be caught. I stop running surrendering to the pursuing police officer; then I turn and face him expecting to be roughed up and shown the way out of the park which was the protocol for the night. Then I felt a blow to my upper left arm, the side of by bicep. I was extremely surprised, by the actions of the officer, because the action of the police was not the protocol the police were following that night. Before I reconcile what was happening, I saw the officer raise his baton, and he took a downward swung of the baton; aiming at my head. Immediately, I said to myself, this man is trying to kill me. I was too stupid to be afraid of the baton wielding police officer; I said to myself: “what!, I am going to give him a taste of his own medicine.”
The baton was on its way to an unpleasant meeting with my skull, I had to act quickly. I stop the baton from hitting my head by using an upward forearm block with my left hand, just as my big brother Val "Nazi" Palmer had shown me. Immediately, and in one flowing motion, I moved my hand and the baton to my left, doubling my left hand around the baton. I secured the baton under my arm pit and I further secured it with the back of my left forearm. with the back of my forearm lock the baton in place; I took all control of the baton away from the officer, and with the continuous flowing motion, I snatched the shirt of the officer in the area of the Shoulder/collar area with both hands. Now I have taken control of the officer with both of my hands.
Brewster was off in the dark watching the whole incident played out after all he had set the whole incident up. Now I recognized the aggressive officer, I certainly didn't care about the fact there were another officers around; I was going to give Quashie the beating of his life, but first I wanted him helpless on the ground. Having total control of the officer and his baton I began to toss the officer in a swirling motion from left to right, to cause him to lose his balance and get him helpless on the ground.
It was the first time I actually smell the fear, and the odor of Quashie’s fear got me more and more enraged. I wanted him on the ground, where he was helpless I wanted to hurt him, he must understand what it felt like to be hit with a baton in the same way I experienced it at his hands. I had the frightened officer totally off balance, stumbling over his own feet, one more twirl and he will be eating grass. When I was about to floor the scared officer, I felt someone held on to me it was Brewster, now he decided to intervened, pretending he did not know what happened. My arms and forearms were swollen from the blows I sustained. Two of my friends came back to look for me and saw the whole scenario. And they were angry, they wanted revenge.
In his pretense Brewster said to his junior, what are you doing to the youth man, then he said to me, youth man, go and watch the show, don't worry with him. I left with my injuries and I still manage to enjoy the show. The next day my father asked me what happened, I explained to him what happened. When he heard the story he said, you know I cannot do anything, I looked at him and I asked what do you mean you cannot do anything? It was then he asked me a few questions to get a message to me.
My father very calmly asked, "Did I give you money to pay for the show?" I answer yes. Then he followed up with a second question, "why didn't you use the money I give you for the purpose it was given?" I told him my friends did not have any money to go in. He looked at me and he said, each of your friends has parents, it is their parents’ responsibility to take care of their children needs, it is not your responsibility to take care of their needs.
He continued; do you think if your friends had the money to pay their way into the show and you didn't; they would have cared that you did not have money? I did not have to answer that question, for the answer was obvious; I knew my father was right in his utterance. He was correct for the simple fact; when it was movie time, it was all man for him-self. If you had money you watch the movie, if you did not have money you stay outside. Then my wise father continued by saying; I have a responsibility to you, there was a reason I give you the money to go to the show, it was to ensure you did not try to get into the show without paying and you went ahead and did exactly; just what I did not want you to do. Pearson you have tied my hands.
I fully understood my father’s reasoning and his argument was reasonable and just. He continued by saying “write that experience down as a bad decision on your behalf.” and that was exactly what I did. Quashie had his revenge and my father had spoken and I was satisfied. Biggest lesson learns. My friends wanted us to take revenge but my father has spoken.
However, this incident give me credibility among my friend and increased my mystique among my friends in school. I got to boast about my fight with a police officer and I had the tags to prove the fight actually happened.
OK People I give you part two early because I have a beautiful Christmas Story to share with you on the weekend. A story of trial triumph and the best Christmas ever.
Part 1
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Part 1
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