4] An old friend, and some new concerns:
“First of all, let me say I’m so sorry about your mom.”
I hadn’t seen Vihaan Wargo since we had been arrested in our teens. I spent almost a year in jail. His parents got the charges against him dropped.
I never blamed him. My public defender, John Turner, took the time to explain that their efforts to get their son out of trouble had done nothing to make my situation worse. Me punching a cop had done that all on my own.
The bastard deserved it. While I was waiting for my trial, he had charges brought against him for brutality in a separate incident. He didn't spend a single night in jail and is now working as a cop in another state. But the charges against me got dropped down to a misdemeanor thanks to Mr Turner.
He works at a firm called Gregoric and Turner now. Good people. They believe you have the right to have someone who knows what the hell they’re doing representing you in court without bankrupting you.
Vihaan had become a lawyer himself, but I don’t know what kind. It had been too long.
I thanked him for his condolences and then suggested he make his pitch.
“Alright Jim, what I was hoping I could talk about was legal representation for those who have lost a loved one to the Vanishing and can not get their insurance companies to honor the contracts they agreed to when they took people’s money.”
I nodded. “Like with me and my mom.”
He nodded with a grimace. “It’s only a matter of time before the lobbyists for the insurance companies get one of their pet senators to push through a bill that will have an attachment to protect them from paying out on any form of insurance due to a Vanishing. I think a class action suit might help prevent that or at least get them to pay out some money they owe in a settlement.”
I gave him a long look. “And your law firm will get a cut.”
He gave me a grin in return which I hadn't seen in a long time and held up his finger. “Only if we win, the partners have already agreed.” He nodded and winked. “And if it’s enough money I get to become a partner myself.”
Okay. That kind of lawyer.
Making himself look serious, he continued in a more somber tone. “I also get to help an old friend I should have come looking for years ago. I'm so sorry I left you to rot. I should have tried harder to get my parents to try to help you.”
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I held my eyes shut for a moment before opening them to look him in the eyes. "It was probably for the best that you kept your distance. I was angry with you for a long time. You had a life you needed to get started, and I needed time. We’re good.”
Viraan had attempted to get into contact with the Brody Foundation already but hadn't heard anything from them. I passed his contact information along to Sarah Brody by way of her personal email since that’s what I promised him.
I recommend looking on the Brody Foundation's page for a listing of approved law firms to contact for legal representation. I can only hope Viraan's firm gets their approval.
If they don’t, I’m not holding my breath that my old friend will contact me again. I don’t hate him anymore, but now we’re only people who used to be friends.
I talked to my old public defender, Mr Turner about setting up a living will in case I ever end up Vanished. An old friend of mine who did keep in contact with me will, if need be, arrange to store my possessions while my house gets rented out and the money used to preserve it so me or my Mom have a place to return to.
In the studio apartment over the garage if need be until any current renters are out of the main house.
If I'm gone for more than twenty years, and my Mom never comes back, the house will be sold and the money will be donated to the Brody Foundation or whatever other group is most prominently trying to help people whose lives got destroyed by the Vanishing.
I will post a link to the contract I had gotten written up if anyone what to set up the same arrangement, but you will need to contact a lawyer to make sure it's applicable in your state and county. You’ll find a forum link if you want to put copies of your own below.
Some other things you might want to think about.
If you Vanish, is there someone who will check up on you before your pets starve, and will they find them a home?
Is someone going to be able to find your car before it gets towed?
Was the last thing you said to your loved ones the words you want to be your last ones?
Addendum:
A lot of people asked about the incident that got me sent to jail. While I mentioned it to help explain why I was a little dubious of my old buddy, I guess I also wanted people to ask.
Which some people also suggested. Some more kindly than others.
Short version. The cop had a guy in a chokehold and wasn't letting him loose even after he went limp. People yelled. People tried to get the other cop who was there to stop him.
I made a call, and put my elbow into the side of the psycho’s face.
The cop got a black eye. I got tasered, pepper sprayed, handcuffed, and “tripped” headfirst into the edge of the roof getting into the back of the cop car. Twice.
The guy who got choked lived. He wasn’t even the person they had been looking for.
Worth it.
My college plans got delayed indefinitely. My time in jail waiting on my trial messed me up a lot. I needed some time and distance to get my head right, or at least something close. It took me a long time and finding out my Mom was dying for me to be ready to come home and start trying to put my life back together.
Other than missing some of the little time I had left with Mom, I still think it was worth it.
Mom had agreed.
The guy that I helped attended the memorial service, with his husband and their two children. He finished dental school two years ago. Which brought up one more thing to think about.
Are your teeth in good enough shape to last you a while in a world without dentists?
I got an appointment next week. His office’s link is down below.
Mention the blog and your first cleaning is half off.
Addendum:
Yeah, I guess I did know a gay guy before George. I had just never picked up on it when he visited me in jail that one time to thank me. It’s probably not the first, or the last time, I don’t notice something like that in a casual conversation.
Am I supposed to?