Local time where you're at. ("Where you're at"?)

Back in the day (translation:&#160 a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (grin)), my dad toiled as a security guard for more than a couple companies.&#160 One of his posts was this strip center in North Richland Hills – a 48,000 square-foot complex with one area about 15,000 square-foot of that.

It just happened to be down the street from a bowling center.&#160 Bowling, at the time, was one of my passions.&#160 (Still would be, if it didn’t tear up my hand every time I threw a few games.)

One particular Saturday, I was with my dad while he was at work.&#160 And I knew the center was there, and I wanted to go bowling while he did his guard work.&#160 So he gave me $20, and sent me on my way.

With the keys to his car, and an admonition to stay on the side streets & parking lots.

And yes – I drove.&#160 And managed to not hit anything there, or back – as it turned out, I was pretty good at the driving thing.&#160 (Mind you, this was the early ’70s, when there was far less of a paranoia about kids doing things that would put fuckhead busybodies in a tizzy today.)

Contrast that with this story, where audible gasps of indignation can be heard all across the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond.

A McKinney man accused of allowing his 10-year-old son to drive his car with another child in the vehicle remained in custody Friday.

Jose Antonio Lugo, 29, was arrested about 11 p.m. Sunday after McKinney police received a report that the boy was driving his father and the other child around.

McKinney police Capt. Randy Roland said Friday that Mr. Lugo appeared to have been drinking.

Hmmm.&#160 That would likely have made the kid a better driver than the dad at the time.&#160 (Come to think of it, when my dad was drunk, I was a better driver than he was, too.)

A witness said she saw the boy drive the car onto U.S. Highway 380 from a Jack in the Box parking lot.

She said she saw the man switch seats with the boy and drive for a bit, weaving noticeably. She said she then saw the car stop and the boy return to the driver’s seat before Mr. Lugo’s arrest.

Mr. Lugo’s green Taurus was parked near the intersection of Highway 380 and Waddill Street when investigating officers arrived, Capt. Roland said. Mr. Lugo was seated on the passenger side.

“We arrested him for [two counts] of endangering a child,” Capt. Roland said, noting that an 8-year-old girl was in the back of the car.

Looks like they were going to get this guy either way.&#160 Kid in the driver’s seat, endangerment.&#160 Dad in the driver’s seat, possible DWI, endangerment.&#160 Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.&#160 Rock, hard place, all that silliness.

Now understand, I’m not in favor of dads driving drunk with kids in the car.&#160 Cthulu knows I had to put up with enough of that myself – remind me to tell you of the time my dad blew out both&#160 of his left-side tires one time in Fort Worth.

I just wonder why everything has to be a federal case all the time nowadays, is all.

Each charge carries a possible two-year prison term. Mr. Lugo remains at the Collin County Detention Center, sheriff’s deputies said.

Capt. Roland said Child Protective Services was called to take temporary custody of the children. He said the boy is Mr. Lugo’s son.

Mr. Lugo’s wife, Mari, said the girl is their daughter.

Mr. Lugo’s bail was set at $10,000. His wife said she doesn’t know how she can pay that and continue to care for her four children.

Oh, I wouldn’t worry there, Se&#241ora&#160 Lugo.&#160 Child Abductive will likely relieve you of that responsibility now, if past history is any indication.

Score one for the nosy-assed pisspots.&#160 (Not that this guy Lugo didn’t have it coming, okay?&#160 There’s just a little too little “mind your own business” mindsets in society these days, and it bugs the shit outta me.)

I mean, think about it for a second.&#160 Subtract the alcohol.&#160 Subtract the likely DWI for Mr. Lugo.&#160 What if a father wants to teach his young’un to drive before said young’un reaches driver’s ed in high school, and some busybody fuckwad sees it and reports it?

Society-at-large seems to be thinking more & more that your children are their&#160 children, and are acting accordingly.&#160 Meaning, if society-at-large doesn’t like the way you’re raising the rugrats…get it?

Won’t surprise me if one day, one of these busybody fuckwits finds him/herself on the business end of…well…

Just sayin’, is all.

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One response to “Childhood:&#160 Void where prohibited by law?”

1. SoCalOilMan says:

   September 2, 2006 at 5:05 pm

   I’m gonna go with the cops on this one. If the Dad hadn’t been drunk with someone elses kid in the back seat, I might have cut him some slack, but something was off that caused people to call and notify the police.

   I started driving at 13, but just in our isolated neighborhood, ignoring the times I “borrowed” my Dad’s VW with the dead battery (lesson #1: don’t stall at the bottom of the hill uless you’ve got strong friends, and I still stayed in my neighborhood).

   When I remember the damn stupid things I did into my twenties while behind the wheel, I think a ten year old at least should have a sober co-pilot.