Alcoholics don't graduate from college right? Wrong!
At this time of my life I had graduated with an associate degree and was still working for the government. I wasn't going to church but I was still fellowshipping with my Christian support group. I didn't want to completely turn my back on my Christian support system because I knew that if I did, the enemy might have his way with me. I enjoyed Brothers I.N.C. because we kept it real. Real to the point were I told them I had a problem with alcohol. Many members of the group had been to prison, been shot, been extensive drug users, alcoholics, etc. And God pulled them out of all of that. Many of their life stories inspired me to have more faith in God and continue to get up after being knocked down. I was still drinking about 3 days a week, many times by myself. I wasn't going to A.A. anymore. Like I said, I really didn't think I was an alcoholic. Besides, alcoholics don't graduate from college and have government careers right? I just lied on my A.A. sheet and said I was going in order to meet the terms of my probation.
I used liquor to enjoy myself in the club.
It was a few days after my birthday and I had got invited to go to a club with my co-workers. I figured I'd go because I hadn't really done anything for my birthday. Like I said, I really wasn't much of a dancer - or club person for that matter- so I drank on my way up there to start to loosen up a bit. This may not make sense to some, but I swear the spirit of the Lord came over me and told me not to go inside. I remember telling God that I was just going to have a little bit of fun and I'll be alright. I walked in, met my co-workers and chatted with all of them. One of them knew I just had a birthday and bought me some shots. I was pretty wasted but felt good because I felt loose enough to enjoy myself in the club. There was a moment when we all scattered throughout the club and couldn't find anyone for a while. I finally saw one of my female co-workers and started talking to her. About 2 minutes into the conversation some guy walked up to me shouting things like, "You better get away from my woman," and "Ain't nobody playing with you," or something close to that.
Again, the alcohol put a "S" on my chest.
It swear the rest happened so fast but I'm going to try my best to slow it down. Something came over me and I just got tired of getting disrespected by "life in general". I felt like I couldn't go anywhere without somebody trying to test me - pull my hoe card in a sense. I had just had a birthday, was enjoying myself in the club, had a nice buzz going and here is some clown shouting threats and commands at me. My mind and body just went into auto pilot and I walked up to him and tried to hit him in his mouth. The bad part about it was that I missed! I was so off balance and my equilibrium was so off from drinking so much, that my fist missed his jaw. He looked at me and started shaking; you know, one of those shakes you get when you're real mad and about to do something. He did this double move on me; he pushed me and tripped me at the same time and I was so off balance I just went falling backwards. Then he hit me in the mouth a few good times. I swear I had so much alcohol in me that I really didn't even feel it. But I'll give it to him, he had some hands on him. He had me looking like Gatti in the Mayweather Vs. Gatti fight.
I felt like Rodney King, Jr. that night
"Don't tase me bro!"
Like I said, my other-co workers were scattered over the club so no one was there to break it up or jump in. All I remember are the bouncers grabbing me and throwing me out of the club. I landed on my stomach on the stairs. I pushed myself up and looked up at the same time and saw a policeman standing over me with something in his hand pointed toward my eyes. It was pepper spray and he sprayed me to the point where I couldn't see anything. I mean I was completely blind for about 30 minutes! While I was holding my eyes with my hands I noticed that I was shaking repeatedly. At this time, I was on the ground completely helpless. After I heard the clicking noises and felt the prongs on my back I finally realized why I was shaking. I was being tasered by the police! This was around the time that Michigan police were getting new weaponry and there were a lot of recent news stories in which police were using some of these new devices too excessively. There was one case in Flint in which a teenager was killed as a result of being taser gunned. The news said that the boy had a history of heart problems and couldn't withstand the shocks from the taser. But look at were my drunkenness had gotten me. A double beat down by my co-workers guy friend and the police. Eventually, the police allowed me to flush my eyes with water and I could see again after about a half hour. My eyes were so burned from the inflammation of the pepper spray that I had to take 3 days off of work. My back had about 3 different sets of taser prongs on it. I must say that I feel for the University of Florida student that was tasered at the John Kerry forum.
