Minister Brick

Our street is a short L-shaped dead end street filled with generally upstanding citizens. There is a resident crank as is required by law but she's generally harmless as long as you don't live right next to her but for the most part the street is populated by families, many with young kids, some with adult kids and a few assorted other people.

In other words, it lacks excitement.

Last night while I was gone to a "party" I came back to find two police cars parked on the street with the lights flashing away. After a quick heart stopping moment for a worst-case scenario including illogical domestic assault and murder I realized that nearly everyone on the street (the resident crank was noticeably absent which is somewhat amusing because she's generally the instigator of neighborhood excitement -- holy cow! I just searched the blog and realized I never wrote about her calling the fire department last month*) were simply standing around in small groups chatting. A man, probably in his early 20's, was standing near his car swearing profusely while pointing to things on his car.

Apparently, he and a friend came roaring up our two block L-shaped street and squealed around the corner so fast that everyone came running out their front doors to see what was happening. The car turned around at the end of the street and headed back down only to be confronted with a mad minister with a brick, a brick that shortly made its way, manually directed, into the back driver's side window of the car. The car continued moving for a bit and then stopped. The passenger got out of the car and ran off; apparently that guy had more sense, or more to hide, than the driver. The driver got out and began ranting and raving while the neighbors gathered in solidarity around the Brick-Armed Minister. Gary said that he thought the kid was going to run into him and that's why he threw the brick at the car. It definitely slowed the kid down.

Lots of 911 calls. The police took statements. The driver shouted threats and f-bombs everywhere. The police told him to shut up on multiple occasions but still he ranted. When the police told him to leave, he did after making a huge show of brushing glass away from the tires of his car until they finally told him to get lost or they were calling a tow truck.

He left, very slowly, only to return to the street a couple of minutes later. Alas, no drama. He was trying to find out what was going to happen to Gary and the police told him it was none of his business and to get lost. This time he did without further protest.

Gary "The Brick", minister mobster, is now our neighborhood protector. He may have to go to court. As the cop said "While it may be cathartic, it's a really bad idea to throw bricks at cars" and he cited him for something or other, a criminal charge. If it goes to court, he'll have a lot of support from the 'hood. The swearing kid? Apparently he already has multiple offenses of various types and the police are citing him for anything that might stick.

I am, however, concerned that he, or some of his friends, might show up on street with hostile intentions.

*Cranky called the fire department to report a fire in her neighbor's back yard, one she could see was from a fire pit where they'd cooked weinies over the fire and then were enjoying an evening next to the fire. The truck roared up the street with lights but no sirens; they seemed aware this wasn't a major problem. As soon as the truck showed up, the neighbors gathered and Cranky drove off.

Firemen put out the fire with a little fire extinguisher since apparently it's illegal to have an open fire in city limits. As they did so they said "nice night for a fire though."