News Next Door

So there's still plenty going on next door. I feel like every single person in that house needs their own private social worker (or early childhood educator, for Angel). Dawn's mom's car is still not running, so I borrowed Medicine Man's car and drove her to Telpochcalli because I know some people there who hooked her up with a family therapist who is good.

Joey got suspended from school today for carrying a knife. I found this out when we got to Telpochcalli and somebody could translate what his mom was telling me. Joey was in the car--I promised we'd go to boxing while his mom was talking. Once I knew what was going on, it didn't work that way. I babysat Angel.

First his mom got to talk to the therapist lady while I walked around with Angel. We went back out to the car to talk to Joey. Joey told me that about three months ago he went to get pizza over on Ashland and some guy started hassling him, asking, "who you run with?" and stuff like that. This happened again three days ago. That's when Joey started carrying the knife, "for protection." I've heard this from kids before.

So we went inside and he and his mom and the therapist lady all talked while Angel and I walked around and watched some kids paint a mural in the hallway.

Afterwards we went to check out Chicago Youth Boxing, but we got there so early nobody was there. Joey decided he liked the look of the place and he wanted to bring Peter Pan, so we went home and came back again later. Another post for that story tomorrow.