The Second Doublewide on the Right, part 89
I’m Fixin’ To present part 89 of The Second Doublewide on the Right:
After Judge Thurston J. Garfield, III, inquired of Attorney D. Walter Waddell (Slick), if he had any evidence whether or not the state of Arkansas desired to have Reverend Ricky Lee Jones returned to their jurisdiction, Slick turned to the Ocmulgee County Sheriff, who was leaning against the wall in the waiting area, and motioned for him to approach the bench.
When the sheriff arrived Slick responded to the judge. “The sheriff can verify that the state of Arkansas is most anxious to have my client back there in order to prosecute the charge of bigamy against him. I would also like to remind your honor that in Arkansas that charge is a class C felony, punishable by as much as five years and fines up to five thousand dollars.”
The judge lowered his hand, looked down hard at Slick and said harshly, “I don’t need you to tell me the law, sir!” Then he turned to the sheriff and asked him if he could verify the claims of the councilor.
“Yes, I can, your honor,” the sheriff informed him, “I have spoken to my counterpart over there and he is prepared to dispatch one of his deputies to transport the prisoner back to his county as soon as I furnish him a signed copy of the extradition papers.”
Slick knew he had them when he saw the judge steal a glance at the prosecutor, who gave him a little nod.
Then the judge began to make notes on the file in front of him. Finally, he looked up and said, “Here’s my decision, councilor. I’m going to instruct the prosecutor to nolle pross the charge of theft by receiving as soon as your client has been extradited from the state.”
He paused, made another note on the file, looked back up and said with relish, “I’m also adding a stipulation that your client is hereby banned from Ocmulgee County, Georgia!”
The old goat had to get the last lick in, Slick thought. But he knew it was the best deal he could get, so he nodded in agreement.
The reverend looked pretty glum as they left the bench, but before the bailiff could take him back to the holding room Slick told him, “Listen, reverend, we accomplished what we proposed except that little bit about banishment. I’ll deal with that if we need to in the future. Also, I’ll see that the extradition papers are prepared promptly so you won’t have to linger in jail. Do you have an attorney over in Arkansas whom I can contact for you?”
No, sir, but before I leave the state I need your help on a property matter,” the reverend said as the bailiff grew impatient and indicated that they should move along.
“All you have to do is ask,” Slick reassured him.
There is some property which I own right here in the county and I need to make some arrangements prior to being sent back to Arkansas.”
“Fine, I’ll set some time aside for tomorrow when the extradition papers are delivered, and we’ll take care of your property interests at the same time.”
At that time the bailiff delivered the reverend back into the custody of a detention officer who escorted him back to the prisoners’ waiting room, where he immediately fell to his knees and began to pray. During his lamentations some of the other prisoners began to snicker, but the rattling’s of Quantavious and Jimmy Ray’s chains, along with some threatening looks, quieted them down real quick.
That night, back in the Ocmulgee County Jail, Reverend Ricky Lee Jones turned on his bunk with his back to the world and was momentarily comforted when he read the faint scribbling of a rhyme which some tortured soul before him had scratched into the cement block wall. It read:
Roses love sunshine, violets love dew
Angels in heaven know I love you
Send me a letter, send it by mail
Send it in care of the Ocmulgee jail
Just as he drifted off to sleep, he wondered if the Arkansas Jail was fixin’ to be much different from the Georgia Jail.
(www.teddunagan.com)