Oh good LORD!

So when I was in elementary school, there was this kid named Tyler Holmes that was one of my friends. He had an awful home life, super-deadbeat parents, was always kind of dirty...the whole nine yards of badness for a kid. But he was a sweet boy and my parents liked him and tried to help him out with stuff once in a while. Tyler and I were in class together most years I was at Elmer (I think Justin can verify that). I think in fourth grade, Tyler gave me this necklace on Valentine's day-- he came to my house, I can remember him giving it to me on the porch. I don't remember much about it other than that, except that I was utterly bewildered/terrified of the whole idea and I gave it back to him. My mom thinks this story is hilarious.

Anyway, Tyler never made it to high school and we sort of lost track of him, though Regina and I would occasionally wonder what happened to him. Then, about two years ago, some crazy dude tried to snatch a kid off a lawn on Elmer Avenue, failed, got chased by the cops, and finished said chase by climbing onto the roof of the President's house on the Union campus. (At the time, that was Roberto's house....insane.) Needless to say, the coppers got 'im and locked 'im up. Needless to say, this crazy dude was Tyler. Gina and I jokingly contemplated visiting him in jail, but again, needless to say...never did.

Two days ago my mom sent me a clipping from the Gazette with the following note attached: "Looks like he was out of jail for a while, anyway!"

MAN FACES CHARGE OF POSSESSION
OF ILLEGAL SHOTGUN
SCHENECTADY--A local man faces a felony weapons charge for allegedly possessing a shotgun. Police on Saturday responded to 839 Eastern Avenue for a report of a man with a shotgun. The man left the scene and went to Park Avenue.
Police spokesman Lt. Brian Kilcullen said officers found Tyler Joseph Holmes, 22, of Eastern Avenue with a shotgun with the barrel cut by 17 inches and the stock cut down for the purposes of concealment.
Holmes was charged with felony third-degree crininal possession of a concealed weappon, misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon after having been convicted of a felony and a violation offense of unlawful possession of marijuana.

Welcome back to the game, Tyler! Seriously?