"'Every time they take one of ours, it's tax season,' Jason continued. 'Time to hit the streets. I'm done with the peaceful marching. I'm robbing and looting from now on and I'll use that bread to build up the neighborhood, on some real Robin Hood type shit.'"
Cooper, one of the narrators of Nick Brooks' Up In Smoke, is not down with robbing and looting. But he has deep loyalty to Jason who has been like a big brother to him. So when Jason decides to use a protest as a cover for a looting spree Cooper participates very reluctantly.
"This all started last weekend, the match that lit the fuse, when a kid named Samir was killed by a plainclothes cop. He was only fourteen, just a couple years younger than me. The craziest part was I knew Samir. He went to my high school and lived around the way. He was a quiet kid, not even a troublemaker like that."
Mo, the other narrator, is Jason's blood little sister. She and Cooper are long time BFFs who are secretly crushing on each other. She actually organized the protest and is angry that some people are using it as a cover for robbing and looting, making it easy for cops to spin the narrative to suit their purposes.
"We froze for a hair of a second because we all knew what that sound was.
Gunshots.
Everyone erupted into absolute pandemonium, screaming, ducking down, and running every which direction."
A woman has been shot. Jason is the sole suspect. Cooper and Mo know that the cops are intent on making sure he's convicted. They're equally intent on clearing his name and securing his freedom...
...which is going to be super daunting...
...especially since Cooper is also intent on keeping Mo in the dark about his role in the looting.
On a purrrsonal note, yesterday Eugene and I went to Amber and Brian's house for a birthday lunch in their backyard. Brian's mom was there too. The food was delicious, the conversation convivial. A most enjoyable afternoon. The weather was purrrfect--sunny and breezy. The leaves in this part of Maine have really started to turn--more jewel toned reds, yellow, and oranges. Fall foliage is one of the most beautiful seasons in Maine, even though it heralds the grim approach of winter. Today I'm spending as much time as I can outside. My flowers are having a pollinators happy hour.
A great big shout out goes out to Amber and Brian, our family's hosts with the most.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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