02/23/01

Phebe got to go in with the lawyer to see Rocky for a few minutes. I had to stay with the baby. I wrote Rocky a letter, told him to hang in there. Turns out the guy Rocky killed has no history of violence. He was in on burglary charges too. I’m thinking this might make it harder for Rocky to argue self-defense than if the guy had a known history of violent crime. Apparently Rocky told the lawyer about me forewarning him about getting jumped in jail. The lawyer later called me and asked me more about it.

Phebe flipped out when she heard about the whole thing.

What, your son’s life isn’t worth a thousand dollars? She says. Why didn’t you talk to me about getting the money? Now we have to worry about Rocky spending the rest of his life in jail---being known as a murderer.

If you paid that guy once, there would never be an end to it, I reply. He’d be back every month for more. And he wouldn’t stop until he had every last penny of ours.

There’s no arguing with her.