"Chickenman and the police have an understanding. They know who's on the side of law and order and decency and fair play for everyone." -Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance ÜÜ ÜÜ ŚÄŻŪŻ ÜßÜÜŽŽž ÜŻß ÜŻß ÜßÜÜŽŽž ŽŪŽÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄæ ³ ŻŪŻ ŻŻ Ž ŽŽ ŽŽ ŻŻ Ž ŽŪŽ ³ ³ ŻŪŻ Üž ßŪ ßŪ Üž ŽŪŽ Chickenman ³ ³ ŻŪŻ ÜŻß ŽŽ ŽŽ ÜŻß ŽŪŽ ³ ĄÄŻŪŻ ÜŻŻŻÜÜÜŻŻÜŻŻÜ ÜŻŻÜ ÜŻŻŻÜÜÜŻŻ ŽŪŽÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄŁ ßß ßß Volume I, File XV [070395] Writer: Fritz eL FREAKO WILL ALWAYS BE THE STRANGEST PERSON I HAVE EVER MET. HE WAS AT ONCE ORIGINAL AND INTELLIGENT; A PERSON POSSESSING MANY TALENTS. I FIRST MET eL FREAKO AT MY COUSIN GREGG'S HOUSE. GREGG'S SISTER KIM BROUGHT FREAKO OVER. HE WAS HER MOST RECENT BOYFRIEND, AND RIGHT OFF, EVERYONE LIKED HIM. PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS STRUCK BY FREAKO'S APPEARANCE, WITH HIS INTENSELY BRIGHT ORANGE-DYED AFRO AND THE STRANGE QUESTION-MARK TATTOO ON HIS CHEST. HE WAS ALSO MUCH TALLER THAN EVERYONE AROUND HIM, AND SO HE WAS HARD TO FORGET. I GUESS I WAS AS FASCINATED WITH HIM AS ANYONE ELSE THAT NIGHT. FREAKO SEEMED ALL AT ONCE, AFFABLE AND KIND, YET STRANGELY INTENSE. HE WAS QUITE EASY TO TALK TO, AND HE WOULD CAPTIVATE YOU WITH HIS STORIES OF FOREIGN LANDS, STRANGE MUSIC, PEOPLE OF GREAT INTELLIGENCE, AND HIS OWN MISCHIEVOUS ESCAPADES. YET THROUGH ALL OF THIS EASY BANTER, HE SEEMED TO CARRY A SENSE OF BEAUTY AND NOBILITY. FREAKO WAS LIKE A FRESH BREEZE BLOWING THROUGH OUR STALE LITTLE WORLD. PERHAPS THAT IS WHY HE HAD TO DIE. SOCIETY SELDOM TOLERATES PEOPLE LIKE THAT. IN SMALL DOSES, IT ALLOWS THE PEOPLE TO REBEL AND BREAK WITH THE NORMS, BUT THE IDEA OF TOTALLY UNRESTRICTED THOUGHT AND ACTION WILL NEVER BE TOLERATED. I WASN'T REALLY SHOCKED WHE HE WAS KILLED. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. A UNIQUE AND INNOCENT PERSON DIES BECAUSE OF HIS FELLOW MAN'S INABILITY TO ACCEPT HIM. SEE, FREAKO BEGAN HANGING OUT WITH US, AND BY THE TIME KIM HAD GROWN TIRED OF HIS OVERLY-COMPLICATED CONVERSATIONS AND MORALLY TINGED SEXUAL BELIEFS, HE HAD BECOME A CORNERSTONE OF OUR LITTLE SLICE OF SOCIETY. WE TOOK HIM WITH US TO THE CLUBS AND COFFEE SHOPS, BUT THOSE PLACES WEREN'T HIS SCENE. HE WAS ALWAYS MORE COMFORTABLE IN THE DESOLATE (AND CONSEQUENTLY DANGEROUS) PARTS OF TOWN. FREAKO LOVED NOTHING BETTER THAN TO GATHER US BY THE DOZENS AND TAKE US TO SOME GOD-FORSAKEN INDUSTRIAL PARK, TOWERS BELCHING POLLUTION AND ALL, AND JUST BEGIN TO GIVE SOME KIND OF SERMON ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HONESTY, OR THE NECESSITY OF REALIZING EMOTIONS. HE COULD SUMMON UP A HELL AND BRIMSTONE MONOLOGUE ABOUT SQUASHING A BEETLE IF HE WANTED TO. THAT IS PROBABLY WHY WE ALL DEFERRED TO HIM SO MUCH. HOW COULD ANYONE, HOW COULD WE, BE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT LIFE? IT WAS REALLY EXILLERATING TO HEAR HIM WHEN HE TALKED LIKE THAT. WE SEEMED TO HAVE PURPOSE WHEN HE WAS WITH US. AND IT WASN'T A SUBSERVIENT OR EMULATORY FEELING EITHER. IT WAS AS IF HE SHOWED US WHAT WE COULD DO IF WE LOOKED IN OURSELVES. HE WAS A HELL OF A TEACHER. WHY I DIDN'T SEE IT COMING? I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE. ME, THE CYNIC, THE SEPTIC. BEFORE HIM, I LED MY FRIENDS INTO TROUBLE AND MISCHIEF WITH DAMN NEAR NIHILISTIC GLEE. I NEVER CONSIDERED TRYING TO USE MY INTELLECT FOR ANYTHING PRODUCTIVE, BECAUSE THAT ALWAYS MEANT SOMETHING BORING. ART AND CREATING MEANT DOING THE SORTS OF THINGS THAT WERE ACCEPTABLE TO THEM. I NEVER KNEW IT COULD ABOUT THINGS THAT I FOUND INTERESTING OR BEAUTIFUL. FREAKO SHOWED ME THAT. GUESS, HE CONNECTED WITH THE PART OF ME THAT USED TO LOVE TO COLOR IN KINDERGARDEN. MY TEACHERS LATER IN LIFE, WOULD ALL REMEMBER ME AS A HELLION I SUPPOSE, BUT NOT MY FIRST TEACHER. SHE REMEMBERED ME AS AN ARTIST. WELL, I SUPPOSE I SHOULD TELL YOU HOW IT HAPPENED. SEE.. WE WERE ALL WALKING DOWN THE STREETS OF THE CITY, FREAKO IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR PACK, AND THESE REDNECK BASTARDS BEGAN SHOUTING AT US. WE WERE ALL IGNORING THEM, CONTINUING ON AND MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS, BUT FREAKO ALWAYS SEEMED TO CRAVE THE CONFRONTATION. HE GOT SOME VISCERAL THRILL OUT OF CLASHING WITS AGAINST OTHERS. HE BEGAN LAYING INTO THEM WITH A BRILLIANTLY INSIGHTFUL LINE OF THOUGHT ATTACKING THEIR ROLES IN SOCIETY. THE REDNECKS COULD NOT COMPREHEND FREAKO'S WORDS, BUT COULD FEEL THEIR SINCERITY AND FEROCIOUS CORRECTNESS. IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT THEY WOULD TRY TO JUMP HIM LATER, BUT FREAKO JUST WASN'T CONCERNED WITH HIS OWN SAFETY. HE FELT THAT IT WAS HIS DUTY TO EDUCATE AND DEFEND HIS BROTHERS FROM THE OPPRESSION OF SMALL MINDS. BEING DIFFERENT WAS HIS DUTY AND HIS GIFT, FOR NO ONE COULD EVER DO GOOD, OR SO HE FIGURED, IF THEY WERE PART OF THE FLOCK. OH, SURE THEY MIGHT BE PRODUCTIVE, AND WITH THE EFFORTS OF THE REST OF THE FLOCK, THEY WOULD KEEP THE WORLD MOVING, BUT THEY COULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO EXPAND MANKIND'S BOUNDARIES. THE FIRST BLOWS WOULD NOT COME UNTIL WE WERE FORCED TO LISTEN TO A BARRAGE OF INSULTS, MOSTLY CONCERNED WITH FREAKO'S SEXUAL PREFERENCE, AND HIS MOTHER'S BEDROOM HABITS. FREAKO, AS IF NOT EVEN HEARING THEIR INSULTS, TRIED TO PASS, BUT A BIG GUY WOULD NOT LET HIM. HE TRIED TO GO ANOTHER WAY, BUT AGAIN WAS STOPPED BY ONE OF THESE RURAL PHILISTINES. FREAKO WAS VERY TALL AND STRONG, AND MOST LIKELY COULD HAVE FORCED HIS WAY PAST, BUT HE SEEMED TO REALIZE THAT WE WERE OUTNUMBERED. IN THOSE DAYS, MY GANG NUMBERED ONLY ABOUT THIRTEEN. THE REDNECKS HAD ABOUT THAT MANY GUYS IN JUST ONE OF THE MANY PICKUP TRUCKS ARRAYED BEFORE US. SO, FREAKO JUST STOOD THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, FACING THESE PUNKS WITH A LOOK OF NOBILITY AND, IN MY OPINION, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FEAR. FREAKO WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS LIFE, AND THE LIVES OF HIS FRIENDS, THAT HE MUST HAVE BEEN VERY UPSET TO FACE A PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION OF THIS SORT. HE NEVER REALLY EXPLAINED IT TO ME, BUT YOU COULD TELL THAT HE HAD DEEP PACIFISTIC FEELINGS. I STILL LIKE TO THINK THAT IT WAS BECAUSE HE WAS TOO SENSITIVE TO EVER HARM ANOTHER PERSON. I MEAN, HE HAD NO COMPUNCTIONS ABOUT LAYING INTO SOMEBODY WITH WORDS, BUT THE THOUGHT OF ACTUALLY STRIKING AND HURTING ANOTHER, JUST, WELL, I CAN'T IMAGINE HIM EVER DOING IT THAT'S ALL. HIS MIND SEEMED TO BE FREER THAN MOST OF THE TUGGINGS OF EGO AND PRIDE. HE KNEW CONFIDENCE AND HUMILITY WELL, BETTER THAN ANY OF US. AND SO EVERYTHING HE SAID GAINED RESPECT FROM IT'S VALIDITY AND INSIGHTFULNESS. FROM ITS TRUE WORTH RATHER THAN IT'S PACKAGING. I ALSO THINK THAT HE TRULY LOVED HIS FELLOW MAN. EVEN THESE REDNECKS. HE SOUGHT NOT TO HARM THEM, BUT TO PLEAD WITH THEM TO CHANGE THEIR WAYS. I ALSO THINK THAT HE BOTH REALIZED AND THRIVED ON THE FUTILITY OF IT. HIS PASSION AROSE FROM HIS LOVE FOR THEM, AND FOR US. IF THEY WOULD HAVE ALLOWED IT, I KNOW HE WOULD HAVE GLADLY INCLUDED THEM IN THE DISCUSSION. YET HOW COULD THOSE REDNECKS APPRECIATE HIS UNIQUNESS? THEY ALL LOOKED ALIKE, THEY ALL TALKED ALIKE. THE MUSIC BLARING OUT OF THE IDENTICAL PICKUPS WAS BUT A SLIGHT VARIATION ON A THEME. THEY WERE LIKE ANTS. ADMITTEDLY, ANTS WITH ENORMOUS EGOS AND A SORT OF BACKWOODS AIR ABOUT THEM, BUT JUST AS DANGEROUS. HOW THEY ACTED COULD BE PREDICTED WITH A GREAT DEGREE OF CERTAINTY, HAD ANYONE BOTHERED TO STUDY THEIR BEHAVIOR, FOR THEY ALWAYS DID THE SAME THING. NOT ONE OF THESE YOUNG MEN COULD LOOK AT SOMEONE AS DIFFERENT AS eL FREAKO AND UNDERSTAND. THEIR BRAINS JUST WOULDN'T ALLOW IT. NOT EVEN THE SMARTER OR MORE SENSITIVE ONES, FOR THEIR FRIENDS WERE HAVING NONE OF IT, AND NEITHER COULD THEY. PEOPLE LIKE THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS, NOT SO MUCH AS INDIVIDUALS, BUT AS A COLLECTIVE. AS ONE THEY POSE LITTLE THREAT TO ANYONE EXCEPT POSSIBLY THEIR DATES. IT IS ONLY IN THESE ROVING GROUPS THAT THEY CAN EVER GROW DANGEROUS. FREAKO PROVOKING THEM WITH HIS BITING ACCUSATIONS ABOUT HUMAN NATURE AND THE NARROWING PATH THEY TROD UPON, DID NOTHING BUT INTENSIFY THE INEVITABLE CONFRONTATION. THE CORONER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS BLUNT TRAUMA TO THE HEAD. I REMEMBER THE PROSECUTOR AT BILLY MAYBURN'S TRIAL HOLDING THE TIRE IRON UP FOR THE JURY TO SEE. WE SAT THERE, IN THAT COURT WAITING FOR JUSTICE, BUT INSTEAD WATCHED AS THE BOY'S LAWYER, HIRED BY HIS FUCKING FATHER, DISMISSED THE INCIDENT AS SELF DEFENSE. "ALAN PRATCHETT WAS A TROUBLED YOUNG MAN, NEVER AT HOME, CONSTANTLY ROAMING THE STREETS, MOST LIKELY A JUNKIE. IT WAS DARK, MR. MAYBURN HERE WAS OUT HAVING FUN WITH HIS FRIEND'S AFTER A LONG WEEK AT SCHOOL, WHEN THE DECEASED APPROACHED HIM. WHAT WAS HE TO DO? WITNESSES HAVE TESTIFIED THAT THE DECEASED WAS VERBALLY ABUSIVE. HOW COULD MR. MAYBURN OR HIS THREE COMPANIONS HOPE TO STAND UP TO THIS BULLY, OR HIS GANG OF THIRTEEN?" IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG BEFORE WE GOT OURSELVES REMOVED FROM THE COURTROOM. AND SO FOUND OUT THAT FREAKO WOULD GO UNAVENGED THE NEXT DAY IN THE PAPER. WE NEVER KNEW WHY FREAKO'S PARENTS REFUSED TO SPEAK UP FOR HIM. ALL THEY COULD SAY WAS HOW HE WAS NEVER HOME, AND DRESSED AND ACTED SO STRANGELY. THEY MUST NOT HAVE TAKEN OUR TESTIMONY VERY SERIOUSLY EITHER. WE HATED IT THAT MR. MAYBURN, THE BIG DOCTOR, WAS ABLE TO SUBVERT THE TRUTH IN THAT WAY. SINCE HE COULD HIRE A BIGSHOT CITY LAWYER FOR HIS SON, JUSTICE WOULD NOT BE HEARD. FREAKO WAS BURIED IN THE CITY CEMETERY. BESIDES US, AND HIS BLANK FACED PARENTS, NO ONE WAS IN ATTENDANCE. WE COULD NOT BELIEVE THE WAY HE WAS BEING TREATED. HE WAS TWENTY TIMES THE PERSON THAT ANY OF HIS ACCUSERS OR JUDGES, WERE THE POPULACE READING THEIR SUBURBAN NEWSPAPER, COULD EVER BE. HE WAS SOMEONE SPECIAL. AN INTELLECT, A SOUL; A TRUE INDIVIDUAL IN THIS HORRIBLE TOWN. HE WAS NOT AFRAID TO STAND OUT, SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFICULT FOR MOST PEOPLE. AND IN BEING THIS WAY, HE INSPIRED US AND HELPED US TO BE LESS AFRAID. I REMEMBER HOW WE WANTED TO TELL EVERYONE. WE WANTED TO TELL THEM ABOUT WHAT FREAKO WAS REALLY LIKE, BUT I GUESS THEY THEY FELT THE SAME WAY ABOUT US TOO. AND SO HE DIED. FREAKO, AN APT NAME FOR SUCH A STRANGE PERSON. HE STOOD OUT, WAS AN INDIVIDUAL, SOMETHING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD. IN THE END THOUGH, IT JUST MADE HIM A BETTER TARGET. I HOPE THAT I CAN TRY TO LIVE UP TO WHAT HE WANTED FOR US. HIS WAY WAS KIND AND GENTLE. HIS RESPECT AND PEACE, A GOOD ALTERNATIVE TO THE TRIED AND FLAWED TRADITIONAL WAY. AND WHENEVER I FEEL SCARED OR WORTHLESS, I WILL SAY A LITTLE PRAYER FOR eL FREAKO, AND THEN MY FEAR WILL BE GONE. --------ADDENDUM IT'S BEEN SIX YEARS SINCE HIS DEATH. I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M WRITING IN THIS THING AGAIN, I JUST GUESS I FELT LIKE WORKING SOME OF THESE FEELINGS OUT OF MY SYSTEM. I HAVEN'T REALLY KEPT HIS MEMORY VERY WELL. ANY OF US. POLICE, SCHOOL, PARENTS, STREET CRIMINALS. THEY ALL WANT TO HURT US, JUST LIKE THEY DID HIM. IT'S NOT SAFE FOR US IN THIS TOWN ANY MORE. THEY ALL THINK WE'RE A BUNCH OF JUNKIE SKINHEADS, AND SO THEY HARASS US. WE CANNOT FIND PEACE, OR RESPECT FOR OUR OLD FRIEND'S MEMORY. AND SO WE HAVE BECOME WHAT WE NOW ARE. A GANG. A GANG OF THUGS WALKING THE STREETS, LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER. WE HAVE NO CHOICE REALLY. EVERYONE AT SCHOOL TRIES TO PICK FIGHTS, THE POLICE ARE CONSTANTLY STOPPING US. I SUPPOSE THAT WE JUST AREN'T MADE FROM THE SAME STUFF THAT HE WAS. LANAI'S PARENTS SHIPPED HER OFF TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL IN NEW YORK STATE, AND THEN THERE'S SID.. HE WAS ARRESTED ONE NIGHT FOR ALLEGED DRUG POSSESSION AND WAS FOUND BEATEN TO DEATH IN HIS JAIL CELL THE NEXT DAY. WHAT A LOVELY WORLD WE LIVE IN. A FEW GIRLS HANG OUT WITH US, SOME CREEPS WHO LIKE TO FEEL TOUGH, BUT OUR KIND MOSTLY. WE'VE TAKEN TO SHAVING OUR HEADS FOR THE INTIMIDATION FACTOR, AND SO THEY CALL US SKINHEADS. STUPID BASTARDS, DREW AND ALEX ARE BLACK, AND DREW THOUGHT OF THE IDEA. AT THE LEAST THEY DON'T BOTHER US SO MUCH ANYMORE, BUT WE CAN HEAR THEM WHISPER ABOUT US BEHIND OUR BACKS. AT LEAST THEY FUCKIN KNOW WHO'S IN CHARGE. WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE SHIT FROM ANYONE. NEVER AGAIN WILL ONE OF US DIE OR BE PERSECUTED FOR BEING DIFFERENT. NOT WITHOUT A FIGHT AT LEAST. SORRY FREAKO, BUT YOU WERE JUST ONE OF THE MANY VICTIMS. YOU WERE A SPECIAL PERSON; DECENT AND HONEST, BUT YOUR PHILOSOPHY JUST DOESN'T WORK. AH.. FUCK IT. THIS WAS A MISTAKE... ŚÄÄŚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄæÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄæ ³ ³ How can I ³ TNH BBS. [2112] WHQ. NUP: Woodstock. 817.346.3370. ³ ³ ³ forgive? ³ SysOp: Mephistopheles CoSysOps: Delirium, Sputnik. ³ ĄÄÄĄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄŁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄŁ [2112] Productions, All Rights Reserved.