To the editor:
Let me tell you about my friend Tony. I didn’t grow up with him. In fact, I haven’t known him very long at all. We’re friends now because I admire him not only for his honesty, but also for his courage. When I first met him at the public library in Presque Isle, he surprised me by telling me he had gotten kicked out of school. I thought this was odd, because there was nothing in his tone or his demeanor that told me he had done anything worthy of suspension or expulsion. He wasn’t rude, he wasn’t violent and even though he was honest about his expulsion from school, he wasn’t proud of it. This was an intelligent and hard-working teenager. He wasn’t out to harm anyone, which was obvious.
As soon as I heard the story about the bomb threat at Presque Isle High, I immediately started thinking back to my teenage years. I remembered people who should have been kicked out of school, but never were. These kids were loud, disruptive, vulgar and mouthy. And, worse of all, the rest of us had to put up with them all year long for four years. Then, there were those who did their best to stay out of trouble, but still took the rap for those who caused trouble. I’m well acquainted with situations like that and I recognize a frame-up when I see one. This guy had definitely been framed and I knew it.
Is Tony a saint? Is he a perfect little boy? Well, he’s not a little boy anymore and I’m sure he’s not always innocent. He seems like the type of guy who, once he gets to know you and like you, doesn’t mind teasing you and playing a few harmless pranks — but harmless is the key word. He’s not mean, he’s not dangerous, he’s not messed up in the head and he doesn’t do bomb threats. He’s a smart, polite, hard-working young guy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got punished for it. I know this, as do his parents, his teachers and the librarian. The guilty party has yet to be punished.
A lot of people have probably passed judgment on Tony, because after hearing about the bomb threat, they probably believed those who did the finger pointing. Human nature has a nasty side to it and the juicier the gossip, the more a lot of people want to believe it. I’m not a big fan of gossip, though, and I’m not quick to believe rumors. As sure as I believe in God (and I do!) I believe that the person (or people) guilty of the crime will have to answer for it. Maybe not right now, but it’s only a matter of time.
Hang in there Tony, and don’t give up on yourself. You’re fighting an uphill battle right now, but you’re doing a good job and you’ve got a lot going for you. Also, I hope your folks read this, because I want them to know that somebody out there is very proud to be friends with their son. Come see me sometime while I’m working Bingo. Being seen publicly with you won’t embarrass me a bit.
Presque Isle
