POWER

THE ULTIMATE DRUG

Early in the evening, "TT Tina" and I made pickups from the Mau'i Prince Hotel, following the luau, and delivered our passengers to Kamaole Sands, a condo complex in the southern end of Kihei. Her pickup was about 10 minutes ahead of mine. When she made her drop, the properties security guard gave her a scolding for driving too fast on the small, private street that meanders through the grounds. Tina is a very safe and reasonable driver. I have never seen her speed and/or operate a vehicle in a reckless manner. A short while later I enter that same street and this same security guard yells at me to slow down. I look at my speed-o-meter and it reads 8mph (13kph). I ignore her and proceed to the drop location within the complex. Two passengers will be getting out there and the other two will be dropped just around the corner at Keonekai Village, which abuts Kamaole Sands on the east. Pull up to building #8 and as the first two people are alighting, a golf cart labeled "Security" pulls across my path, blocking my way. The female rent-a-cop starts chewing me out for speeding. I look at her and ask, "Are you a police officer?"

"No, I am THE security guard!"

"Well, if you ain't a cop, then whatever you have to say is of no interest to me."

I put ONE-NINE into reverse and then proceeded around her, making a "Y" turn in a parking stall. She runs up to my front passenger window and starts yelling across my passenger at me. I look at her, wave and say< "Aloha." The two ladies in the cab start laughing. "Nothing bothers you, does it?" One queried. "Not really." I replied.

Flash forward about 6 hours. "TT Tina", "TMR Alex" and I are parked at FoodLand when a police car pulls up next to us. The officer exits his vehicle and approaches me. "I need to talk to you."

"Let me guess. You have a complaint from a wanna-be-cop at Kam Sands."

"Yeah. She says you were speeding."

"Do you call 8mph, speeding?"

"She said you were going faster than that."

"She's wrong"

"Do you have a drivers license?"

"Yes."

Pregnant silence. About 30 seconds long.

"May I see it?"

I hand him my license and he begins perfunctorily transcribing the info.

"Is this your correct address?"

"No."

Another protracted period of silence.

"What is your correct address?"

I tell him.

"What is your home phone number?"

"I don't have one"

The silence is deafening as I await his next question.

"Do you have a cell phone?"

"Yes."

And the silence drags on.

"What is the number?"

I tell him.

"Are you 5'-8"?"

"Sometimes."

"Well, how tall are you?"

"Whatever it says on my license."

Totally frustrated in his attempt to cower me he changes tactics.

"The security guard doesn't want you to ever go on that property again. No pickups. No drop-offs. If you do she'll arrest you for trespassing."

"No, she won't."

"Huh?"

"The law states that for me to be charged with trespassing, I have to willing violate an order given either verbally or in writing by a representative of that property. No one associated with Kamaole Sands has told me that I am not allowed there and until I am so informed, I will continue to conduct business as usual."

"But I just told you."

"Are you acting as a proxy representative of Kamaole Sands? Are you doing this while 'on-duty'? If so, then your actions are an abuse of your position and can be considered as both criminal and civil abuse of the 'color of authority'."

"Who is your supervisor?"

"I don't have one."

"The cab is registered to Art Pidot."

"That is correct."

"He owns the company?"

"That is correct."

"You don't work for him?"

"No."

"What are you, some sort of independent contractor?"

"That is correct. Will there be anything else or are we done?"

He stood there for about 45 seconds just looking at me.

"Thank you, Mr. Kyle."

"Oh, just call me Wil."

He returned to his patrol car and left. Alex and Tine broke into laughter. Alex said, "Nothing ever phases you, does it?"

"Not really. He was young and didn't really control this contact very well. His interview technique needs a lot of work. He is used to asking a question and having people start babbling all kinds of shit. I just answered the EXACT question that he asked and then stopped. I doubt if anyone has ever done that to him before. They really shouldn't send an amateur to play a professionals game."

The rest of the night was basically just normal routine.

---

HULA

---

LIFE, OUT OF THE "FAST" LANE

---

"ICE "

In response to comments made on yesterday's post.

If it hasn't already arrived in your neck of the woods, it'll be coming soon.

"ice" is the street name for smakable crystal meth. It originated about five years ago in Hawai'i and is very easily produced by processing the "over-the-counter" cold/sinus/allergy medicine, SUDAFED. About three years ago it began appearing on the "west coast" of the US , and showed up on the "east coast" shortly after that. It is slowly but surely working its way into America's "heartland". This past year it made landfall in Sydney, Australia.

The transformation of SUDAFED to "ICE" is very simple and does not tequire volitle chemicals, such as "crack" (smokable cocaine) does.

The drug is not really physically addicting (like heroin) but its harm comes from the psychological addiction. It stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain and releases massive amounts of endorphines.

Street value is very inexpensive (about $5 a "hit") but the "high" only last a few moments. To get that "rush" again, you have to have another "hit". And then another, and another, ad nauseum. Doesn't take long to go through you savings, the kids trust funds and college plans. Eating becomes rare, since the addict would rather have another "hit" than spend money on food, either for themselves or their families. It doesn't take long before they've lost their jobs, their possessions and their housing.

The hunger for gratification is constant. Lets face it, the body just loves that wonderful rush of endorphines. It makes all your troubles just disappear. Once the addict has reached the point where they have nothing of value to sell then they only have two choices left. Larceny/robbery or their bodies. You are all adult enough to know that personal pride is gone by then and besides, just another "hit" will stifle any guilt that they have left. Emaciation and physical abuse are the late stages, until the body just withers and dies.

I know that some of my guests have told me that it is just now appearing in London. The rest of the UK and Europe will see it very, very soon.

The police, everywhere, have understated how pervasive this drug is in their communities. Politicians are ignoring it and few newspapers are doing the necessary follow-up to inform the public.

So I guess all I can say is "Take Heed."



Later.....

Wil
=8^))
"Let's all be careful out there!"