Chapters 10 & 11

THESE CHAPTERS ARE CRAZY.

In chapter 10 Ma takes Seamus and Stevie and moves to Colorado. She thinks it will be a better life for them, and uproots them though they really don’t want to go. So it is only MacDonald and his brother Johnnie in the apartment in Southie, though MacDonald is still sleeping around at friends houses in Boston because he doesn’t want to be in that atmosphere. Eventually the boys, Seamus and Stevie want to come home for a visit and that is when all Hell breaks loose.

Upon the arrival of the boys, Stevie was hanging out with his best friend one day and they were looking at his dads gun, when his friend Tommy accidentally shot himself. Stevie wasn’t in the room when it happened, he was in the room next to it, however the police did such a shitty interrogation and charged this 12 year old (I believe he is 12) boy with the murder of his best friend. This book I can honestly say is the only book that has ever made me cry. The devastation and injustice in this book is overwhelming. None of the evidence even matches what they need to charge the kid and he is charged anyway. It’s almost unbelievable the liberties these cops take upon themselves. They are real scum bags, but I have witnessed plenty of cops doing a lot of shady things, and there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it, you feel helpless. The people that are the only ones who can help you, are also the ones deceiving you.  Steven was charged with murder, but the story he gives makes him sound completely innocent. However the police don’t follow up on anything he says, and they don’t investigate any clues that could positively eliminate Steven from the crime, and even when they get the chance to they just ignore it, or pretend that it’s not enough evidence to dismiss the case.

Eventually the cops said they had a tape that could prove Steven was guilty, but when the tape came out it was a complete lie. They had nothing. During Stevens trials, their grandfather dies, but everyone stays strong and Stevens case is dismissed. It is a truly unreal story. I would highly recommend this book because every single page you think to yourself “this cant be true” but it IS! And it’s amazing that someone made it out of that situation a success.

Anyway, the next chapters go on to talk about how MacDonald becomes a huge non-violence activists. He gets people to hand in guns and take action against violence all around Boston. The end of the book comes with MacDonald in a church on “All Souls” night. A night where people say the names of their loved ones who have been lost to violence or drugs, etc, and he says the names of his four brothers that have been lost “Kevin, Frankie, Davey, and Patrick” – It is one of the most moving, informative, and beautifully sad books I have ever read. It wasn’t my first choice, but I’m glad I ended up reading this one.