PAGE\*MERGEFORMAT3ABrushwiththelawIhaveonlyoncebeenintroublewiththelaw.Theatprocessofbeingarrestedandtakentocourtwasaratherunpleasantexperienceatthetime,butitmakesagoodstorynow,whatmakesitratherdisturbingwasthearbitrarycircumstancebothofmyarrestandmysubsequentfateincourt.IthappenedinFebruaryabouttwelveyearsago.IhadleftschoolacoupleofmonthsbeforeandwasnotduetogotouniversitythefollowingOctober.Iwasstilllivingathomeatthetime.OnemorningIwasinRichmond,asuburbofLondonnearwhereIlivedwaslookingforatemporaryjobsothatIcouldsaveupsomemoneytogotravelling.AsitwasafinedayandIwasinnohurry,Iwastakingmytime,lookinginshoppingwindows,strollinginthepark,andsometimesjuststoppingandlookingaroundme,itmusthavebeenthisobviousaimlessnessthatledtomydownfall.Itwasabouthalfpastelevenwhenithappened.Iwasjustwalkingoutofthelocallibrary.Havingunsuccessfullysoughtemploymentthere,whenIsawamanwalkingacrosstheroadwiththeobviousintentionofwalkingtome,Ithoughthewasgoingtoaskmetime,instead,hesaidhewasapoliceandhewasarrestingme.AtfirstIthoughtitwassomekindofjoke,buttheanotherpolicemanappeared,thistimeinuniform,andIwasleftinnodoubleItturnedouttherehadbeenalotofpettytheftsinthearea,particularlythatofstealingmilkbottlesfromdoorsteps.ThenImademybigmistake.AtthetimeIwasnineteen,hadlonghair,andregardedmyselfaspartofthesixtiesyouthcounterculture.Asaresult,Iwantedtoappearcoolandunconcernedwiththeaccident,soIsaid“howlonghaveyoubeenfollowingme?”inthemostcasualandconservationtoneIcouldmanage.Ithusappearedtothemtobequietfamiliarwiththissortofsituation,anditconfirmedthemintheirbeliefthatIwasathoroughlydisreputablecharacter.Afewminuteslaterapolicecararrived.Getintheback,theysaid.Putyourhandsonthebackofthefrontseatanddon’tmovethem.Theygotinoneithersideofme,itwasn’tfunnyanymore,Atthepolicestationtheyquestionedmeforseveralhours.Icontinuedtotrytolookworldlyandunfaitwiththestation.WhentheyaskedmewhatIhadbeendoing,Ihadtheml’dbeenlookingforajob,aha,IcouldseethemthinkingunemploymentEventually,Iwasoff