ATTN: Public Service Announcement

There was this fellar once who really wasn't a bad guy. Sure, he broke the law, hung around with 'undeseriables', and profited from the misery of others, but his intentions were noble and never self serving.

One day, this young guy gets a knock on the door. Guys in uniforms an suits want to talk to him about a murder, drugs, and organized crime. This young buck, he was no 'racketeer', he was no sort of 'crime boss'; he was just a kid that chose the wrong way to pay his bills. He wasn't wearing designer clothing, drving luxury cars, or flaunting expensive jewelery. No, instead, he was trying to pay for a college tuition and save money to move out of his parents home so he could start his own life. Very little would separate this person from any other hard working inividual except for the fact he delved into a shady and mysterious world.

These men that came for this guy, they talked to him for a loooooong time. They told him he'd go to prison for a very long time b/c he commited a murder. The young fellar pleaded with the men that he wasn't involved. But the men, they didn't listen. They knew this young man provided a product to the deceased. They surmised circumstances around the product led to someones death. In the end, they were right and they had the facts...but they were missing things and people. The facts were out of order and pieces weren't attributed to the correct parties.

The men, they talked and talked, and asked questions. This young guy told them the truth and even implicated himself (in other crimes) but the men wouldn't listen. They let the young guy go, but he would soon notice individuals who appeared to 'watch' home and show up at places where they shouldn't. Eventually, the 'watchers' disappeared and the lovely men let the young guy off the hook...they had found what they were after, they found who they were after. But this young guy...he risked so much and for so little in return. He experienced so much stress, discomfort. disruption...for what? Why? The young guy followed the case and would come to find it was driven by an informant. Someone who knew a little bit of nothing but talked a lot. To better his own circumstances, he used what he knew about this young man to create a elaborate story. This story would come to intrigue police and made so much sense that they had no choice but to believe it. Only to find that the story was true but they had not accounted for all the characters.

The point in this...out of your mouth please keep my name. There's been some 'back channel' noise which has been incorrectly attributed to my name. I'm probably a conglomerate of most folks here...I came here to find some hookups, I came here to hang out and converse with fellow smokers, I came to learn. And like 99.999999999% of the people here, I also value my privacy and anyone I associate with. So...

...if you're one of the ones speaking my name out of turn, please don't. I'm a friendly guy and will try to help anyone. But that comes with trust, rules, and a protocol that must be respected. Don't use me or anyone else as a 'shortcut'...

...and if you're someone I've connected with. No worries. Just making things clear. I value anyone that might have come forward to assist me and our relationship is secure.

To anyone else, sorry about the ugliness. You newbs realize that this is a trust and respect thing. The community only exists by those that keep it and its members safe. You never know who you endanger when you speak about something you don't know. That kid up there...that was me. My whole life turned upside down b/c someone wanted to score off me. Living day to day and just trying to make a living...and I get fucked in the game.

Respect this and respect what it's about...

some will do just about anything it seems to get the heat off of them Calhoun...others are just plain stupid..hope everything turns out alright for u

I've been in a similar situation. Best of luck.

<3

Thanks. Just a little clarification: That story up there was something that happened to my a very long time ago...in another life. I was using it to make a point that there's some people throwing around peoples names out there when they shouldn't. WHen people speak on things they don't know about, you never know who or what you're risking. I got caught up in a murder rap b/c someone knew I associated with some people and they were trying to better their own legal situation. In the instance here, I have friends that are getting bombarded by people claiming to know me or claiming I guided them in a certain direction. So just a friendly reminder to everyone (well, the newbs) that we all know what you're going through and we know what it's like to be dry. But damn, most of us paid our dues like people that came before us. So sit back...relax...wait...your time will come...but not off of someone elses rep!