Beaten but not Down

   BEATEN BUT NOT DOWN
   By RICK KURTIS
     He woke up again from a violent dream and sat at the edge of the bed at four in
the morning. “Is this another dream to come true?” He thought to himself while he looked down
at his dried bloody knuckles. He held his hand thinking briefly. “How did, what
happened?” In a flash, it came back to him. “Oh yes, I remember.” He wiped the sleep
from his face and wondered what the day would bring. The man proceeded to get ready and
then wiped the dried blood off the side of his nightstand.

   All day, his heart was pounding, pumping blood through his veins. His teeth were
clinched, so wanting to speak of the pain and betrayal that he was enduring. He saw,
the once love of his life on the other side of the courtroom, wondering how could she do
this. Not only to him but to their children. How could she use them as pawns like
that? How can she lie straight to the Judges’ face? The man laughed in his head.
“The court, the lawyers, it's all an elaborate game. How surreal can they get? No
concern about the well-being of the children. The judge and the attorneys go fishing together.
They go to NASCAR. Little click groups of who likes whom.”
     The Judge asked, "Do you understand?"
     The man replied, "I have shown you point-blank that she is a liar. I have given you
documented proof of her fraud and deceit to this court. Facts do not cease to exist, just
because you choose to ignore them.”
     There was so much more that he wanted to say, but held his respect for the court.
Even though he knew the judge was corrupt. So much so, that he filed complaints to the
ethics committee, showing documented proof of favoritism, ex parte, and unethical court
practices. The ethics committee however, found nothing wrong with his actions.
Even Channel 13 didn't want to touch the story, after finding out it was the family
court system, for so many of them were dealing with the same issues.
     The Judge replied after looking over all the papers and listening to the man’s
statement. "I appreciate your candor, but my order stands. I have too many other cases
on my desk, next case.”
     The man bit his tongue, wanting so much to voice his opinion. He glared at the
Judge, thinking. (He appreciates my honesty, in a court of law. Yet, what he is really
saying is, “I don't like you. I don't like you questioning my authority without an attorney.
Besides, I have a lunch date with her attorney, so buzz off, puny human”.)
     The man tightened his grip on the arms of his chair and swallowed the garbage that the
Judge was dishing out.
     While time past and the court dates were winding down, even the bailiff was on a
first name basis with the man and apologized for putting on the handcuffs.
     He couldn't believe his own ears regarding what the Judge said as he took the man down
to the holding cell for the third time.
     The man had given up trying. He didn’t feel any more. He realized that the whole system
was a joke. His children were lost, brainwashed by the mother.
     One reason for the slowing down was due to the lack of money for the attorneys. The
man gave in and forged on, trying to stay in the kids’ lives. By this time, they were too far
poisoned, so the best thing he thought of doing was to distance himself, to keep them out of the
line of fire. He also stopped firing back and ignored the bullets and bombs exploding over him.
     The man had become numb and continued on with his life.
     While time continued, the man saw a saying on a calendar. (Life gives us only time
and space. It is up to us to use the time wisely and fill the space with happiness.) He
lives by that rule and finds a connection with someone who understands. Someone who
was by his side, one hundred percent.
     Years later, he sat back and laughed about it. How absurd the whole
situation was and still is for many others. He picked up the morning newspaper and
chuckled to himself, reading the headlines. (Judge indicted for $4 million fraud).
Guess who it is?
     They say that time heals all wounds. Really it doesn't. It just hides them, putting
them in the back of your mind. They lie dormant, but never collect dust.
     People say forgive and forget. If he did, he would feel it’s okay, do it to me
again. The man remembered and kept it in his claw. It still burns. It still bites, reminding
him not to repeat.