Dear Avery,
I know we
haven’t talked in a while, and I’m sorry about that. After everything that
happened, I’ve been trying to take a minute and figure out what I should be
doing with my life. One of the things I decided I wanted to do is let you know
how grateful I am to you for all you did for me.
When I got
arrested and my bail was posted, my life kind of came into focus right then. It
was like time slowed and warped around me and I saw what an idiot I had been. That
bail amount seemed like a lot of money. I knew there wasn’t anyone that thought
enough about me to help me with the cost. I thought about the people I should
be able to make that phone call to, but couldn’t. I knew there were agencies
that could help me, but I was overwhelmed and scared. I thought of you and how
you might pick up that phone. I called you and you called that bail bond agent
and got everything straightened out even though we hadn’t talked in months. I
didn’t even know what a bail bond agent was, and I know my mom and dad, or anyone else, wouldn’t have. You were the
right person to call.
After you
met with the bail bond agent and got the payment all straightened out, you came
and got me and explained to me how it all worked. The agency accepted a small
fee for collateral. At the time, you didn’t tell me how much it was; you just
said it was taken care of. Now I know it was ten percent – twenty five hundred
bucks. You told me the agency would pay the rest of my bail as long as I made
my court dates. I remember picturing some muscular bounty hunter coming after
me, pulling me out of bed and shoving shoes on my feet. It seemed silly then,
until it was you doing that.
With the
agency sniffing down my neck and you checking up on me, I thought, “I can do
this.” But my moment of clarity passed, and with each date I almost missed, I
felt more and more guilty for how much you were doing for me. It was
detrimental, and kept me from getting there and doing what I had to do. You did
it for me instead.
When it was
all over and the bail bonds agent was paid – when he was out of our lives – it
was just you, me, and what I owed you, and the life I had to pick up in pieces.
I’m sorry I left without paying you back. I was scared. I felt guilty. I didn’t
know how much you had paid that agent, and I told myself it must not have been
too much.
Since then,
however, I’ve done a bit of research. I’ve learned more about consequences of
my actions, and the increasing amounts of bail money and jail time if I don’t
change my ways. Slowly, I’ve scared myself into getting a job and getting help.
I called my parents. Now I’m writing you. Enclosed is a third of the money you
paid the bonds agent. I was lucky. I got off lucky. And I’m lucky you answered
the phone that night and took a chance on me. I’m lucky you kept the bonds
agency off my back. I’m just plain lucky.
Hopefully we cross paths again,
John
By the way, how did you know about bail bond agencies? Any
experience, or did you figure it out then to help me? http://rushbailbonds.net/birmingham-al/24-bail/
