January 26, 2010 started out as an ordinary day. I went online for a bit, talked to a couple of my friends on my phone, and arranged to meet this woman my age that I've been talking to online. Her house is in Great Kills, Staten Island--a neighborhood I'm extremely familiar with having been there countless times over the course of my life. Before anyone asks, "Did you two fuck?" or "Did she suck your tasty gargantuan dick?" the answer to both questions is no, although I wish I could say yes to both.

I left my Queens apartment in the afternoon. Normally, I use ordinary MetroCards to get around NYC, but I also remembered that it was Regents week for high schools all across New York State, so high schoolers who don't have any exams to take were just enjoying days off. My brother offered me his Student MetroCard to use for the day because he had no exams (as is the case with most seniors) and no plans to go anywhere. I knew there was a risk of getting caught using it, especially considering my age, but I reluctantly accepted his offer anyway.

Anyway, fast forwarding a bit...

I was on my way back home to Queens in the evening and swiped the Student MetroCard at one of the exit turnstiles at the St. George train station (St. George and Tompkinsville are the only stations where you actually have to swipe your card in order to both enter and exit the system). I was in the middle of a pretty big crowd, so I didn't think I would stand out. Very shortly after that, a tall, bald MTA police officer with a keen eye stopped me. I have a very strong recollection of our exchanges that evening.

Officer: "Excuse me, where do you go to high school?"
Me: *silent*
Officer (in a louder, more commanding voice): "Excuse me, sir, where do you go to high school?"
Me: "I don't go to high school."
Officer: "You don't go to high school. Okay. Sir, may I please see your ID?"

So I reached into my pocket and took my ID out on the officer's request, as well as the MetroCard.

Officer: "Do you have any weapons or drugs on you?"
Me: "No."

Just to make sure, another officer (his partner) emerged from his little hiding spot and frisked me, but only searched my jacket. The original officer who stopped me then hands his partner my ID and the Student MetroCard I used, and then proceeded to write two summonses in a small room while I waited outside.

While I was waiting under the supervision of the officer, he explains to me, "You're going to receive two summonses. One for improper use of the MetroCard, and another for not paying the fare." Then again while we were waiting, he asked me, "Are you sure you don't have any weapons or drugs on you?" I said, "Yes, I'm 100% positive that I don't have any weapons or drugs on me."

After a while of waiting, the cop handed me my ID along with the two pink summonses. The first one was for "Nonpayment of Fare" and the second one was for "Improper Use of Fare Media." I examined them, then asked the cop, "What about the Student MetroCard? Don't I get that back too?" He replies, "No--that gets confiscated and returned to the Board of Ed."

Oh fucking well.

In any case, this is my first (and hopefully last) interaction with the criminal justice system. Since I wasn't even fingerprinted and these are both violations, none of this will show up on my criminal record. My court date is set for March 26th (exactly two months after the original incident) at Richmond County Criminal Court in Stapleton, and I have to be there by 9:30 AM and then sit around waiting for my name to be called. If I don't appear, the judge can issue a bench warrant. These are pretty small violations, so I don't even need a lawyer. Still, the maximum fine runs up to around $200. I'm pissed the fuck off over all of this, but I just plan on explaining to the judge that I'm sorry and also that I'm indigent, hoping that all (or a large part) of the fine will be waived.

I'm really not looking forward to going to court at all, but after it's all over regardless of the outcome, I'm probably going to spend the remainder of my day on Staten Island and maybe get a few things at the mall.

Here's a pic of my summonses, though I don't think any of any of the writing is readable.