criminals

Folks,

Before grew into the fine, upstanding degenerate you know and love, I spent some time in a bit of a mess.

Those that know me know the specifics, and will appreciate why I don't go into too much detail here, but suffice to say, the calamitous events of one mad evening were probably only a matter of time.

I was hauled up before the beak. Picked up by the fuzz. I came quietly, and submitted meekly to due process.

I got 80 hours of community service. My penance included washing dishes at an old people's home, removing graffiti, and trimming the hedge of an old lady, who lacked the mobilty or motivation to do so for herself.

I could of course have breached the arrangement, and would eventually have spent time in the clink. As things worked out, I was too messed up to keep my job, despite it being a lenient nationalised institution, and at that point I was on the dole. Either way, I'd have been dependent upon the state for my sustenence.

It took a few years, but eventually, the slide became a climb, and at some point, I went from being a burden on society to a useful contributor.

The reason I turned from a negative to a positive was because of the support of the State. They offered free mental health care, with the help and support of dedicated staff. They provided me with a place to live, and paid my rent, so that while I was vulnerable, I wasn't actually destitute. They provided a ladder for me to climb, when I was ready to climb it.