I Don't Call the Police - Shannon Cason's Homemade

Summary

Shannon Cason's Homemade: Episode Summary – "I Don't Call the Police"

Release Date: August 2, 2024

In the episode titled "I Don't Call the Police," Shannon Cason delves into the complexities of community, trust, and the fine line between helping others and protecting one's own family. Through a poignant personal narrative, Shannon explores the repercussions of not involving law enforcement in neighborhood conflicts and the internal struggles that arise from such decisions.

Introduction: The Triggering Incident

The episode opens with Shannon reflecting on the frequency of tragic police-related events that dominate national headlines, expressing personal fatigue and emotional turmoil over these occurrences.

“[00:50] Shannon Cason: It feels like every three months or so there's an atrocious police shooting that happens and it hits the national news and it takes everyone on this roller coaster of emotions.”

Despite the pervasive media coverage, Shannon shifts focus from the shootings themselves to the underlying importance of understanding and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds.

Building Community: Moving Neighbors and Initial Interactions

Shannon recounts the arrival of a new family into their Chicago three-flat building. The family, coming from a shelter, includes parents and a two-year-old daughter named Ashley. Initial interactions are warm and neighborly, with Shannon offering assistance and fostering a sense of community.

“[02:15] Shannon Cason: The father said they were moving from the shelter down the street and were happy to have a place to call home. I told him, I know how it is, man. If you need anything, just give a knock upstairs.”

These early moments highlight the potential for building meaningful relationships within a diverse neighborhood, emphasizing generosity and empathy.

The Descent: Signs of Struggle and Addiction

As time progresses, Shannon observes unsettling changes in the new family’s behavior. The father, Jesse, begins to associate frequently with individuals from a nearby corner store known for drug-related activities. The mother and Shannon experience repeated solicitations for money and diapers, raising red flags about the family's stability and possible substance abuse issues.

“[08:40] Shannon Cason: I know, like, if you're not from a certain area, it's best just to keep your eyes open. Go unseen. They ignore me. I ain't got nothing to do with what they're doing.”

Shannon grapples with a personal history of addiction, fostering a sense of compassion yet also wariness about the family's situation.

Conflict: Deciding Whether to Involve the Police

The tension escalates when Shannon's wife, Cindy, witnesses drug sales near their home. Frustration mounts as conflicts arise between maintaining neighborhood peace and the fear of police intervention leading to potential retaliation.

“[17:25] Shannon Cason: If you go out in public in any way, you should do this. Get out of your comfort zone.”

Shannon internally debates calling the police, aware of the distrust and possible dangers associated with law enforcement involvement in their community.

Climax: Police Raid and Personal Consequences

One night, the situation reaches a boiling point when the police forcibly enter Shannon’s home, disrupting his family’s life. The raid leads to the arrest of his neighbors, including Jesse and his family, culminating in Shannon being implicated and arrested despite his non-involvement.

“[24:10] Shannon Cason: I don't call the police. I just don't call them. I don't trust them.”

The emotional weight of seeing his daughters separated from their neighbor Ashley and witnessing the chaos firsthand underscores the gravity of his decision to avoid involving law enforcement.

Resolution: Reflection and Lingering Doubts

In the aftermath, Shannon notices a temporary cessation of the problematic behaviors in the neighborhood. However, the return of the family and the lingering presence of former associates leave him contemplating the effectiveness of his choices.

“[33:50] Shannon Cason: I don't know if that's really true. I get to my place and I hear the landlord downstairs … take care of that little girl. That's the most important thing.”

Shannon resolves to acknowledge the necessity of intervention when it comes to the well-being of children, signaling a shift in his long-held stance against involving the police.

Conclusion: Lessons Learned and Moving Forward

Reflecting on the experience a decade later, Shannon emphasizes the vital importance of community support, understanding, and the willingness to act in the best interest of vulnerable members, even when it involves uncomfortable decisions.

“[42:30] Shannon Cason: If you need anything, just give me a call. Anything.”

The episode serves as a heartfelt examination of the delicate balance between personal safety, community responsibility, and the impact of one's choices on the lives of others.

Key Takeaways

Community Engagement: Building genuine relationships across diverse backgrounds fosters empathy and understanding.
Trust and Vigilance: Being aware of neighborhood dynamics is crucial, especially in areas prone to substance abuse and violence.
Personal Responsibility: Balancing personal safety with the responsibility to assist others can lead to challenging moral dilemmas.
Impact of Decisions: Choices regarding law enforcement involvement have profound and lasting effects on individuals and communities.

Notable Quotes

Shannon Cason on Community Interaction:
“[05:23] Shannon Cason: People have to be around different people to gain understanding and comfort.”
Shannon on Addiction and Understanding:
“[15:45] Shannon Cason: I have a heart towards people with addictions because I've had some myself.”
Shannon Reflecting on Police Distrust:
“[20:10] Shannon Cason: I grew up in Detroit in the crack era, the 80s. You don't call the police.”

Final Thoughts

"I Don't Call the Police" is a compelling narrative that invites listeners to ponder the intricate dynamics of community living, the challenges of addressing addiction without law enforcement, and the profound impact of personal choices on broader societal issues. Shannon Cason masterfully intertwines personal anecdotes with broader social commentary, offering a nuanced perspective on a topic that resonates deeply in today’s socio-political climate.

For more stories and episodes, subscribe to Shannon Cason's Homemade on your preferred podcast platform, and consider supporting through Patreon to enable the continuation of heartfelt storytelling.

Transcript

Shannon Cason (0:00)

I open the door mad, but it's the police. I see them in this tiny little foyer with all their vests and badges. One of the officers has a battering ram. Shannon Casein's Homemade is proud to be supported by the friends of Homemade. Thanks to everyone who listens, enjoys and supports the stories. I'm going to call you out if you supported me since the previous episode. This one is real short. My friends. Brett T. Thank you for joining the Patreon in Denver, Colorado. I appreciate you, Austin. I appreciate the Cash app. Thanks for mentioning Swim. I'm gonna do more motivational stories soon. I'm gonna do more of those. Please join the Patreon. I need more Patreon members. Join the Patreon for stories, reviews after the episode talks and more to come. Become a friend@patreon.com backslash Shannon Casen. Homemade is totally friend funded. I it's totally friend funded right now. Go to patreon.com backslash Shannon Casein or $sign Shannon Casein on Cash app if you prefer to go to direct route. I have no problem with that and I appreciate you. Enjoy the welcome to Homemade. I'm Shannon Cason. It feels like every three months or so there's an atrocious police shooting that happens and it hits the national news and it takes everyone on this roller coaster of emotions. And this one definitely did that one for me. Sonia Massey. It was, it was even hard to even watch it. I didn't want to even watch it. You know, Sonia is my sister's name. But I don't want to talk about the shooting so much. I want to talk about the importance of getting to know people. And that may be totally unrelated, but that's what I thought about. I think it's important for anyone as, especially as a person who goes out in public, like a police officer, a judge, or even customer service. But actually anyone. If you in the back room by yourself at all times, I guess it won't matter. But if you go in the public in any way, you should do this. Get out of your comfort zone. You have to be around people other than yourself and your small crew. They call it tribes, silos, whatever you call it. Podcast people always want to go to a hipster IPA bar. That's. That's like a norm. But sometimes let's meet at the cabaret for a cognac. Let's do that. Or vice versa. If you only go to the cabaret, go to the IPA hipster spot. Be versatile. People have to be around different people to gain understanding and comfort. I know churched people. If you go to church, they say, I rebuke you three times a day. That's like cuss words for church people. I rebuke you, I rebuke that. You know, that's just so I say it on a norm. There's an over. If there's an over 80 year old man, he's gonna say colored girl. At some point he gonna say colored girl. And that don't mean I immediately steal on it. That's just what they do. You, you gotta be observant. You gotta learn to finesse all types of people. You gotta have finesse, have finesse with the public. Not all, everything's a nail. This is just my opinion, but I look for opportunities to be around people who are different than me. That doesn't mean that I change. But now I have a better understanding and I can relate. If anything, I get a story from it. But that's what I thought of as I was watching that. And I hope you enjoy this story. This is an oldie but goodie and I hope you enjoy. We were coming down the steps when they were coming in. A new family had moved into the three flat building we lived in in Chicago. They were moving in the garden apartment, which is really small for a family. The garden apartment is more for a single person or a young couple at best. But I stopped talk to the husband, my wife talked to the wife. Our two year old daughters introduced themselves on the porch. They had a two year old and we had a two year old. Me and the father smiled. Looking at our little girls. Watching kids introduce themselves is fun because they have to show what they have. Like this is my doll, but this is my bear. The father said they were moving from the shelter down the street and were happy to have a place to call home. I told him, I know how it is, man. If you need anything, just give a knock upstairs. Anything. We left and they went inside. The very next day I get a knock at the door. It was the father and he was asking for money for train fare to go downtown. I told him, no problem, I'm headed downtown to go to work. We can just walk together and I'll swipe you through too. We walk down the sidewalk and down this long line of three flat buildings, just like bars. And there's a big apartment building across the street. The neighborhood in uptown Chicago, really diverse. It's Asians, it's Africans, Europeans, Americans, all of us. You can get Starbucks coffee from one building. You can get a fifth of Henny from another building. There's Mexican food, Thai food, an Ethiopian restaurant, or you can get some Flamin Hot Cheetos from the corner store on the way to the train. The side of the street that we're walking on, there's this big church with a shelter in the basement. And then there's the corner store. Guys hang out at the corner store. There's been some shootings at the corner. I ignore the guys on the corner. They sell drugs on the corner. There's gangs in Chicago, if you haven't heard. I'm from Detroit, so I'm not clueless. But I know, like, if you're not from a certain area, it's best just to keep your eyes open. Go unseen. They ignore me. I ain't got nothing to do with what they're doing. It's none of my business. So I am a little concerned when my new neighbor knows all the guys on the corner really well. But we talk on the train, laugh. He was a good guy. His name was Jesse. Another night, I get another knock on the door. This time it's the mother from downstairs. It's after midnight and my wife isn't home. And the mother is asking to borrow $20 for some baby diapers. First is after midnight. The baby should be sleeping, and the store is closed. And the other thing, did she forget that we have a young child, too? So when I offer to give her a couple of diapers to make it through tonight, she looks disappointed, which makes me suspicious. Another night when my wife wasn't home again, I get another knock at the door, and it's the mother. She just hands me her daughter like she's in a panic, and she's in this fluster. And she says that she has to go across town, it's an emergency. And I'm holding her daughter in my arms, and she doesn't even wait for an answer. She just leaves. I look from the window and I see her get in the car with a man who wasn't Jesse. I knew it was drugs. I'm gonna be real with you. I knew it was crack. You ain't that wide awake that late at night without it being drugs or the pursuit of some drugs. The thing is, I have a heart towards people with addictions because I've had some myself. It's not drugs, but I'm no stranger to community rooms and church basements. In the morning, my wife cooked breakfast for us. All the girls played in the living room. My daughter Zoe, brought every toy that she ever had into the living room. To play. You know, kids are show offs. I said, zoe, which toy you gonna let Ashley have? Zoe gave me a look like, like what? But Zoe is generous. She gave her this doll better than I expected. It was this little plush doll with a bonnet and pigtails. My wife caught Ashley's mom and told her that we'll keep her an extra day. And that night, I put them under the door to explore covers, and I tucked them in. One day, I'm coming home from the train from work, and I pass by the corner, and the corners are empty. It's kind of nice, and it's like a regular neighborhood. I pass by the church with the shelter, the big apartment building across the street, and I get to my house, and all the guys from the corner are sitting on my porch smoking with Jesse. I just stood there for a second. I can't ignore it. Now, the thing is, I came up in rougher neighborhoods than this uptown neighborhood in Chicago. I'm from Detroit, and. And this actually is a pretty nice neighborhood. You know, I worked hard, so my family doesn't have to be around the same drugs and violence that I might have saw growing up. I want better for my family. It's at a distance at the corner, but not on my porch. But I don't say anything. I just go inside. They were smoking in the garden apartment, and it was coming into our place. And my wife isn't really as passive as me. She walked downstairs, banked on the door, and told him, y'all got to stop smoking down here. My daughter upstairs, coughing. So they went out to the porch. I went downstairs to talk to Jesse, and I'm like, how many people you got living down here now? And he said it was just them, but the guys from the corner are in and out and that they hard to get rid of. They like roaches. I told him, man, I'm gonna tell you, y'all gonna have some problems. Because my wife, she don't really play like that, and she hates roaches. Cindy has seen one of the guys from the corner selling drugs in front of our place. And she yelled out the window, if I see it again, I'm calling the police. She told me when I got home. And I'm like, baby, you can't just go yelling out the window to people that you go call the police if they get caught, who they go point to? You smarter than that. But she was just frustrated. Cindy saw some guys selling drugs again in front of our place, and she told me she was going to call the police. I stopped her you don't call the police. I had his programming in my mind. I grew up in Detroit in the crack era, the 80s. You don't call the police. First, there's a distrust that the police are actually going to do something to help the situation. And another thing is the threat of retaliation from the person you might be telling on. Snitches get stitches. If it comes down to it, I'd rather just take care of whatever the situation is myself. But I think about that little girl and all those men coming in and out of that small apartment in the days look on her face when I see her. And how when she stays with us, she doesn't want to go home. I gotta confront this stupid way of thinking. I just can't ignore it. One night, I get another knock at the door. My wife wasn't home, and I'm a little frustrated. Now I'm thinking that it's the mother or father from downstairs. So I open the door, mad, but it's the police. I see them in this tiny little foyer with all their vest and badges. They tell me to go inside and lock the door. One of the officers has a battering ram. I go back inside. I can hear him bust down the door like, boom. And then I hear scuffling and wrestling down below. The police are yelling and cussing. I go in to check on my daughter, and she was still asleep. She didn't know anything was even happening. I can hear the guys from the corner screaming and yelling at the police. And then it just goes silent. I look from the window and I can see the police are carting everybody up from the basement to a van. All the guys from the corner and in the family. Jesse, his wife and their daughter. One of the officers has Ashley in his arms. And she's in her pink pajamas against his, dark blues and blacks. And she has that little doll that Zoe gave her. I want to go out and tell the officer, hey, we can just keep her until everything is taken care of. But I don't want to go out. Had officers think that I'm part of everything else that's happening. We all look the same to the police. My wife's not home. I go out, I get arrested. And now my daughter's in some police officer's arms. I think the best thing for me is to stay where I am. None of my business. The next week, corners are empty. No smoke in our apartment. Nobody on our porch. About a week after that, same guys on the corner. I don't say anything to them. They don't say anything to me. They ignore me. I ignore them. We live in two different worlds. But honestly, I. I don't know if that's really true. I get to my place and I hear the landlord downstairs and I go downstairs to check on him to see if he go discount my rent for all this that we've been putting up with. And to my surprise, I see the family. Jesse, his wife and Ashley, our daughters play on the porch while me and Jesse talk. And Jesse says, you didn't have to call the police. And I tell him I didn't and I didn't. I don't call the police. I just don't call him. I don't trust him. I looked at him and I said, but I should have did something because you need help. And he was nodding. He said they had to leave because they hadn't paid rent for like six months. Asked him what he was going to do. He, he didn't know. He asked if we can keep Ashley just till he get himself together. And I wanted to say yeah, but we struggling to make it ourselves. We can't just take their little girl. It don't work like that. We looked at our daughters playing on the porch. I looked him in the eyes, I said, take care of that little girl. That's the most important thing. And if it comes down to it and if you need anything, just give me a call. Anything. That was over 10 years ago and I hope it turned out okay. Thank you for listening. This episode was produced at home by me, Shannon Casein. Subscribe to Shannon Kasin on YouTube and you can watch this same podcast. It's all visual as well. So go to YouTube. Subscribe on YouTube. I'm ShannonCasin on Instagram, TikTok and all social media. Follow me on social media and consider Supporting the stories patreon.com ShannonCasen or if you're direct cashapp$shannon casein. Be a friend of the stories that keeps it going, going. And for more information on coaching workshops, speaking engagements, I got a few of those coming up. Go to shannon cason.com this story also included a story that's in the moth book. All these wonders. You can get that at your local bookseller or Amazon or wherever you go. Get your books and make sure you rate and review on Apple podcasts. Make a rating. Give me up to a thousand ratings and on Spotify too. Come back for more and more stories. I'll be back real soon. Now that's homemade.