Chapter 16: John Ripley

John Ripley had gone to high school with me and was a grade above. John was the star pitcher on our high school varsity baseball team. He was so good at baseball he received a scholarship to one of the local colleges, CSU Dominquez Hills, and played in the minor leagues during the summers.

He was known for throwing a 90-mph fast ball during a high school baseball game.

John was from a family of athletes including two brothers he competed against. John and his brothers looked like they were members of the Stiffler family from American Pie. Each brother drove a classic muscle car gifted to them from their father. John drove a 1973 Chevy Nova.

John’s family were lifelong Dodger’s fans and held season tickets. The tickets were split among the brothers most games. John's younger brother was away at college, and his older brother worked full time. John ended up with the tickets more often than not. If John did not feel like going to the game, he often sold or traded his tickets for weed and booze.

I originally met John when I was selling weed back in high school. There was a gas station near my house. Apparently, John’s parents gave him a gas credit card, and he could occasionally get $20 cash back from certain gas stations.

He used the $20 to buy weed from me.

On a typical night our crew assembled at Jason’s house in the garage. One specific night it was me, Jason, Dyno Mutt and John. We were all drinking Jager bombs. You fill a shot glass with Jägermeister. You fill a cup halfway with Monster energy drink. You pick up the shot glass and drop it into the cup of energy drink. Then you drink from the cup.

Jason, Dyno Mutt and John had also each taken Xanax pills. I had made my deal with God to avoid jail, and I honored my deal by avoiding any drugs beside weed and alcohol. Most nights I was seen as the voice of reason or the most trustworthy in the room since I did not take pills.

Earlier in the night Jason had a regular weed customer who was desperate for weed and offered to trade him a $100 gift card to Target for $20 worth of weed.

Jason did the trade and was showing us all the Target gift card and joking about it most of the night.

"I bet when he gets to Target and tries to use it, it will be empty. This fool got scammed." John theorized with a comedic tone.

"Watch it have $20 exactly!" I added.

"You guys think I am stupid? I checked the card before I made the deal." Jason assured us.

"How do you check a gift card for Target without going in there?" Dyno Mutt asked.

"There's a phone number on the back." Jason told him.

At one point in the night the gift card must have fallen in between the couch cushions. Jason could not find the gift card and started asking everyone if they had seen it.

The three of them were all high on pills, drunk and smoking weed. Their brains were not operating at full capacity. They each started suspecting the others of taking the gift card.

I was the most sober person in the room, and I could see the three of them all eyeing each other across the round table like they were cartoon characters plotting.

They were all really innocent. Nobody had the card.

Here’s John and Dyno they each know they are personally innocent.

So, they started getting mad at the other person thinking they stole the card and are making the other person look bad. They each tried to make the other one sound guilty.

At one point Jason and I are the judges in a trial where John and Dyno are trying to get each other charged with the crime of stealing the gift card.

“Target sells alcohol. John could buy lots of alcohol with that gift card.” Dyno Mutt told us.

“Dyno Mutt is friends with the guy who sold the gift card and is jealous he did not trade for it himself.” John responded.

I left early and went home and apparently the three of them continued to drink more.

The next morning, I get a call from John.

"Last night after I left Jason's house, I got a few blocks away and noticed someone was following me." John tells me.

"What do you mean someone was following you?" I asked.

"I got about two blocks on my bike and went to turn on Artesia and Aviation. This guy on a scooter turned the same way. Then as I went down Aviation, he was right behind me. I turned onto my street, and he turned as well." John added.

"Maybe it was just a coincidence?" I suggested.

"No dude, when I got to my house he stopped and waited in front as I was locking my bike up and going inside. As I walked up to the front door, I turned around and noticed he was still standing there, watching me. He must have seen me looking at him because he waved at me suspiciously and then took off on the scooter." John said.

John lived the closest to Jason’s house. On a bike it’s maybe 5 minutes away if that.

I did not know what to make of the story. John swore up and down it was true.

"You weren't just drunk and imagining it?" I asked.

"Fuck you dude! Someone on a scooter was following me last night for sure!" John defended himself.

I was feeling a little paranoid after my drama with the detectives. I imagined they were in every minivan I saw on every street. My initial reaction was we were being watched.

"Maybe it was Jody? He rides that scooter that Lil Ron tried to rob." I theorized.

John and I hung up with the plan to meet up later at Jason's house. I called up Jason to tell him the story John had told me and get his thoughts and theories. I tell Jason the story word for word. He is quiet for a few seconds and then bursts out laughing.

"That fool really was fucked up last night!" Jason said laughing.

"Donnie Barrow showed up last night after you left. I guess he was at some family function. He was completely sober. John is trying to head home but he says to us, he feels so fucked up he doesn't remember where he lives. After a few minutes he just hopped on his bike and leaves anyways." Jason starts off.

"Sounds like John!" I said.

"We did not go back inside right away. After a few minutes we can see John just standing there about a block away. Like he's lost or something. We were all starting to get worried. You know how Donnie is always desperate to ride my electric scooter? I was feeling too tired and drunk myself so I told Donnie he could use my scooter if he went and made sure John got home ok."

"Oh god!" I said as I started to laugh.

"Donnie was wearing a helmet. That was possibly why John did not recognize him. He caught up to John at the end of the block, honked the horn and then led John home on the scooter."

"John was so fucked up he thought his own friend leading him home was some crazy guy following him. That is fucking hilarious!" I said.

We teased John about that for years. Jason eventually found his gift card in the couch cushions. We all met up and got drunk and high the next night like always.

Chapter 17: Donnie Barrow