McBay waits. David McBay, waits in the courtroom, in the early morning pre-trial day in Redwood City. California. 4 years ago, on a ride down from Skylonda, I healed a fracture with Polly. I felt the angels all around us. As usual, to my path, I felt the opportunity to spread the grace from those healing moments around. If there were a need on my path, anyone in need, I would help them. these are the thouights that filled my overflowing heart while I rode down with Polly. She and I... so tender, so close.... one heart. ARRIVING to my artintolife studio in the Cal Ave district of Palo alto, I saw my friend "tree" Dave Mcbay. In trauma, nose in stitches, with a story about how the Menlo Police Department threw him down and split his nose open and threatened him. I saw a wave I could ride for my friend Tree Dave McBay. I'm a big wave rider, and I climbed on. I said"My day is yours, we are going to go through the story and I will film it like a lawyer would film it! I will film it objectively, and we will protect you Dave McBaY" . I was ready to keep Dave clear of the scars I still carry. what would happen, if I took what I learned with no protection, 14 tears ago... if I took my loss, still healing, and I used my insight to protect Dave? So, I filmed it... all the close-ups, the house where it happened, the pool of blood, the fresh story........Now, it's 4 years later. And Dave has gone to trial 3 times. This is/was the last time. Last week. I saw him stand with the stills from the film I made. I saw him stand for justice against the Police, who conveniently forgot the key details. And, I sat near the police, sensing that they knew me. That house had been demolished 3 weeks after the incident 4 years ago.Then my footage surfaced. Now, finally, something close to the truth got heard. Now, finally, while Dave Mcbay wept in court, his reputation was redeemed. Finally, the lie was revealed, finally the police got showcased.... We hope everyone learned something. How to treat a human... for starters, how not to judge a situation, when not to throw a citizen down. If you read this, and you want to read the dailies on it, then go to Palo AltoDailyNews.com I think you can read the whole 8 day trial updates. I ask myself several questions, since I lost a lot by trying to help keep Dave out of the hands of folks that make people hurt for the fun of it. IN theory, I now see more sides to the equation, I too have learned. No one heard my story. No one got to hear why I put my time in Dave's hands. Nobody got to understand that I learned first hand how a policeman's judgemnet call can ruin your safe haven and reputation over night. But everyone got to hear Dave's and that almost makes up for the damage done to me. I love the police. I respect their job and I have met some fine policemen and women over the years. 99% of my interactions with the police, they looked upon me with compassion and acceptance, and even the hardest versions agreed with me, that they would protect my rights, though they do not agree with my views.... I found honor with these Men and women, and in my own way, I have taken incredible risks to help them, on occasion. but, every so often, and individual shows up in a uniform who needs to rethink why they wanted that uniform. Before much time goes by, they might throw down a guy like Dave McBay, or a few. Somebody needing a break may get a hard hit from that rare crossing of paths with an over-stressed peace officer who only needed a 5 minute break, but didn't take it or something similar. In any case, I did my part to help all the honest police, I also filmed objective evidence that may have showcased the lie. I changed nothing. all I did was show up with an intention of helping someone. 4 years later, I feel a weight lift off of my back. The question I have for all artists and film-makers and songwirters and real life livers is this; "isn't this the real meaning of the art?Isn't this 22 minute film of Dave McBay, the day after he got brutalized as good as any oscar winning movie? Isn't this the reason to learn to draw, as much as any reason....? What if you developed your craft so fully that you could sell a thousand paintings/films/songs/whatever, but had never shifted a life with it like this?" ...... My conclusion about all my talents is that they all have to be geared for real life transformational moments. When folks take a walk through a forest, then come upon Andrew Goldsworthy's sculptures, they are shifted. The more obscure the setting, the more profoundly. he builds them to mimick what we see everyday.... from the time you find something like that, even in a photo album, you re-see nature.... if you forgot therandom odered profound beauty, he steers you back to the memory... as if fresh, as if new. ...... I do not just paint or write, or create. I live towards the moment... then I embrace it fully. The art is the moment embraced, the artwork is just proof it really happened. I cannot do it the other way around. I spent a day reminding a friend he was worth more on this planet than the animal way the cops treated him and ridiculed him. the film was what happened while I spent that time... and the truth it revelaed outlasted the lies. When Dave McBay broke down in court, it was becuase he got his dignity back by facing the folks who said he was worthless....He showed me strength I am satill building towards, in relation to similar injustice. We big wave riders salute each other riding the wave. I see respect in those officer's eyes now. I hope they live that from here on out, bigger than they ever dreamed. I am counting on them seeing me as human, if ever we meet late some night when they think I am an enemy. I will smile and welcome them, and won't refuse their requests for i.d. or toe tipping on a line in the sidewalk. I love the idea that they are better people for all of this. I hope they apoligize more readily next time. That's all Dave ever wanted... a simple, "sorry Mr. McBay... we thought you were a burglar, sorry"....and then dusting him off a little and helping him get medical attention in dignity. that's all that was needed. 4 years later, that's all that really happened. if you compress time... put all the steps together, the best parts like notes on a chart of music are the ones that play a melody like that. Could have ll happened inside an hour of dignified reality....so, we could have had it that very night, if they had just admitted they may have made a mistake. I salute anyone who understands that I fully hope all the people involved in this long equation have a wonderful peaceful happy family life on this planet. I wish no one any harm... policeman/men/woman/women, thank you for the times you risk your lives for others....