I didn’t use the retreat tonight. A moral dilemma has arisen for me, and I took it to my Father.

This evening John came in from the backyard and said he needed to talk to me. He told me that the boy he had been playing with, Jason, had offered him some cocaine and had offered him marijuana in the past. Jason said he wanted to be a drug dealer when he grows up and has told that to at least one other boy. John, figuring he was putting on, asked to see the drugs. Jason responded by asking if John wanted them or not. When John said no, Jason said he would kill him if he went to the police about the offer. He would shoot him with his father’s gun or use his brother’s throwing stars (an Oriental weapon). Both weapons are known to exist in that household. John got mad, there was a fight, and when Jason saw he was losing, he said it was all a joke. Out of range, though, he repeated the threats.

What to do! I know from experience with Jason’s mother that if I didn’t see drugs in his hands with my own eyes, the incident didn’t happen as far as she’s concerned. And there’s no evidence to take to the police. Jason may well have been “talking big,” but then he may not have been. Drug traffic is heavy in this neighborhood. It’s not impossible for an 11-year-old to have a connection.

Then there’s John’s reaction. He’s both frightened and angry. I found him throwing darts at a picture of Jason to “work off the stress.” He has an appointment with the psychiatric social worker on Tuesday, so I suggested he talk to him about how he feels about all this. Then, I challenged him to a pillow fight, and he giggled away the next half-hour while we whacked each other playfully with pillows.

Still, I don’t know what to do about Jason. At minimum, there’s something wrong for him to take perverse pleasure in treats on someone’s life. It doesn’t seem normal. “I’ll beat you up,” I could accept at their age, but “I’ll kill you”? At worse, he may actually have a drug connection. I told John to stay away from him for a while, but what else should I do? I worry about how the boy will grow up.

I took all this to my Father tonight, but He didn’t seem to be there. All I can do is put both boys in His hands and know He will take care of them.