Hillbilly Elegy

police cruiser. I’d seen her get arrested
before, but I knew that this time was
different. We were in the system now,
with social worker visits and mandated
family counseling. And a court date
hanging over my head like a guillotine
blade.
Ostensibly, the caseworkers were
there to protect me, but it became very
obvious, very early in the process, that
they were obstacles to overcome. When
I explained that I spent most of my time
with my grandparents and that I’d like to
continue with that arrangement, they
replied that the courts would not
necessarily sanction such an
arrangement. In the eyes of the law, my