Chris DiStefano's Story of Being Expelled From School on 9/11

And then Wednesday, all of school is closed. So you know, I'm just thinking about shit, what's going to happen on Thursday if school opens. All schools closed and all New York City schools were closed. And then Thursday morning, I got a decision to make because the principal had said I was kicked out. So I was like, you know, I'm just going to walk. I'm just going to go to school. So I go back to school and I try to walk in like nothing happened. I was like, maybe they forgot about that. That's a national tragedy. And then Brother Rob is right there. He goes to Stefano, get the fuck out of here. You're still expelled. I was like, all right. I mean, the country's out war now. I mean, my mother fell off the bus in Brooklyn. You still going to expel me? And he was like, you're expelled. I was like, how's Frank? He was like, you're expelled. I was like, okay. So I'm like, shit. My mother's all upset, of course. She's still shaking from 9-11, as many people were. I'm like, I got to call my dad. And again, my dad, great guy, my father, really great guy, but you know, a street guy, like a Bronx real street guy. So I call my father from a pay phone. And I'm like, dad, you know, I'm sorry, like I let you down. But you know, on Tuesday, I was just worried about my mom and this kid started laughing at me. I was crying and I broke a chair over this kid Frank's head. And now they threw me out. They threw me out of school. And he goes, did anybody see you do it? I was like, yeah, I did in front of the whole class. He was like, okay. He was like, I'll be down there in about 30 minutes. I was like, you live on Staten Island, you know, traffic to Queens at 9 during the morning would take like two hours to get there. Somehow he shows up in like 45 minutes. I'll never forget wearing like a New York Yankees batting practice jacket, like a Dunkin' Donuts coffee, huge chain on, just ready to go. And he goes, you do everything I tell you to do. I was like, okay. So you need a meeting with a principal, you know, of a school, especially any school. We walk into the principal's office to the secretary and the secretary is like, can I help you? My dad's like, yeah, I got a meeting with the principal. And she's like, you're not on the list, sir. He goes, I'm going in. And then he just opens his door and the principal's on the phone. And my dad goes, can I speak to you? Can we speak to you? I'm Chris's dad. And the principal's like, you need a meeting, sir. And he goes, and your son's expelled. And he goes, okay. And then he hangs up the principal's phone. He just puts his fingers on the receiver. And he goes, you're not on the phone anymore. So we can have a conversation. And I was like, oh, my God. So it's all true. So I'm just sitting there like, okay, this is bad. So my dad goes very calmly. My dad goes, listen, he goes, my son allegedly hit somebody in the head with the chair. And brother's like, it's not a legend. We saw it. He goes, it's allegedly. You don't have cameras in here, do you? And he was like, what? He was like, no, but there's witnesses and the kids in the hospital. He goes, I'll take care of the kid in the hospital. Don't worry about the kid in the hospital. He goes, you can't throw my son out of school. You just can't do it. And then my brother, Rob, is like, we have to throw your son out of school. He just puts somebody in a coma. And he goes, no. He goes, listen, you're not going to throw him out of school. It was a national tragedy. He got emotional. Don't worry about it. And he goes, don't throw him out of school. And brother Rob says, I'm throwing him out of school and there's nothing you can do. And then my dad rolls like a wad of hundreds at brother Rob. And he goes, don't throw him out of school. And brother Rob goes, you're going to bribe a man of God? And my dad goes, I lost God September 21st, 1979. That's like a date that's like burned in my head. I'm like, what the fuck? What does that date mean? And then look back, he was in prison at that time. So I'm like, I don't know what happened. Maybe there was a shower situation. Maybe something went down. I was like, I'm not going to ask my dad. But I was like September 21st, 1979. Wow. Like he said that shit quick and with full eye contact, no blinks. I was like, all right, dad, you should go to therapy, but whatever. We're here now. And so my dad says to brother Rob, he goes, listen. He goes, don't throw my son out of school. Okay, there has to be another way. Let's talk like gentlemen. There has to be another way. And then he says to my father, he goes, sir, are you stupid or something? He's expelled from school. And then my dad looks at me and he looks at brother Rob and he goes, Chris, did he just call me stupid? And I was like, it sounded like a dad, but he's a man of God. I'm sorry. No, no, no, no. I'm glazed. And he goes, do me a favor, Chris. Lock the door. And I was like, what? He goes, just lock the door. And so I got up and locked the door. I didn't know like what else to do. I was like, oh, I was like, I felt like I'm fucking going to get hit here too. Like my dad, I've never seen my dad like this, just angry. So I get up, I locked the door and he goes, you really offended me with the words you've chose to call me. He goes, it really hurt my feelings, actually. He goes, so now you have two options. He goes, the second option really sucks for you. I would choose the first. He goes, the first option, just put my son back in school. Okay? Easy breezy, no problems, ass. I'll sign whatever forms you want. He goes back to school. He goes, the second option, and again, this one sucks for you. He goes, I'm going to come over there and I'm going to break both your kneecaps. And he goes, you may think I heard that line in a movie. He goes, I'm one of the guys they write the movies about. He goes, I will, this is funny. He goes, I will call 911 right now. He goes, I will give them my address, my social security number, whatever. He goes, because I'd rather go to prison for the rest of my life and be back with my friends than you throw him out and me have to listen to his mother's fucking mouth for the rest of my life that he got expelled from school. He goes, so either way I'm in jail, I'd rather be with my buddies. So the choice is yours. And then white as a ghost, brother Rob is like, okay, well, let's put him back in school. And he goes, simple, easy breezy. He just kept saying easy breezy, my dad. I was like, stop saying easy breezy. So he kept saying easy breezy, and my dad, and he goes, what we'll do is he gets detention before and after school and he's thrown off the basketball team. Does that work for you? Brother Rob was like, that works for me. And I was like, that doesn't fucking work for me. I want to play ball, I don't want to go to detention. And my dad's like, no, you hit somebody, it's not good. He goes, I didn't raise you to be that way. I was like, you just threatened to fucking kill somebody in front of me. What are you talking about? And he goes, I didn't raise you to be that way. And then that's what I did my senior year, before and after school, every day, no basketball. And my father and brother Rob actually became like friends at graduation. They were shaking hands, friends, everything was all good. And it was one of those things where like, my dad, he's not that way anymore. But growing up, like my dad was just that guy. He was like, right intention, wrong move is the best way I could describe my father.