ruling, the judge observed that an institution could be imperfectly documented and still prove, through decades of measurable results, that it was an asset rather than a blight.
Big Mike’s Custom Cycles remains open, though the back room now has proper permits, fire protection, and a small nonprofit fund managed with David’s legal help. One evening, Mike caught a fifteen-year-old trying to steal tools and responded by setting a sandwich on the bench beside him. Then he handed the boy a wrench and told him to start by sorting sockets. David watched from the doorway in a tailored suit, his sleeves rolled back and grease already darkening his fingertips. He no longer
