Unfortunately, Detroit got caught up in the soaps again Thursday -- "All My Children" and "The Days of Kwame's Lives."
Yes, lives -- because there are two Kwame Kilpatricks:

One professed his love for his wife and family and apologized to his city last year in a televised moment that scored higher than most Super Bowls. The other came to town Thursday, claimed he didn't know who was paying the rent on his family's luxury home in Texas and exposed four prominent businessmen who gave him money to speed his way out of town.

His plea to Detroit when he arrived Thursday was: "Let me go." Our response: "Wish we could." Three strikes

Kilpatrick spent the afternoon in Judge David Groner's court asking or avoiding questions, even some from the judge himself. At day's end, Groner told him to report back Nov. 17 for further questioning.

Why? It isn't necessary.

Strike One: The Free Press reported that Kilpatrick and his wife, Carlita, deposited nearly $1.2 million into their bank accounts after Kilpatrick went to jail last Oct. 28. Let's see, that would be the million he owed the city and $200,000 for the family to live on until he got out of jail and got a job. Despite a court order requiring him to reimburse the city $6,000 a month, the former mayor initially claimed he could afford to pay only $6 a month, and then only $3,000 a month. Oh, and his family spent most of that $1.2 million, according to prosecution analyses.

Strike Two: Despite Groner ordering Kilpatrick to outline his wife's finances, where all the money apparently was kept, Kilpatrick declined, saying he didn't think he had to.

Strike Three: The former mayor just revealed that four prominent businessmen had given him a $240,000 "loan" (And yes, I put loan in quotation marks for obvious reasons.) and the owner of the Ambassador Bridge had given his family $50,000 just because.

I know this isn't baseball, but why would Groner need to hear more? This soap opera doesn't need another episode.
Do the city a favor

Detroit is facing a major election next week and the embracing of new leadership. Business interests in the city are trying to convince other businesses to move here. Enough. We don't need the circus to come back to town.

If the judge wants to do Detroit a favor, he can give the ex-mayor until Nov. 17 to pay Detroit all he owes and head back to Texas for good. Then we can let him go.

Or he can find him in contempt of court and in violation of his plea agreement. Then we can let him go. To jail.