BLOTTER

We've all had bad days, sure, but last Friday went way beyond the merely "bad" for an unnamed 17-year-old from the Bronx.

There he was, just hanging out with a friend in front of an apartment complex, not bothering anyone. Around 7 p.m., two guys allegedly came up to him out of nowhere, and started making fun of his clothes.

What the hell's that all about? Granted, we don't know how the 17-year-old was dressed, but it certainly sounds uncalled for.

Maybe it's the influence of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Or more likely, it's the eternal teenage hanging-on-the-corner-finding-something-to-fight-about syndrome, as true now as it was for Tony and Maria way back when the West Side was rougher than the Bronx. That was a long time ago.

Then, as if making fun of his clothes wasn't enough, one of the two strangers reportedly whipped out a gun and shot him right in the leg. Just like that! Talk about uncalled for!

But wait-it gets worse.

The two rude men left, and the 17-year-old was rushed to Barnabas Hospital. He'll live, but who needs all that? Then the cops showed up to ask him a few questions about the incident, right? Maybe get a description of the culprits?

But before they even got started, they did a little background check, and found out that this 17-year-old, who'd just been mocked and shot, also appeared to have an outstanding bench warrant waiting for him. So what'd they do?

They arrested him!

As soon as his leg is healed enough for him to leave the hospital, he'll be hobbling his way into court.

What we're really wondering is, what will the poor kid be wearing? Not the same thing, we bet.