Friday, April 7, 2017

Chili's Again?, a police story

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My youngest, Christopher. March 10, 2017

April 7, 2017

A passerby claimed a woman hit a child in the face while the family was sitting in a gray Chrysler mini-van. The person who reported the incident didn’t stick around long enough for me to interview her in order to make a decision. She called dispatch, reported what she saw and then fled the area not bothering to stick around. How typical.

I rolled up in my marked patrol car, stopping just before the mini van, which was parked in close proximity to the front doors of a major business.  Funny how we received no other calls on this incident considering of where the car was parked and the amount of people who were coming and going from the main entrance.

The family was standing along side. One older woman and four kids waiting outside. The grandmother explained to me she was left outside to watch the kids while their father was inside trying to negotiate a car. The family didn't appear to have a whole lot of money based on their appearance (I know who am I to prejudge). The car windows were down, the slider doors were opened, and the cars motor was turned off thus the air conditioner was off. I suppose they were conserving their gas because they had a long drive home and they were conserving what little they had.

The day was unseasonably hot. Even for Florida standards. The sweat beaded up on the kids’ head and slid down their pale white freckled skin, rolled over their cheeks and stopped right below their chin where the drop hung aimlessly until another drip of water slid down and forced it to fall somewhere on their shirt. The water began to accumulate enough that their shirts had been soaked with their sweat.

The youngest boy had autism. His middle brother controlled him the best he could but the little boy was aggressive and took some physical abuse from his little brother while he tried to control him.
The older sister was just a few years older but was wise for her age of 12. 

She was well dressed, freckled and bucktoothed. She talked to me like an adult but had a shyness that showed her true innocent age.  My 6 foot 2 inch, 250 pound frame stood over her but just because this cop was standing over her didn't prevent her from looking at me in the eye and explaining to me what was happening. She told me all about the struggle they had with their brother who had autism. She said her family does the best they can but life can be hard. She humbled me down to her 4 foot 6 level.

“Give me 5 little man,” I said to her little brother.

He put his hand out and I slapped it, “now go away!” he said.

I stood there for a moment and thought about my 2 sons’ Nico and Christopher. It is so easy for me to place myself in their shoes when I envision my kids in those kids’ eyes. After my investigation I found no abuse here.

“Grandma,” I said. “How long have you been out here?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe an hour. I’m ready to go home,” she said.

She stood before me. Her age showing clearly and she was tired, hot and hungry.

“Can I buy you all Burger King?” I asked.

“Burger King!” The kids shouted. They began telling me what they wanted. I didn’t have a notepad on me but I remembered every single thing they wanted.

Their Burger King order was my new mantra for the next 5 minutes while I drove down the street to the restaurant.

"Hi welcome to Burger King may I have your order."

"Yes," I almost sang out, "I need....an original chicken sandwich with light mayo, onion rings instead of fries and a coke. Then I need a whopper with no tomato, large fries with a coke, er no, a Dr. Pepper. Then I will need 2 hamburgers, plain, with cheese, a large fry and a Sprite. And a diet Coke."

When I got back to the store I handed out their orders. The little girl took the bags. She sat her brothers down and one by one set up their food. All was good in their world. Even if it was just for the moment.

As I drove off to another call I looked at them through my review mirror. The kids never looked back and I guess never realized I was gone but I knew they existed and I was grateful for that.

The next day I had my boy’s with me. They just finished swimming practice. They are learning what competition swimming is like. I was grateful to provide that to them.

“Let’s eat!” I shouted.

“Yes, I’m hungry, dad,” Christopher said.

“I vote for, Chili’s!” I said while I drove out of from the parking lot onto the main road.

“Chili’s, again dad?” Nico said.

I sat there for a moment at the red light. The thoughts of the little kids at the store ran through my mind. I thought of the little boy, with autism, slipping in and out of the mini-van and onto the sidewalk by the entrance of the store.  While his older brother tried to control him and their sister attempted to keep them organized.

A horn honked.

The driver behind me honking the car horn that woke me up from my daydream. I wanted to humble my kids. They are good boys. Born into a situation that they didn’t ask for and I was happy that I had the means to provide them a good life.

“Okay, no Chili’s again. Lets go home and eat something there. Are you good with that?”

“Okay, daddy. Let’s go home,” Christopher said.

“You want to go home too, Nico?”

He nods his head indicating yes.

“Dad,” Nico said.

Yes?

“I’d be happy with McDonald’s”


Sure, no chili’s again. Let’s get a burger.


A picture I took for #GatorDay. Go Gators! April 5, 2017




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