My Night With the Police

The other night, I got to go for a ride in a police car.


No, not because I was bad. If you know me, you know that I am not like that. As this kid from work would say, I am "One of those good juniors". Being a good junior was actually what got me the chance to do the ride along. I am part of this leadership group in the city, and they set up ride alongs for anyone who wanted to do it.

On Thursday, I arrived at the police station five minutes before 4:00, right when they told me to be there. Actually, I had to speed to get there in time. Luckily, no one asked about that, and I didn't tell. So I got there at 4:00, and filled out the sheet of paper that the receptionist gave me, and waited. Come 4:15, I was still waiting. Around rolled 4:30, and I'm still patiently sitting in the PD lobby, wondering if I will ever get to go for my ride. After all, I had homework to do that night!

Finally, Officer Long came out the door to get me. She told me that she was sorry, and that she had to make some phone calls, which was what made her late. Once we got in the car, I realized that this cop was cool, and I was going to enjoy being in her car. We pulled up to her normal car in order to get some papers. I waited to see which car she would go to. In the vicinity there were a couple choices: a pickup, a jeep, a minivan, and a bright orange mustang. Yeah, she chose the mustang. I would later realize that she is a dog lover and a football fan, as well as owned a cooler car than all the macho policemen.

Throughout the ride, she was extremely easy to get along with. She answered all of my questions, let me eat (when we stopped at McDonald's for a call, only to find the people had left), joked with me about the people, gave me one of her turkey bites, and even showed me some of the flood zone. Not only was I lucky to be able to go on the ride, but I was extremely lucky to get such a cool partner.

During the ride, we saw some...odd... people, and even heard about some cases that made us either roll our eyes or raise our eyebrows. To start the night off, we sat for about thirty minutes on the side of the interstate, in the middle of the most dangerous section that passes through downtown. In the rain. The only reason we stayed was to make sure no one "crunched" the car that we was to be towed. Basically, we were there to get hit, but we survived. Right away, we went to the McDonald's case. There was supposed to be a disturbance between a mother and daughter in the restaurant, but we got there and nobody was there. I got to get some food, and then we left for a domestic disturbance.

This case was the first one that made us just roll our eyes. The reason we were called there was because a girl had called saying that a man was pushing mommy. A very valid reason for the police to arrive, I would say. However, when the officers got back (two officers go because they don't know what to expect, and I waited in the car), I learned that the man was actually mommy's boyfriend, and they were breaking up. Mommy was jealous because he was with another woman. Oh yeah, Mommy was pregnant with the man's baby, as well. So the officers told them to figure it out, as they can't make him leave his place of residence.

At this point, Officer Long had to pee....

Stop. Think. Focus.

I try not to post too much about me, although I do use examples from my own life, because after all, it is the one I know best. Also, I refuse to write about blogging. I will do it right now, and never again, because it applies not only to writing, but to my life.

Thus far, my writing has been moderately unfocused. My goal from here on out is to narrow it down a little. The blog title is Oddities Humanus, and at the onset, I wanted to write about funny things that people do, and I would like to continue that, but I would like to add, or reiterate a focus of the writing. The question is: Why? Let's use the post Just For Laughs as an example. I do not want to simply discuss why these men would make dating videos, but is there a reason that makes them do it, only because they're human. Is there something present in all humans that would push us to do this?

Focus is also needed in my life and the lives of many people out there. Epidemic in high schools is the urge to get involved, which is awesome for many reasons. Incoming freshman don't know everyone who is in their class, and at a big school, they probably never will, but if they get involved in a ton of activities right away, they meet people. A wide variety of activities also helps one find things that they're good at and that they enjoy. After some time, though, kids get in a group and have friends. Most students at this point probably have a good idea of what they're good at and what they enjoy.

It is at this crossroads when one must decide (because you can't be good at everything), whether to continue involvement in a wide variety of activites, and not focus on some or all, or narrow the use of your time, and become your best at one or two. I'm not saying a student couldn't still be involved in multiple things. Instead, I am suggesting that people find what they need to be spending their time on, and focus. I think that everyone has the desire to be good at something, for their skills to be needed, and focusing our use of time helps us to fulfill that desire, and become the best we can be.

What people need, other than their job or focus activity (if in school), is a hobby. Some people build things, some people write songs, and some people excercise. I would consider a hobby anything that you spend considerable time on regularly outside of your day job. Hobbies help to be a release from the daily grind, and sometimes to release creativity that isn't used at work. Long story short, I think I need a hobby. I am involved in a lot of things, and I'm ok with that, but I would like something that I can do that I can call mine. In the meantime, I will try and keep my writing focused.