Raindogblue

Punchin' Plates

Punchin' plates is entering every license plate
an officer comes across on the MDT:
looking for stolens, suspended drivers, 
and wanted subjects.

Exposure: David

Evidence

In a few days, this journal will be a year old, containing just under five hundred posts. To help investigate the mug shots and jargon, the calls and operations, I ask of you to tell me your favorite stories and photos. I will list the consensus in the introduction of the log.

Stay Safe,

RD

Winter's End

Winter's end has arrived.

Springs surges in persistent showers.

Plum blossoms bud and bloom.

Daffodils shine 

and the night is accompanied

by the throat song of frogs.

Exposure: Charlie

Paranoia and St. Patrick's Day

I wasn't worried about the drunk,

a St. Patrick's Day celebrant 

who'd imbibed too much

to find his way home

and withstand the pull of gravity.

I hoisted him up, a rag doll held up 

by the scruff of his neck, cuffed 'im, 

and pointed him to toward the prowler:

another drunk for the tank.

I did worry when my snake 

began to hiss to check my six;

to see the homeowner

coming up behind me,

hand behind his back.

I stare him into stopping.

What do you have there?

"Nothing."

It's dark. It's night.

I can see by a distant street light,

he's holding something long

and gun metal gray.

He has my full attention.

I'm in a bad place.

My right hand is holding up the drunk.

What's in your hand behind your back?

"A hammer."

He's scared, unsure of what to do,

woken out of deep sleep 

to some one pounding on his door,

attempting to force his way in.

The homeowner has met his own snake.

He's afraid and that makes him unpredictable.

Why don't you stay there.

I'm gonna put put him in my car.

Then, I'll come to talk with you.

When I return, he drops the hammer.

The moment has passed.

His snake has waned.

Now, all he wants is to shake

my hand for coming so quickly.

Staying Over

When a sergeant , due to a major call,

asks for a volunteers to work a few hours of overtime.

Usage:

Last night, as Afternoons was rolling in, 

a shooting came out,

a Nights  sergeant asked 

if any officers were willing

to stay over and shag calls.

I answered up and worked an extra two.

Holding Over

When a sergeant, due to an emergency,

forces and entire shift to work overtime.

Usage:

"Due the shooting Afternoons

 is holding over until further notice."

Overheads: Red

Looking for Meat

Some days I can't talk.

I don't know what to say.

You don't want

to know about my day.

How I spent an hour

on the train track

south of Breaker Yard

looking for meat

off missing legs

by the raising steam

between the train wheels 

and gaps in the tracks

after a train hit a car

and killed a man

by severing his legs,

shattering his bones

until the body shrinks,

twisting the head out place,

looking up, mouth agape,

filled and spilling over in blood.

How back at the  barn,
after shift, in the locker room,
my fellow officers joke, ask,
"Why, didn't you do CPR?
You never know.
You could get the Life Saving Metal."

"Hey, anybody up for spaghetti?"

How I struggle to sleep sober.
How I all I want to do
is to go to sleep, hit the gym,
and go back to work
all over again.