Raindogblue

State of Being

 

My trespass pinch out of barn had a constant,

four inch line of dripping out of his left

nostril and a cup of horse manure

inside his third coat’s interior pocket.

 

 

 

Winning the Night

 

I send Wash a message.

I am winning the day.

He replies, “Oh, how so?”

I have taken calls in 00’s, 10’s,

 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s,

and 30’s on the east side.

“Yup, you are winning.”

Twenty minutes later, radio sends him

as primary on a road rage shooting

in the south end of his district.

I send another message.

I think we spoke too soon.

You won the night.

 

 

The Nature of Stolens

 

I meet a business woman outside a swank,

new boutique hotel.  She wants to report

her car stolen. It's a 2012 Wrangler.

 Her work laptop with a terabyte

of data was inside.

 

 She parked it within three blocks

off 1st and Elm. She walked around

and looked for it. Then, her brother

drove her around  and they looked for it.

 

I have my doubts.

 

New cars aren't stolen without the keys. 

I am betting it's a a tow or a mispark. 

 

I ask her if I can driver her around and look for the car?

She humors meand hops in the back seat. 

 

I play the question game.

 

Where did you park?

 

She says, "In a private lot."

 

Where did you drive in from?

 

"Northeast."

 

What bridge to use to cross the river?

 

"I came in on the railroad bridge."

 

Did you drive down 3rd or Front?

 

"I don't know, I was using my Garmin." 

 

I see.

 

She adds, I remember passing the Chinese Gardens."

 

Okay, that's on 3rd, let's start there. 

 

I hit every flat lot between the rive

and 5th from the Railroad Bridge

past Beggar's Bridge to the Midtown Bridge. 

 

She knows she wasn't south of the Midtown. 

 

 We spot five Wranglers, three white

like hers, one black, and one gray. 

 

We don't find hers. 

 

I check with Records. It hasn't been towed.

 

I drop her off with her brother and take the stolen.

 

It takes 45 minutes to write it up and enter it into LEDS. 

 

After nine, when the night slowed, I start poking about.

 

I know the car is misparked, I just haven't found the right lot.

 

In the first lot I look, two blocks south of the Midtown,

I find the car in a small, flat lot off 1st.

 

It's locked. It's secure. It hasn't been stolen.

 

 

 

 

Ducks and D-Fresh

 

Walking back to the cars, D-Fresh says, "I'm up on Remembrance Bridge on that that wreck thinking how much my district blew-up today. I look over the edge and see a mama duck leading a line of ducklings, and I think, 'This is nice and relaxing.' Then, two crows swoop down like velociraptors and start attacking the ducklings. The mama duck is frantically tries to drive the crows off, but one crow grabs a duckling, flies up, and spikes down to the parking lot, killing it. As it begins pecking out the duckling's eyes, the other crow keeps attacking. I had to look away."

 

 

Criminality

Off 2nd, outside the women’s shelter ,

one transient insists I arrest another.

She claims harassment.

 

Criminal harassment involves offensive physical contact

or repeated attempts at telephonic or electronic

communication after being told to stop.

 

How is this woman harassing you.?

 

She states, "If I wear a shirt, Rosie wears a skirt.

If I wear my hair up, Rosie wears her hair up

and she eats at the rescue mission."

 

Most of the downtown transients eat at the rescue mission

It is across the street from the women's shelter

and one of the few places for the homeless to eat. 

 

Does she talk to you?

 

"No."

 

Has she threaten to hurt you?

 

"No."

 

Ma'am, a person has to commit a crime in order to be arrested.

From what you have explained, there is no element of criminality. 

 

 

Thursday

 

A mope is staggering drunk in the bus mall.

I snag him off a transit train. 

He's crapped his pants.

 

En route to detox, I run him. 

He has two warrants.

I switch his destination.

 

The jail deputies weren't happy and I

was left with a shit smeared, rear seat. 

 

 

In the Pack

 

Before transporting a tweaker to jail, I search

his pack for prohibited items and contraband.

Of interest, I find two needles, a machete,

and a dead rat.

 

 

Not a DUII

 

The Ford is running. The headlights are on

as is the dome light. The driver is collapsed

forward. The seat belt is preventing him

from falling into the steering wheel.

 

I put my push bumper inches

before the front of his SUV. 

 

The driver's door is unlocked.

 I open it, watch, and wait. 

 

His neck and face are flushed.

His body is limp. 

He's clearly intoxicated.

 

I reach in, turn off the engine,

and pull out the keys.

 

He slowly rouses.

He is slow and stunned.

 

He does't know where his is or what time it is.

He said he ate dinner with his parents,

but can't remember where.

 

Anywhere else in the state, he's a DUII,

but per our DA, if he is not driving,

if the car is not in gear,

or if no one saw him driving,

it's not a DUII.

 

 

Perception

 

A passer-by called 911 stating a man walked

in the West Village Grocery with a rifle. 

 

Dispatch called the store for more information

as a half-dozen officers drove to the call.

 

The store employee said the subject

 had already left and was either carrying

a rifle or a plunger. 

 

 

South of the Rock