Raindogblue

6/4/20 in Four Notes

 

 

At 1800 hours, the bells at the Methodist Church at the edge of the West Hills play Ode to Joy.

 

...........

 

 

Per the chief, the department is pulling all officers out of schools. School police is no more.

 

 

.........

 

 

As I left jail, my pinch was bathing in the ISO room toilet at jail.

 

 

..........

 

 

Last Night was Straight Pipe’s last night I’m the street. I am going to miss him. 

 

 

.........

 

 

In the last eight days, I have worked 85 hours. My days off this weekend have been cancelled. 

 

 

 

 

Jargon: Black

 

Black is street slang for tar heroin.

 

Usage: "She Od'd. She used black for the first time. Somebody should've shot her up."

 

 

The Plea

 

The man in the back of my prowler is wailing,

"Why didn't you shoot me? I pulled a knife!

Why didn't you shoot me!"

 

 

Time

 

Last night as I'm walking out to head home, Blaut flagged me down.

Last spring, I had helped him catch the perp during a rape in progress. 

He said, "The guy's already out. He got 180 days."

 

 

Bouncing Back

 

After three weeks of a reduced call volume, the call numbers have bounced back.

 

 

Take 2

 

The firefighter trying to hold her right arm is being battered around. He face is green and looks like he wants to be anywhere other than where he is. 

I look at him.

Switch?

It is not a really a question. I am taking his spot. I'll be the muscle. He can use his medical skills.

I slide it his space. 

I say to her, Medical units are here. There's no hitting. I know it hurts. Squeeze my hand as hard as you can. You are going to be okay sweetie.

I can't believe I said sweetie.

I feel a dripping on my arm and look. It's from Carhartt, or rather is sleeve. It's soaked in blood up to his elbow, so is his other sleeve and his pants to his knees. Fat tissue and skin particles speckle his his uniform. His squatting in a blood. 

I nudge him, Just so you know, you're contaminated.

He nods as he leans over her body to help with the tourniquet. 

The cuffs of my sleeves a rimmed as well.

 

 

 

 

Severed

 

 

I'm holding her down by her right arm.

She screams from from her feral heart,

rent from pain, as two officers apply

a tourniquet above the remaining

four inches of her other arm. 

 

She had reached under a passing

freight train to grab a dropped bag.

 

We all left marked with her blood.

 

 

 

 

God Bless

 

On a Trespass, off 1st, offending transient says to me, “I feel like I am missing my stomach and if I wait long enough, it will come back. “

 

You have your stomach. It’s not missing.

 

I think your having some mental health issues. I can arrange for an ambulance to take you to the hospital if you like.

 

He repeats, "I feel like I am missing my stomach and if I wait long enough, it will come back.“

 

Unfortunately this is private property and the nice security officer need you to lea. You can go to the park, you can go to the corner, and wait for your stomach there, but you cannot stay here.

 

He agrees. I help him up.

 

As he starts to leave, he pauses and asks, “I think I will go to the other side of the bridge. Will that be okay?”

 

Yes. That would be fine. God bless you.

 

He replies, “God bless, “ and leaves. 

 

 

 

Decay

 

Yesterday, when the body snatchers came to collect the corpse, I asked,

 

How liquid is he?

 

The ME replied, “He should be fine. He’s only been down two or three days. “

 

The crew started stripping the body and stopped.

 

“He has blisters. “

 

They ceased undressing the man, put him into the bag, and rolled him away.

 

 

Death

 

When I retire, one of things I won't miss about work is the smell of decaying bodies.