SeaCat
Hey, my Halo is smoking
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2003
- Posts
- 15,378
Well the wife and I had some fun this evening. Yep we went to the local mall and watched people.
We were well prepared, we brought coffee and snacks with us.
We staked out a spot near the middle of the mall, not far from the food court and close enough to Starbucks to smell the scents coming out.
As my wife and I sat there watching people and laughing at their antics we were vicously attacked from behind by two of Palm Beach Counties Finest. I felt a hard object jabbed lightly into my back and heard a deep voice growl into my ear to keep my hands in plain sight at all times. (I also felt two more hands on the tops of my shoulders when I started coming out of my seat.)
My wife was laughing so hard that she had tears running down her face. There behind me were, as I mentioned, two of Palm Beach Counties Finest. These two deputies are long time veterans as well as neighbors of mine. They had seen us sitting there and decided to come over to visit and say hi. (They know us well enough to be ready for me to come off the bench, hence the hands on my shoulders.)
They had stopped off to do some shopping, so much so that I ended up begging a cart from the Seurity Office and helping them haul their purchases to their cruisers. (Yes they were on Duty, but the mall is in their normal patrol area.) Of course they made a big joke out of the whole thing, cuffing me to the cart and such. I was laughing so hard that I had a hard time helping them out. I'm sure some people were wondering what was going on, especially when these two cops took pictures then released me.
Oh the gifts they were buying? Toys for a local needy fund, bought with their own money and not the counties. (I think they cleared out the toy store.
)
These two guys are well known for this, as are many of the other oficers in their Department. These two guys are the ones who spearheaded, again with their own money, what they called "Operation Santa" about ten years ago. They had heard about families that fell through the cracks, who didn't qualify for any of the needy funds or other Charities for what ever reason. Right after thanksgiving one year they started collecting money from their "Buds" and using it to buy food and presents for these people. They did it on their own. Now the Department along with other County Agencies is doing it. (I learned about it right after I moved into the county. That first year I had nothing but my wife and I did manage to donate a couple of stuffed animals from her collection. That year I started collecting parts for bikes, picking up frames and such from along the roadways and at the dump. I built several bikes which I donated. This year, even with the move and everything else going on my wife and I managed to make and donate 53 bikes. {A lot of times I'll come home to find Bike parts dropped off by the local police, parts or entire bikes they have found.})
Yes these two guys do a lot for our community. I know them well. Not just from living near them but from going on ride alongs with them. When they found out I shot they invited me to their range. (That's another story, but one that was both fun and interesting.)
As I like to put it, there is a Santa Clause. Sometimes he wears Blue, or Tan, or Green.
Cat
We were well prepared, we brought coffee and snacks with us.
We staked out a spot near the middle of the mall, not far from the food court and close enough to Starbucks to smell the scents coming out.
As my wife and I sat there watching people and laughing at their antics we were vicously attacked from behind by two of Palm Beach Counties Finest. I felt a hard object jabbed lightly into my back and heard a deep voice growl into my ear to keep my hands in plain sight at all times. (I also felt two more hands on the tops of my shoulders when I started coming out of my seat.)
My wife was laughing so hard that she had tears running down her face. There behind me were, as I mentioned, two of Palm Beach Counties Finest. These two deputies are long time veterans as well as neighbors of mine. They had seen us sitting there and decided to come over to visit and say hi. (They know us well enough to be ready for me to come off the bench, hence the hands on my shoulders.)
They had stopped off to do some shopping, so much so that I ended up begging a cart from the Seurity Office and helping them haul their purchases to their cruisers. (Yes they were on Duty, but the mall is in their normal patrol area.) Of course they made a big joke out of the whole thing, cuffing me to the cart and such. I was laughing so hard that I had a hard time helping them out. I'm sure some people were wondering what was going on, especially when these two cops took pictures then released me.
Oh the gifts they were buying? Toys for a local needy fund, bought with their own money and not the counties. (I think they cleared out the toy store.
)These two guys are well known for this, as are many of the other oficers in their Department. These two guys are the ones who spearheaded, again with their own money, what they called "Operation Santa" about ten years ago. They had heard about families that fell through the cracks, who didn't qualify for any of the needy funds or other Charities for what ever reason. Right after thanksgiving one year they started collecting money from their "Buds" and using it to buy food and presents for these people. They did it on their own. Now the Department along with other County Agencies is doing it. (I learned about it right after I moved into the county. That first year I had nothing but my wife and I did manage to donate a couple of stuffed animals from her collection. That year I started collecting parts for bikes, picking up frames and such from along the roadways and at the dump. I built several bikes which I donated. This year, even with the move and everything else going on my wife and I managed to make and donate 53 bikes. {A lot of times I'll come home to find Bike parts dropped off by the local police, parts or entire bikes they have found.})
Yes these two guys do a lot for our community. I know them well. Not just from living near them but from going on ride alongs with them. When they found out I shot they invited me to their range. (That's another story, but one that was both fun and interesting.)
As I like to put it, there is a Santa Clause. Sometimes he wears Blue, or Tan, or Green.
Cat
