Let me start by saying that I am a big fan of police officers. I have known many of them in my life and I have become friends with many. I know they have a crappy job that pays for shit and we should be very thankful that there are men and women who are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to protect and serve.
Having said that, I just had an experience with one of Forsyth County’s not so finest that leaves me asking what the fuck am I getting for my tax dollars??? Let me set up my day so you can get my perspective. I have been fighting with a Dell server for two days after the addition of a Powervault 220s wiped the internal array on one of our PowerEdge 2850 boxes. It’s 2 am and I’m dropping my girl off at her car so she can get some sleep while I finish up at the office. I’m in a crappy mood, and we’ve just parked next to her car when Deputy Fife rolls in behind me.
He saunters out of his 2007 Dodge Charger and with his hand on his pistol he walks up to my window. I roll down the window and offer to him, “I’m just dropping my girl at her car.” He responds, “Is that what you call it.” Now, normally I’m up for some witty banter, but bozo has just insinuated that we were doing something untoward in my car. “Excuse me?” I ask. He immediately asserts that “she better get her car and I want you both out of here.” Let me re-iterate, my day has gone for shit. “I’m sorry officer, are we doing something wrong?” say I. “It’s after closing (of the restaurant’s parking lot we’re in) and you’re giving me attitude, do you have a problem?” I didn’t but I do now, “pardon me officer, but how exactly have I been giving you attitude?” “Just like you are now, rolling your eyes and giving me lip ever since I walked up to your car.”
I find myself sizing him up, and calculating whether or not he can get his gun out of his holster before I can open my door and disarm him. Fortunately for all involved, my girl has been saying to me all along, “its not worth it, lets just go.” It sinks in, and I apologize for giving him attitude and he trundles off. My girl gets out of the car and I follow to give her a kiss and hug goodnight. In the 30 seconds that took, here comes Deputy Fife again, driving slow past the parking lot, leering from his cruiser.
Now, I freely admit I shouldn’t have been thinking about disarming a cop, but it has been a really bad day and I wasn’t thinking clearly. I don’t believe I instigated the circumstance however, and shouldn’t have been the one aplogizing. I have been on the wrong side of the nightstick before, but that was many moons ago and I have done my best to stay out of trouble, and always try be polite and respectful of those who openly carry firearms, but this morning was fucked up and I don’t believe anyone should be treated that way.