This evening I had some errands to run before salsa class. Walmart was my first stop and the bank was my second stop. I spent a little too much time shopping so after checking out, I quickly drove to the bank. As I turned onto the bank's street, I came upon a car stopped in the middle of the road with its flashers on. Since I was in a hurry, I scooted over into the 2nd lane to pass it assuming that it was stalled. As I went by, I noticed that the front end of that car was all smushed up, there was glass and car pieces around it and there was a mini van pulled to the side that had been crashed into. Those two cars had just been in an accident. There was no one else on the road at the time so I pulled into the bank parking lot and pulled out my phone. As I did, I noticed a police car in the parking lot next to Starbucks. I turned the opposite direction than bank so I could drive past the police car. "Hooray!" I thought to myself because the policeman was in the car. The car was backed into the parking spot and there was a car pulled in next to him. He was talking to a girl in the other car. I drove by and rolled down my window. I waved a little to get his attention and he looked at me like I was totally bothering him. I said, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to let you know that there was just an accident right over there." Without even looking towards me he said, "It's already been called in," and went back to talking. I WAS SHOCKED. First, he was rude. Even if he knew about it, what would have been so hard about thanking me and telling me he was checking into it. Second, if he already knew about the accident that was just outside the parking lot and was still talking to a girl at Starbucks rather than rushing over to make sure the people were ok, are you serious? Yah, yah, yah maybe he was on break, but who cares, I always work when I'm on break.Over and over I keep thinking to myself, "I can't believe it." I know this is just one out of thousands and thousands of police officers, but still. We teach our children to find a police officer if they ever need help. Now what should we tell them. "Boys and girls, find a police officer if you ever need help, just not that ones who are at Starbucks or talking to girls." I don't know why, but for some reason this has really bothered me. What is this world coming to?
That would bother me too.
ReplyDeleteIm a huge supporter of the Police (even the one that pulled me over IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD this week, as I took the kids to school, because, ????, and then once his head was in my window, he commented on Little One's car seat straps, that didnt look very snug or on her shoulders correctly, and I wanted to yell, "FOR GOODNESS SAKES - YOU TRY WRESTLING HER INTO THE SEAT.....AND WE ARE ONLY DRIVING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, GOING 15 MPH MAX!!!"...but I was polite, and now Im TOTALLLY side tracked.....
But anyways, Im all for giving them the benefit of the doubt, but in your situation, I would call the Watch Commander and just let them know that you had hoped a police officer would have displayed a more professional demeanor, as in, not being rude to you, and perhaps, going over to make sure someone hadnt died in the car, or something.
Unfortunately, it doesn't take a whole lot of intelligence to become a police officer. The wife of a police officer even told me that once.
ReplyDeleteAnd this particular officer was probably one of those dudes in high school who thought he was a total badass and that girls just loved him. Now that he's a police officer he has, in his own mind, become an "official" badass and girls MUST love him!
What a dick!
Dear Pumpkin,
ReplyDeleteYou take the good. You take the bad. You take it all and there you have the facts of life.
The facts of life. When the world doesn't seem to be living up to your dream. Suddenly you're finding out the facts of life are all about you.
I so loved Hula Hanks comment.
ReplyDeleteAnd I would have been totally bothered by this cop.
The problem is, people get jaded. In every career.
I wonder if there had been blood and guts...would he have reacted differently?
He was probably thinking with his boner.
Yeah, that would irk me a bit. But maybe he is a very lonely guy who hasn't talked to a girl in ages and here was his only chance. If you think of him as a loser who has no girl then the anger goes away. Hah, the benefit of the doubt.......
ReplyDeleteThat is definitely bothersome... and that complacency should not be tolerated... but luckily for him he's probably unionized and protected from repercussions.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if he was the one who had called it in from a payphone on the corner?
This makes me really sad. I work in Philadelphia, and I have had some bad experiences with the police that work in the neighborhoods where the schools I work are located. It breaks my hearts for the kids because they see the things the police do when they are supposed to be protecting and serving, etc. Sad, Sad, Sad.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a jerk!
ReplyDelete