Tag: police officer

My Night In Prospect

For the first time in your lives you’re being told about decisions and situations you will face away from your parents. This is a first step toward adulthood. It won’t be the last.

prospect-community-school.jpg

I headed up to Prospect last night. It’s their DARE graduation and I’m a yearly guest. This has been going on for nearly 20 years–I’ve forgotten when we began. It’s possible I am now seeing the second generation in some families.

As a courtesy they send a police officer to bring me up in a squad car. The first year we went with lights and sirens. Never again. Not only was it wrong, it was dangerous. It scared the living crap out of me.

I’d rather not debate the efficacy of DARE. It’s a controversial program. Some people question its effectiveness. I don’t participate in any classroom sessions or the curriculum in general.

I do get to speak to these 5th graders and here’s my point to them. For the first time in your lives you’re being told about decisions and situations you will face away from your parents. This is a first step toward adulthood. It won’t be the last.

I always get a good feeling being there. I always make a point to stay and meet people–sign autographs, take photos. Whatever they want.

In the end doing something like this is very rewarding and satisfying to me. That’s why I always come back. They think I’m doing it for them. Shhhh–don’t tell.

Almond Pound Cake

Today, with the cake running out, she said “If you’re having some tonight just put the cake right in the container with the strawberries.”

Helaine baked three loaves of almond pound cake a few days ago. Along with that she thawed ‘fresh frozen’ strawberries in their own juice from this summer. Slice-by-slice and strawberry-by-strawberry I have gone at it.

Today, with the cake running out, she said “If you’re having some tonight just put the cake right in the container with the strawberries.”

If you’re having some! This is like a police officer encouraging you to do 90 mph.

I was skinny when we first met. I have relished every ounce of our relationship.

Sneaky Stuff On Route 40

Every night, on my way home from work, I head north on I-91 and then cut west for a few miles on State Route 40. Route 40 is a beautiful little gem of a road. As it wends its way between North Haven and Hamden, you pass by hundreds of yards of exposed rock face. The geological history of Connecticut is out in the open, and to a non-geologist like me, picturesque. At least once or twice a year students come by bus or van, stand by the side of the road, and examine the rocks to help their classroom work.

It is a wide road with nice shoulders, large separation between opposing traffic and very few cars. In my 13 years of traveling this road I have never seen a police officer with radar or laser gun… until last night.

As I crested a hill, approaching another car in the right lane, I saw a darkened car on the right shoulder. Moving closer, I noticed what looked like a roof rack. I tapped my brakes. At that very instant my radar detectopr went off. That’s about the time the car I had been approaching noticed. Too late for him. Twenty seconds later he and a State Tropper were on the grass.

One of my co-worker, passing by a few minutes later, was sure it was me. He’s seen me pass him by loads of times.

There’s really a larger problem here. This is a beautiful road, built for speed, with an unreasonably low speed limit. It’s never higher than 55 mph, and drops to 35 mph before the road ends at a traffic light. That 35 mph limit is lower than the non-divided highway you’re forced on!

How do roads get speed limits? I have no clue. It just seems that this one is inappropriately low.

I feel bad for the guy who (probably) got a ticket. I’ll be going slower and keeping my eyes open wider tonight.