OK, I'm Not Mad Any More

Well I have to say, I am not really mad about it not becoming an ice storm, I was just messin' with you. I was disappointed, sad, hurt, but not mad. Not Really. Because today was the day of the police banquet. Now that is something I have been mad about. I have been carrying this grudge in my heart because the police department did not give me a "retirement party". I have told you in past blogs that I feel that any officer that has served the community with 20 plus years deserves a retirement party. We have done them for officers in the past, but like everything else in life, things change and life isn't always fair. Heard that many times before haven't you? A couple months ago maybe six weeks really, I received an invitation to the first police banquet. It was going to honor the retired police officers that did not get a party. I was really not interested in going, but turned in my name anyway. All day today I kept trying to decide if I really wanted to go or not. In fact not until 2:00 pm. did I decide to go. So I got all gussied up, and we drove the two hours to attend. I am glad I did.
We got there to find many many people were attending. Old people that I worked with 20 years ago, and even some older than that. There were some old guys that had retired before I was ever there. Pretty amazing huh? There were some current guys that was good to see as well. But it was nice to see many of the oldies. Capt. David, he retired about 10 years ago and his family bought my horse years ago. Stormy was a good horse and really got them going in the horse world. They love their animals. I had not seen him in many years. Sgt. Tim Copeland was there and was playing the drums with his band. He looks weird, but I love him to death. He has the long beard, big hole ear rings, eyebrow piercings, tattoos, I love him. He had to shoot a man one night and it really bothered him. He retired shortly after that. As a christian he really suffered with that one, but everyone knows he did the right thing. The man came after them with a hatchet and even got one officer in the chin with it. What else can you do but shoot? I saw Tommy Rose and Scott Miller, they are my "brothers". We joined the department together and worked together, took many calls together, I love my brothers. Tommy retired a month before I did and Scott is still working there. Crazy guy!!! But he has a two year old daughter so he says he has to stay working to keep her in clothes. But the biggest surprise was the guest speaker. Sgt. Pat Blakely, my old sergeant. He did not retire from the department, but rather left after about 11 or 12 years to become a lawyer like his brother. And he accomplished that goal. He spoke about several of the old timers and made a few jokes. I was very glad to see him. He was one sergeant I really admired and he treated me very fair. Remember I was one woman of about five at the 85 man Enid Police Department. It was not an easy life. In one of my earlier post, the one about the badge, he was the sergeant that helped me do CPR on the shooting victim. That was an interesting blog!!!
After a good meal, pretty good company and conversation, they handed out the awards. All of the retired officers received a badge of honor ribbon, a certificate and then Tommy and I got the plaques from the Police Department and the City of Enid Plaques because we had never gotten ours. I had made sure everyone else got theirs while I was working there, but no one had gotten me mine. Nor Tommy's since I was gone shortly after he left. So now I have my plaques, my little certificate, and my social need met. They will have the banquet next year too. But I like what Sgt Blakely said, it is not a retirement party, it is a family reunion. See you next year.