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When we
lived in Mansfield, I worked for the police department on a
part time basis. Susan was nine years old and Angela was
five.
I was
working at the GM plant in Arlington during the day and for
the police department for two or three nights a week.
One
evening, Chief Seaton asked me if I would like to make a
little extra money?
???Sure,???
I said ???what do I have to do????
???Henry
Pace has a roller rink out on the Midlothian highway and he
has been having trouble with some big teenagers getting
rough with the smaller kids while they skate. He just needs
a police presence to keep them quiet. All you would have to
do would be to stand around and let them see you.???
???I??™ll
go talk to him and see what we can work out??? I said.
???Ok,
but he is only open Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00 p m
until 10:00 p m.???
The
next Friday night Johnnie and the girls and I drove out to
the roller rink. I wore my uniform and gun. We got there
right at six o??™clock and Mr. Pace was just opening the
doors. I introduced my self and said that chief Seaton told
me to talk to him about the problem he was having with the
big teenagers.
We
talked for a couple of minutes and came to an agreement
which included letting Johnnie and the girls skate free of
charge while I was on duty.
I was
standing inside watching Johnnie and the girls skate when
three big rough looking teenagers came in. They looked
around and saw me standing there. Then they went back
outside to talk the situation over. They didn??™t know that I
was working for Mr. Pace and thought I was just there with
my family. Finally they got in their pickup and left.
The
rink was pretty full of women and younger kids. Mr. Pace
came over to me and said,
???I was
glad you were here tonight. Those toughs were looking
forward to hurting some people tonight. Just you being here
stopped that.???
At ten
o??™clock he closed the rink and we all went home. I asked
the girls how they liked the skating and if they would like
to come back tomorrow night? They both said they would, so
the next night we were back at the skating rink at six
o??™clock.
Mr.
Pace told me that Saturday nights were his busiest nights
and that was when he had his most trouble with the toughs.
Johnnie and the girls got their skates on and went out on
the floor. It wasn??™t long before the rink was crowded and
Johnnie and the girls came off and sat down to rest.
As we
sat there, Mr. Pace came over and said,
???Well
Loren it looks like we??™re not going to have any trouble
tonight. I guess hiring you was a good idea.???
???Well,
this is the easiest job I??™ve ever had. I just hope it stays
that way.???
In a
little while Johnnie and the girls went back out on the
floor to skate some more and I walked outside to get a
breath of fresh air. I walked around through the parking
lot looking at the cars and pickups.
It was
after eight o??™clock and most of the people that were coming
tonight were already there. I was surprised to see another
pickup drive into the lot. Then I recognized the three
toughs. They hadn??™t seen me because I was behind some cars.
They
got out of their pickup and stood in front of it. I could
hear them talking.. They sent one of their group inside to
see if I was there tonight. The other two sat on the front
fenders of their pickup and smoked a cigarette.
When
the third member came back and said I wasn??™t there tonight,
they threw down their cigarettes and started walking toward
the door. That??™s when I stepped out from behind the cars
and said, ???Hold it boys. You??™re not wanted in there. Your
time for making trouble here is over. I??™m here every night
the rink is open and I??™m putting you on notice now. If you
ever come back here, I??™ll arrest you for trespassing. Now
get in your pickup and leave.???
I went
back inside and told Mr. Pace about my conversation with the
three teenagers.
???I
don??™t think you will have any more trouble with them.???
Apparently I was right, because the next three weekends
were trouble free. At closing time that Saturday night Mr.
Pace told me he didn??™t think he needed me any more, but
Johnnie and the girls could still come and skate for free
anytime they wanted to.
Well,
I thought, I worked myself right out of a job, didn??™t I?
But I didn??™t mind. That standing around and not doing
anything but looking pretty really wasn??™t my kind of job
anyway.
Now my
next job was ??¦ but no, that??™s a whole nother story for a
different time.
?©
Copyright 2003
Loren Moore
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Blessings to you today
Bob Johnston |
