Sometimes dumb just ain't enough.....

For the gods first mock those who do not snark... or something like that.

Yep - payback for my whole "up on a soapbox lecture everyone on what to do" yesterday was another verse, more annoying than the first...

I seriously tried to give this guy EVERY chance to avoid taking a ride last night. Really.

Told to go inside and sleep it off instead of getting busted for acting up in the yard & street.

Even given a ride to a friend's house to sleep it off.

VERY clearly explaining the break that he was getting, that I just wasn't in the mood for a little public intoxication arrest - just go inside and be quiet and call it a night.

Instead... who do I run into passed out in the driver's seat a short time later, because he just HAD to have his truck that night...

Seriously... I don't know how the race survives with this kind of instinct.

The guy took a simple "go inside" and turned it into a full-blown DUI, all because he wanted to be stubborn...

Ah well, at least I have job security.

Thanks...

"Great. Now you've ruined my life. I hope you're proud of yourself."

*SIGH*

You people honestly don't know how many times I've heard this. The variants show up on all sorts of arrests, but by far the winner is on DUI's - by a margin of 10 to 1 at least, this is the refrain you get when you tell someone those words as you put the cuffs on.

I've ruined their life.

I've cost them their job, their kids, their home.

I'm the one who made them pay the legal fees, the insurance rates, and the lawyer's bill when it's all said and done.

Can you tell I'm tired of this one? Because I had to play that same song yet again tonight - another person who had no business driving. Hell, he TOLD me he had no business driving, was only doing it to take this girl home and be a nice guy... But because I'm out their doing my job & I catch him, and I take him to jail then I've got some personal vendetta to ruin his life and I should be ashamed of myself.

Folks - I'm not a hypocrite. I enjoy my good beer as my wife and anyone else will tell you - and 90% of the time these days it's at home... Because I've figured out I'd rather drink alone and not be social than risk the chance of having "just one more" and making a bad choice.

I'm even honest enough to admit that in my younger, stupider days there were times I probably shouldn't have driven home either. I can say I was blessed or lucky enough I never hurt or killed anyone before I learned better.

And after a few years on this job, I'm tired of it. The accidents. The innocent people hurt or killed. Hell just the people inconvenienced because some drunk smashes into their car. The rampant stupidity of it all.

When you pull a child the same age as your own firstborn out from under the dash of a car; you're hopeful because she's still alive and you pray for every bit of help you can get to keep her hanging on to the hospital... only to be told when you follow up later with the doctor that the child would have been better off dying then the way it will be forced to live a few short years (Spare me your moral judgments on this one - their are times it's cruel to force life to stay) - it changes your perspective. Especially when you see her mother, so drunk she can't walk, get away with barely a scratch because she didn't want to sleep on a friend's couch that night.

I don't make you go out and drink.

I don't put the car keys in your hand.

I don't tell you it's ok to drive home, that once again you're going to beat the odds.

You made those decisions on your own.

And when I catch you doing it, and I take you to jail, I'm not going to feel the least bit guilty about doing my job.

I'm going to be glad I did it before someone else paid for your stupidity.

Do your own baking, eat your own dessert!

Brigid does it again with a great post on what is at stake.

Crushes

OK seriously, I tried to stay away from the politics, I really did.

But for fricken fracken everything else...

if CNN and the media dry-hump the DNC convention anymore in their coverage I think I will spew all over my keyboard.

I swear, it will go into Wikipedia as the definition of "fanboy masturbation" forever.

Yum

Pan-seared tenderloin with a chipotle-lime butter

King crab, boiled in beer with just a hint of Old Bay

Fresh corn on the cob

Potatoes au gratin

A loaf of whole-grain French bread

My tummy for the win.

Back home

As readers of the wife's blog have surmised yes we are back home...

No real posting from me yet, still trying to mentally "not be here" and don't do cop stuff again for another day TYVM.

The vacation was good - spent two days of it immobile BUT on a good note, the doc I saw gave a new direction on the arthritis stuff that I get to go slap my primary care with the cluebat of obviousness for.... so that ended well.

Got a lot of time with my wonderful children, letting my wife have (somewhat) of a break - and everytime it happens I am reminded how much work two kids is, and how incredible it is she keeps up with them both and still keeps track of my idiocy.

Even got some time with her which was nice - so thanks to Donia and Maia for watching the kids here & there!

Anyway, posts and life to resume soon but this browncoat is still enjoying the stars for a bit more...

Quote of the day

from the Pirate...


Bill Clinton is getting $12 million for his memoirs.
Hillary got $8 million for hers.
That’s $20 million for the memories from two people, who for eight years, repeatedly testified, under oath, that they couldn’t remember anything.

Vacation had to get away...

On vacation at the beach this week - I have internet access so can keep up with things, but no posting planned. Back next week with more fun.

Some new links

Two additions to the blogroll today:

Juvenile Corrections by someone who gets the joy of dealing with far more underage offenders than I ever want

and

Roanoke Cop from a road guy in the western part of this state.

both share some good stories - drop by & give 'em a read.

Interesting read

A discussion put in non-horribly-scientific terms on the problems with the "hockey stick graph" used as gospel by global warming proponents is here...

Worth reading and thinking about.