I bet all of you can remember the blackout New York had last May. The blackout that caused all the crazy's and lunatics to come out of the woodwork. The day that Faith was trapped in an elevator with Fred. The day I worked solo and ran across a man by the name of Latrell Griffith. I saw him standing there on the corner, and of course, my attitude took over and I just had to stop the car. Really, I can't remember if it was my attitude that got me to stop or if it was just because I was so damn bored that I needed to stop.
I knew he had narcotics on him, and no, it's not just because he was black. I know plenty of white people that carry narcotics too. I could smell the shit on him. Him running his mouth didn't help him too much either. You know me, if someone opens there mouth I'll be there to close it, and hard too.
The lesson I learned from picking Latrell up was that you can't judge someone just by the way they look. Yes, I know, you've probably heard this all before but it's true. When I first saw him that day of the blackout I thought he was just some gangbanger out on the corner with nothing better to do than get high and cause some trouble.
Never in a million years did I think he would save a kid's life. Never did I think that he used to be in the Marines where he worked as a medic. I know that night even though he saved that kid I didn't let him go. But like I said before, good ol' predictable Maurice here has to be a hard ass and hold him for the drugs I found on him. But later that night I did let Latrell go. All because Faith's words hit home to me.
She told me I was useless. She said that the only thing I was good at was arresting people and putting them in lock up. I sit back and think about those words and I'm starting to believe them. Hell, I've always believed that I was useless; she just put the icing on the cake when she told me that. But I never really realized how many people I do bring in.
When I let Latrell go that night and threw away the evidence I felt good. That man deserves a second chance. We all do dumb things in our life; I'm living proof of that. Latrell had a sincere look in his eye when I told him to leave. It was a look that told me he was going to put his life together.
Sometimes I wish I could see Latrell again. Though we started off on a rocky road I'd love to just shake his hand and tell him thank you. Thank you for helping me with that kid and thank you for making me realize what kind of an asshole I can actually be. I hope he does become a paramedic; he'd make a damn good one.
****
I walked into work Thursday, February 13. Faith was there changing already but I really didn't acknowledge her. Since she yelled at me that night our relationship really hadn't been the same. I glanced at her as I put my vest on but she didn't see me. I still haven't received a good apology from her but I'm not going to wait around for one. She'll tell me when she's ready.
In roll call I sat in the back and listened to Swersky's words. The same old debriefing we go through everyday. I sighed heavy and stood up when I heard Swersky say, "Eyes and ears open out there."
Faith stood behind in line while we waited for our radios.
"Boz, what did you do this weekend?" I could tell she was making small talk.
"Caught up on some sleep. You." I glanced at her with my peripheral vision but kept my face to the front of the line.
"I did too."
****
I walked out to the RMP and hopped in the driver's side. Faith entered the other side not long after.
"Boz, you mad about something?"
"No." I really wasn't mad, just agitated. I had a lot of things on my mind but I didn't want to tell her. I didn't want to burden her with my problems, she might think I'm useless or something.
"Oh yeah, remember that Latrell Griffith guy you arrested back in May?"
My stomach jolted. He was someone that was on my mind and it was as if Faith knew my thoughts.
"Yeah, what about him?"
"He made FDNY. From what I heard he is working with Doc and Carlos for the next week, getting his field training done and stuff."
"Really? I'm glad to see he got back on the right track." I really was happy. It was always great to see people achieve something, even if it wasn't yourself that did it.
"55-David, shots fired, 101, 2 to 3."
Faith responded. "10-4, 101, 2 to 3."
****
We reached the old abandoned warehouse minutes after. Sully and Davis were on scene, waiting for more backups to arrive. I approached their car slowly and slouched out of line with bullets that could be possibly fired.
"What's going on?" I asked, confused.
Sully spoke up, "We have two perps in there, both with guns. 55-Edward is also on the way."
I walked slowly up to the building doors and Faith followed. "Sully says we should wait."
"Why? What for? We got four officers here. They are outnumbered."
We walked in the warehouse slowly and no one was in site. My chest grew tight as I looked around the corner. Dammit, it felt like another panic attack was about to happen. I grabbed my chest and glanced back at Faith, making sure she didn't know what was happening.
"Boz, you wanna move to the second story?"
"Yeah."
We climbed the stairs slowly and by this time my heart was beating out of my chest. Gunshots fired from down the hall and we both ducked.
I queued my radio, "Sul, we have shots fired."
"I know. We are down on the first level, hold your positions."
I glanced down the hallway and saw the gun point straight at Faith and I.
"Get down Faith!" The gunfire rang through my ears and I felt the heat off of the bullet. It penetrated my arm. "Dammit, it hit me."
I looked at my arm that was barely bleeding.
"You okay?"
I ran my hand over the wound. "Yeah, it's just a scratch."
****
55 Edward had taken both the men in. After about 15 minutes of holding our positions the perps gave up. Talk about being impatient. Doc, Carlos and to my surprise Latrell arrived on scene. Latrell approached me with a medical bag in hand.
"I didn't think I'd be seeing you so soon."
"You don't need to check me out. It's just a scratch."
"Just pick up your shirt sleeve. I wanna look at it anyway."
Doc stood by and watched, making sure the trainee did, as he should. I stared up at Sully who was standing over me, watching me with amazement.
"Sul, you act like I'm dying or something."
I flinched when Latrell applied some alcohol to the scratch. "Dammit, warn me next time."
He laughed and applied a bandage. "It's going to need some stitches. You want us to escort you or can you go on your own?"
"I think I can find the hospital, thanks." I pulled my sleeve down and followed Faith to the car.
Latrell watched me and looked at Doc. "That man hasn't changed. He's still a cocky son of a bitch."
Doc laughed, "Yes he is."
I knew he had narcotics on him, and no, it's not just because he was black. I know plenty of white people that carry narcotics too. I could smell the shit on him. Him running his mouth didn't help him too much either. You know me, if someone opens there mouth I'll be there to close it, and hard too.
The lesson I learned from picking Latrell up was that you can't judge someone just by the way they look. Yes, I know, you've probably heard this all before but it's true. When I first saw him that day of the blackout I thought he was just some gangbanger out on the corner with nothing better to do than get high and cause some trouble.
Never in a million years did I think he would save a kid's life. Never did I think that he used to be in the Marines where he worked as a medic. I know that night even though he saved that kid I didn't let him go. But like I said before, good ol' predictable Maurice here has to be a hard ass and hold him for the drugs I found on him. But later that night I did let Latrell go. All because Faith's words hit home to me.
She told me I was useless. She said that the only thing I was good at was arresting people and putting them in lock up. I sit back and think about those words and I'm starting to believe them. Hell, I've always believed that I was useless; she just put the icing on the cake when she told me that. But I never really realized how many people I do bring in.
When I let Latrell go that night and threw away the evidence I felt good. That man deserves a second chance. We all do dumb things in our life; I'm living proof of that. Latrell had a sincere look in his eye when I told him to leave. It was a look that told me he was going to put his life together.
Sometimes I wish I could see Latrell again. Though we started off on a rocky road I'd love to just shake his hand and tell him thank you. Thank you for helping me with that kid and thank you for making me realize what kind of an asshole I can actually be. I hope he does become a paramedic; he'd make a damn good one.
****
I walked into work Thursday, February 13. Faith was there changing already but I really didn't acknowledge her. Since she yelled at me that night our relationship really hadn't been the same. I glanced at her as I put my vest on but she didn't see me. I still haven't received a good apology from her but I'm not going to wait around for one. She'll tell me when she's ready.
In roll call I sat in the back and listened to Swersky's words. The same old debriefing we go through everyday. I sighed heavy and stood up when I heard Swersky say, "Eyes and ears open out there."
Faith stood behind in line while we waited for our radios.
"Boz, what did you do this weekend?" I could tell she was making small talk.
"Caught up on some sleep. You." I glanced at her with my peripheral vision but kept my face to the front of the line.
"I did too."
****
I walked out to the RMP and hopped in the driver's side. Faith entered the other side not long after.
"Boz, you mad about something?"
"No." I really wasn't mad, just agitated. I had a lot of things on my mind but I didn't want to tell her. I didn't want to burden her with my problems, she might think I'm useless or something.
"Oh yeah, remember that Latrell Griffith guy you arrested back in May?"
My stomach jolted. He was someone that was on my mind and it was as if Faith knew my thoughts.
"Yeah, what about him?"
"He made FDNY. From what I heard he is working with Doc and Carlos for the next week, getting his field training done and stuff."
"Really? I'm glad to see he got back on the right track." I really was happy. It was always great to see people achieve something, even if it wasn't yourself that did it.
"55-David, shots fired, 101, 2 to 3."
Faith responded. "10-4, 101, 2 to 3."
****
We reached the old abandoned warehouse minutes after. Sully and Davis were on scene, waiting for more backups to arrive. I approached their car slowly and slouched out of line with bullets that could be possibly fired.
"What's going on?" I asked, confused.
Sully spoke up, "We have two perps in there, both with guns. 55-Edward is also on the way."
I walked slowly up to the building doors and Faith followed. "Sully says we should wait."
"Why? What for? We got four officers here. They are outnumbered."
We walked in the warehouse slowly and no one was in site. My chest grew tight as I looked around the corner. Dammit, it felt like another panic attack was about to happen. I grabbed my chest and glanced back at Faith, making sure she didn't know what was happening.
"Boz, you wanna move to the second story?"
"Yeah."
We climbed the stairs slowly and by this time my heart was beating out of my chest. Gunshots fired from down the hall and we both ducked.
I queued my radio, "Sul, we have shots fired."
"I know. We are down on the first level, hold your positions."
I glanced down the hallway and saw the gun point straight at Faith and I.
"Get down Faith!" The gunfire rang through my ears and I felt the heat off of the bullet. It penetrated my arm. "Dammit, it hit me."
I looked at my arm that was barely bleeding.
"You okay?"
I ran my hand over the wound. "Yeah, it's just a scratch."
****
55 Edward had taken both the men in. After about 15 minutes of holding our positions the perps gave up. Talk about being impatient. Doc, Carlos and to my surprise Latrell arrived on scene. Latrell approached me with a medical bag in hand.
"I didn't think I'd be seeing you so soon."
"You don't need to check me out. It's just a scratch."
"Just pick up your shirt sleeve. I wanna look at it anyway."
Doc stood by and watched, making sure the trainee did, as he should. I stared up at Sully who was standing over me, watching me with amazement.
"Sul, you act like I'm dying or something."
I flinched when Latrell applied some alcohol to the scratch. "Dammit, warn me next time."
He laughed and applied a bandage. "It's going to need some stitches. You want us to escort you or can you go on your own?"
"I think I can find the hospital, thanks." I pulled my sleeve down and followed Faith to the car.
Latrell watched me and looked at Doc. "That man hasn't changed. He's still a cocky son of a bitch."
Doc laughed, "Yes he is."