The Big Proposal

by William "Blissey" Raymer

Based on the Universal Pictures feature film

Dragnet (1987)

Screenplay by Dan Aykroyd, Alan Zweibel and Tom Mankiewicz

Based on the original radio and television series Created by Jack Webb

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place approximately two years after the events of the 1987 motion picture Dragnet. While that film was played primarily for laughs, this story (while using the characters from it) is meant to be a serious one...but not without a laugh here and there.

Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to read is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

This is the city—Los Angeles, California. Even living here for all of one's life—as I have—you learn something new every day. I speak from direct experience, as I learn something new every single day in my line of work. I carry a badge.

It was Monday, January 9. It was cool in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of Robbery-Homicide Division. My partner's name is Pep Streebek; the boss is Captain Bill Gannon. My name's Friday.

It was 8:35 A.M., and I had just walked into the squadroom with a couple of cups of coffee when Captain Gannon poked his head out of his office at the far end of the room.

"Joe, you've got a personal call on Line 4. I think it's Connie," Capt. Gannon said. "Thanks, Captain," I said before he re-entered his office.

It had been exactly two years to the day since I had met my wonderful girlfriend. During the infamous P.A.G.A.N. case, Detective Streebek and I were undercover at a P.A.G.A.N. rally in the San Gabriel Mountains outside of the city.

During this rally, the masked leader of the P.A.G.A.N. organization—later revealed to be the Reverend Jonathan Worley—intended to sacrifice a virgin to two snakes that had been stolen from the L.A. Zoo. Streebek and I dove into the pool that the virgin had been thrown into and rescued her.

During the subsequent events leading to the apprehension and incarceration of Rev. Worley, the girl—Connie Swail—and I fell in love. I'm sure that my Uncle Joe would have liked her. I picked up the phone and pressed the blinking button in order to dial into the incoming call.

"Friday talking," I said. "Joe, it's Connie," the angelic voice of Connie Swail said. "Hey, Connie," I said. "Happy anniversary." "To you as well, Joe," Connie said. "Listen, I'm gonna head up to where we met. Pep told me you had a surprise for me to celebrate our anniversary."

"That he did," I said. "I'll see you there." "See you, Joe," Connie said before she hung up.

I stood from my desk and moved to knock on the door of Capt. Gannon's office. "Come in," the voice on the other side of the door said. I opened the door and walked in to find Capt. Gannon looking over some paperwork. "Captain, I'm gonna take a personal day," I said. "As you probably remember, this is mine and Connie Swail's anniversary."

Capt. Gannon smiled, knowing that this was most likely going to happen. "All right, Joe," Gannon said. "Just remember that if something big comes up, I'm gonna have to call you back in."

"Of course, Captain," I said before I turned and started to leave. "Joe..." Gannon said.

I turned back in the open doorway and saw the Captain reaching into a drawer in his desk. "You're gonna need this," he said before tossing me a small white and gold case.

I opened the case and found a small gold and diamond ring that I had purchased a few days before. "Good luck, Joe," Gannon said.

I closed the case and smiled at Capt. Gannon. "Thanks, Bill," I said before pocketing the case and walking out of his office.

As I passed mine and Det. Streebek's desk, I looked down at the framed picture of my late Uncle Joe on my side of the desk and smiled at it. "Wish me luck too, Uncle Joe," I whispered before leaving the squadroom.

::TBC::