Low Water: High Expectations

Posted on March 4, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

In parts of the world, roads can become rivers, or at least large creeks, with little warning. This is s especially true in some areas known as flatlands. These roads can cause problems for the folks who live on or near them, as well as those who must maintain them and the critters that live in the area.

Growing up in some of the flattest land in north Texas, I had many experiences with flatland roads. That is one reason I found this cartoon amusing.

I was in the fifth or sixth grade in a small country school northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. My family rented a place on Reese Lane, just north of FM 1886.

The farm road was flat as could be from our house to the paved farm road. However, that flat section was surrounded by higher ground, and a good thunderstorm could make the road impassable for hours.

One day, Dad decided we had to go into town despite the flooded road. Our 1953 Chevy Stepside was not really equipped to navigate rushing water on a gravel and dirt road, but Dad was not to be deterred.

However, unlike the cowboy in the cartoon, we didn’t have an outboard motor to help move the truck. What we did have was a flat-bottomed airboat.

Ours was not just like the one above. Ours was plywood, and Dad built it with his own calloused hands, using a plan ordered from Popular Mechanics Magazine. It worked, though, and we had a great time with it at Lake Worth and other lakes in the area. On this day, we hooked the boat and trailer to the back of the Chevy. Mom steered, and Dad pushed it through the higher water to 1886 so we could go to Buddies and buy groceries for dinner.

Cartoon Courtesy of Hooves and Horns Cowtoons Click here to see what they have going!

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Midweek Musings: Wasted Time and Ink

Posted on February 28, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

If you read last week’s post, you know I let a lady go without a ticket because she claimed she was about to pee in her pants. So, I gave her a verbal warning instead of a speeding ticket. She went on her way, and I chalked that one up to an amusing learning experience and a good joke for the next poker party.

On a more serious note, I made a traffic stop on a highly traveled street coming into town a few weeks later. The driver made no excuses and said very little. He complied with my instructions, signed the citation, and went.

The next day, I was called into the Patrol Captain’s office. He was pleasant and outgoing but clarified that I’d made a big mistake the day before. The young man who was so cooperative and soft-spoken the day before was my boss’s son-in-law.

I did not get into trouble. There was no reassignment to the worst patrol district in town or the police equivalent of K.P. Still; I learned a lesson: authority comes with influence. The citation never saw the light of day in traffic court. Thankfully, this was the exception in some ways, not the rule.

In many other cases, the person being arrested or cited did their best to find a way to convince you messing with them was a mistake. It usually did not work. Still, as I moved up the chain of command, the stories I began to hear about people using my name as a possible “Get out of Jail Free Card” popped up regularly.

The difference was I did not call officers into my office to let them know I’d voided a citation or dropped charges on someone. In these cases, they came to me with their stories. Some said, “I stopped this jerk the other day, and you won’t believe what he said when I told him I was going to give him a citation or take him to jail.”

Then it would be something stupid like, “I date the Chief’s daughter. Can’t you let me off with a warning?” One of the most distasteful situations was when one of my officers arrested a college student from another jurisdiction on a traffic warrant.

The student’s uncle was a high-ranking officer in another state. The young woman was attending a large university in our jurisdiction. After she was released from custody, she called her uncle. The uncle called the university’s chancellor, demanding the university become involved, so no other student was dealt with that way over a traffic citation.

His complaint led to a tense meeting between me and my boss. My boss wanted to know if the student’s uncle had a point. After all, he was a high-ranking officer in a larger police agency. He was unhappy when I told him the officer did exactly what he was trained and required to do under the law.

Finally, he sighed and asked, “What if I order you to change the policies regarding university students?” I had to look him straight and say, “I would be forced to refuse the order.” Again, he was unhappy but also a retired Army Colonel. He understood my position and the problem he would face if he tried to force me to do something unethical and possibly illegal.

I am unsure what anyone told the student, the uncle, or the other influential people who stuck their noses into the case. That was the last I heard of the complainant or the student. However, the situation showed how little authority or control can lead to attempted subversion or influence peddling.

To be continued:

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Midweek Musings: Influentially Speaking #1

Posted on February 21, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

I keep thinking I’ll quit writing about the mess we’ve made of the United States. After all, there is little chance anything will change because one old, retired cop expresses an opinion. Still, maybe something I say will inspire someone younger and more adventurous to take action, start a movement, or add to my prayers by asking for common sense, objectivity, and moral behavior to become the goals of our society.

The point today is clearly stated in the title. Influence comes with authority, and it creates problems if not handled properly. Anyone who holds or has held a position of power, whether their authority was limited or overwhelming, should know influence is often a by-product of authority and status. How much influence depends on many factors, but it is there.

When I started the police academy some decades ago, this was one of the first pieces of wisdom shared with our class. However, hearing an instructor at the academy or later having a professor in graduate school make that same point was not like experiencing it. Take my first brush with the power of influence as a street officer.

As a young officer, I was a bit gung-ho. So, when I was assigned to work radar, I stopped many folks and wrote many tickets. For the record, I also gave a lot of warnings if the driver’s explanation for speeding was reasonable and sounded authentic.

The most humorous “warning” situation was a stop I made one evening on one of the busiest streets in town. The driver’s door flew open as I approached the car, which is not a good sign in most cases. Luckily, before I could overreact, a female voice rang out, and a middle-aged, nicely dressed woman leaned out of the car and shouted. “If you’re giving me a ticket, do it fast. I’m about to pee in my pants!”

Momentarily, I toyed with asking her why she had not stopped at the service station less than a quarter of a mile back. However, common sense prevailed, and I told her to slow down and stop at the next place with a restroom.

To this day, I have no idea whether she was telling the truth. However, part of me knows if I had not accepted her excuse, she’d have soiled herself to make a point. That might have been the end of my law enforcement career, at least in that small town.

Yes! She knew she could use the fact she was a well-to-do woman in a small town to influence my decision that evening. However, my next learning experience involving influence was a bit more direct and closer to home.

To be continued.

Photo by Ksenia Kartasheva: https://www.pexels.com/photo/pensive-female-driving-vintage-car-in-daylight-6645298/

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Of Influence and Control

Posted on February 14, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

The other day, a post concerning the difference between influence and control caught my eye. The post was amusingly written and right on point. Also, it reminded me I let similar thoughts slip into the “Dormant” file folder a few weeks ago.

Photo by cottonbro studio:

The writer opined that influence is one’s ability to express ideas, give advice, etc., and have someone listen to your thoughts. Conversely, control comes with the responsibility and liability of one’s actions if the influencer’s advice is accepted.

For instance, my background and education often put me in the position of being asked for advice on matters of security, personal safety, law enforcement, and religion. In those cases, I may influence someone’s decision concerning the matter in question.

If the person requesting my opinion acts on my thoughts, I have influenced the person’s thinking. However, it is the individual who has control in this situation. Should they act on my advice, they need to be ready to accept responsibility for their decision. They will receive the praise or the finger-pointing.

To paraphrase the other writer’s comment on the distinction, think of it this way. Influence is like a walk on the beach. Control is like a D-Day assault on a Normandy beach.*

Of course, there is also the question of someone whose control gives others indirect influence. That is the distinction I thought deserved some discussion, but I allowed it to age in the back of my mind.

I think it has aged long enough. Stay tuned!

*His comparison might have been a stretch. However, if you’ve ever had to stick your neck out and things went wrong, you might identify with it to a degree.

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Fearfully Speaking

Posted on January 31, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

The questions of the day are: What’s the thing you’re most scared to do? And What would it take to get you to do it?

I pondered the first question for at least 30 minutes, with nothing coming to mind. Then, I had to keep an appointment, which shifted my focus. Since the second question requires me to answer the first, I am still trying to move forward three hours later. So, let’s take a different approach to this matter.

For example, what has scared me in the past? I can think of several things that scared me when I was young, but they were out of my control. I had little say in whether they happened or not. For instance, when I was five, my dad told me to go to the car and bring his camera inside.

I had done that before without any problems. However, there was a problem this time. I was only wearing my underwear and did not want to go out where people might see me wearing only my briefs. Dad would not let me dress and made me do his bidding.

I ran like the wind and fell, returning to the house. I fell on a concrete step and split my chin open, requiring a trip to the emergency room. That resulted in a lecture about “being a man” and not letting fear control me.

From then on, my life was full of lessons about how to control my fear and not let fear control me. As I grew older, “being a man” became a mantra. My brother and I did many dare-devilish stupid things. It is amazing either one of us survived to adulthood.

Then, I decided to become a cop. That led to a life full of high-speed pursuits, walking into a darkened building where an armed suspect might be hiding to searching a field at midnight after chasing an armed suspect into the field. Of course, there were also a few times when I faced an armed and angry suspect, and I was scared I might have to shoot them. Thankfully, I never had to pull the trigger, but it got close a few times.

One of the scariest moments of my life was when I went through U. S. Army airborne training. It was my first jump from an aircraft, and I was the first man at the door. That meant I was standing there for what seemed like forever with the wind swirling around me, trying to suck me out of the old C-119 used for jump training.

I was scared that I would not be able to jump when the jump master told me to go. However, he yelled “Go” in my ear, slapped me on the back and I went. It was the greatest feeling in the world, right up to the point one of my fellow trainees came falling by me with a malfunctioning parachute. Check out Counting Rivets for more details on that experience.

So, what does the above have to do with the day’s questions? I still cannot think of anything I am “most scared to do.” Therefore, I cannot even guess what it would take to get me to do whatever it might be that scared. Probably, I’d do what I’ve done many times before, suck it up, and push forward.

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The Question of Complaining

Posted on January 30, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

Words such as complaining are fascinating. Someone who complains is often thought of as a pain in the neck or toxic in some manner. Then again, others are chastised because they never complain. At least they don’t complain when others think they should. Then there are the so-called nitpickers who complain about everything.

So, the day’s question is, “What do you complain about the most?” My immediate reaction to that question was puzzlement. There was a time when I complained about some things regularly. I still see those behaviors, actions, or outcomes that are irritating, but I learned years ago that complaining is mostly fruitless and harmful.

That does not mean one should never file a complaint or bring a problem to someone’s attention. Complaining about your soup being cold at a fancy restaurant is completely appropriate. Unless, of course, the soup in question is Gazpacho. Or, you had way too many cocktails during happy hour, and you look like a drunk on a comedy show.

Many years ago, I learned there is little value in complaining in many cases. This is especially true if you have nothing to do with the situation causing the complaint or have no way of effectively addressing the complaint.

I know some people feel venting is good for you and helps you avoid carrying around a bunch of angst. They think getting it off your chest is more important than accepting some things are beyond your control.

Learning to let things go was not easy. However, after much study, soul-searching, and practice, I realized complaining can hurt you and those around you. I also found that letting things go often brings about an even better outcome than complaining could. Depending, of course, on your definition of a better outcome.

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Sportingly Speaking

Posted on January 29, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

The suggested topic for today’s post is to share my favorite sports to watch and play. Given my age and physical condition, playing sports is not totally out of the question, but so far, I have not come under the spell of the “Pickle Ball” craze, and I gave up golf some time ago because of its time-consuming nature.

I loved the game. Still, taking most of a day out of my week to chase a little white ball around a 6,000-foot course seemed selfish given my other responsibilities and commitments. I still love the game and watch the pros play on television as often as possible.

I am also a big fan of football, baseball, and many Olympic sports. I don’t often pay the price to see any of those events in person, but I watch them, especially the playoff games. To wrap this little bit of sharing up, I admit my favorite sport to play was one I seldom watch on television.

That sport was rugby. I say it was because rugby is not a sport for someone who exited his 60s several years ago. As for why I don’t watch rugby on television, it is because I am spoiled, I suppose. Part of the rugby experience is being on the sidelines, watching the sweat fly, and hearing the grunts and groans of contact.

My Rugby Brothers 1980s

The other part was the nature of amateur rugby, which I played for over twenty years. It was like playing with family. In those days, at least, my rugby club was an extension of my family. My daughters were raised watching me play and knowing all my teammates. Even today, almost three decades after I retired from rugby, getting together with my old mates is like a family reunion.

If you’d like to know more about my rugby family, check out “Nostalgically Speaking: Blood, Sweat, and Beer” or “Blood, Sweat and Beer.” BS&B was my first post on my rugby family. It was published in 2012 and is a bit long. Still, it will give you some insight into rugby and what kind of guy I am.

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Me and Books

Posted on January 27, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

As someone who grew up reading everything he could get his hands on, I find myself somewhat disinterested in books these days. As I write this, I am glancing over at two bookcases with dozens of books ranging from reference works to books on the law, history, religion, and writing.

As I walk down the stairs from my home office, several dozen more are shelved on the landing, ranging from fiction to local history. Of course, there are books in the bookcase in the den and hundreds of paperback science fiction publications from my youth stored in the attic.

Additionally, others have recently given me books on the read-me-next table near my bed. I just finished two from that stack and will tackle another soon.

So, if the equivalent of a small library surrounds me, why would I find myself disinterested in books these days? First, I no longer read for entertainment. I wish that were not the case in some ways, but that is my reality.

The preceding does not mean I am not entertained by some of what I read. At times, I am entertained by what I read. Sadly, it is not like the days of my youth and young adult years. There is a reason for that. In fact, I wrote about this a year ago this week. Check out Of Authors Old and New, and let me know what you think.

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Traditionally Speaking

Posted on January 26, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

Today, the challenge or prompt is to write about a few of my favorite family traditions. My first reaction to the prompt was less than enthusiastic. After all, if you’ve seen any of my previous work, you may have some ideas about my early years. I mean, when I use the term urban nomads to describe my birth family, it should give you some idea about my earlier life.

The only repeated behavior that seemed to become a tradition was pulling up stakes and moving. We could box up, pack up, and move faster than most moving companies in those days. Of course, another aspect of that life was the tradition of finding a way to fit in at our new school and with neighborhood kids.

I was on the verge of writing something snarky about the prompt. I even started to research my previous and unfinished works to bolster my feeling the prompt meant little, if anything, to me. Then I remembered something I wrote last year that came from another online suggestion for a topic: Another Humpday Night.

There was one favorite tradition that is still around. It is discussed in “Another Humpday Night.” If you have a few minutes, I encourage you to read it. It shows that a silly little tradition from your youth can sometimes play a big role later in your life. Of course, as you’ll read in Humpday Night, your kids may think you have a screw loose.

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Leisure Time?

Posted on January 25, 2024 by S. Eric Jackson

Leisure time! What a wonderful sounding term. One can imagine lounging by the pool, walking through a beautiful park, or sipping a glass of your favorite adult beverage concoction while watching the squirrels and birds compete for the seed in your bird feeder. Yes, one can imagine those things, but they are getting harder and harder for many of us to experience.

Whether you are talking about Boomers like me or whatever term is used for other population segments, leisure time is becoming harder and harder to experience. Some will shake their head and think I’m overly pessimistic or something. I am a student of humanity, politics, and many other interests.

I am not talking about inactivity time or just doing nothing time. Leisure time is when one can get away from the daily grind, be that a job, going to school, taking care of yourself, taking care of family, or doing anything else to make a buck or bettering yourself somehow.

It is also a time when you can escape society’s problems and challenges. Sadly, thanks to technological advancements, walking through the woods, lounging by the pool, or having a drink while watching animals eat and play is regularly interrupted by the troubles you hoped to forget for a moment or two.

So, what do I consider leisure time and enjoy the most about that time? I took the advice of a very smart lady I met decades ago. She was president of a well-known women’s university and was speaking to a group of administrative types in the public sector.

I cannot remember her exact words, but I can recall the session. At one point, she looked each of us in the eye and said there was one place where she could have a bit of solitude, time to relax and read or consider something important. She then smiled and said the bathroom.

Yes, she was very serious, and she was right. Sitting on the porcelain throne for long periods may not be good for certain parts of your anatomy, but using it is a good way to seclude yourself, mull something over, or proofread your work.

I adopted that policy for the rest of my administrative career and still use it today to get some quiet time. One of my colleagues even made something for me to memorialize my leisure time at work.*

https://dollhousecity.com/out-house-natural/

* The original model was unfortunately destroyed during a relocation. The one above, should you want one, can be ordered through the link in the caption area.

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