sniper350
07-25-2005, 12:49
This is a true story I wrote, that I thought some might find interesting......comments are welcomed
“Embracing Darkness”
It was a clear and cold night in 1975, the time about 3:30 AM and the night had been ghostly quiet. Not much foot traffic in this punishing cold weather, so my patrol area was pretty much vacant of human presence. My patrol car marched slowly up and down the dark quiet streets that wound themselves through the lonely apartment complexes.
Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I see a large dark figure huddled in the grassy area behind an apartment complex building. The night was moonless and the landscape looked as if it was draped in black velvet. There was not much ambient light to help me identify this curiously dark mass. I let my patrol car drift pass the location so as not to attract the attention of my possible quarry. The night was bitterly cold, temperatures around 10 degrees F.---what possibly could motivate this dark figure to suffer the torments of Winter’s chilling embrace in order to remain motionless behind this building?
Maybe a Rapist, waiting to break in or maybe a burglar looking for the right opportunity? What Evil is this lurking in the darkness? I turn my patrol car around and slowly let it sneak back to our target. Stopping well behind the location where I last saw the dark figure, I exit my car telling dispatch “I will be investigating a suspicious subject” behind the apartment complex on Windsor Rd. I crept quietly towards the corner of the building where I saw the dark huddled mass. I draw my Revolver from its holster and feel the blistering cold biting at the back of my hand. In my other hand I am carrying the Mag Light flashlight that will pour 30,000 candle power onto my target at the push of a button.
I am now in position……and can see this dark figure huddled close to the ground, not moving…. I catch a glance of a small object he is using to sit on. Maybe this terrible cold has taken his life; as I can see no reason for him to be sitting motionless…..in the darkness…..in the cold…….in the silence.
I slowly raise my gun, pointing it at my potential adversary. The flashlight is aimed to greet this figure with a blinding handshake. These words shatter the night’s crisp, clear cold air “ Police – Don’t move” and then……. the darkness turns into day.
There sitting on a small bench is an elderly Blackman with a full beard. Sparkling ice sickles are streaming from his black beard as his breath is frozen instantly by Winter’s freezing touch.
His eyes squint shut from the blinding assault of my flashlight……but a broad warm smile emerges from his face as he says “ Good morning Officer”. His arms slowly extend outward and up towards the clear black sky. And there in front of him was this wonderful MAK Telescope sitting on a short tripod.
Not a burglar after all………just a very dedicated amateur Astronomer. “ Like to see some images of Saturn Officer?” Looking down at my drawn gun, we both laughed and I said “Sure”. I spent the next 15 minutes getting a tour of the sky and seeing some pretty impressive peeks at beautiful Saturn and her Rings. “Well, got to go sir or they will be sending the Calvary out here wondering what has happened to me” “Thanks for the views……I am sorry for messing up your night vision…….take care not to freeze out here”. I climbed back into my patrol car and drove off....…notifying other units not to bother this gentleman…….....braving it all…....…guns and the bitter cold…….....to view the Creations of our Universe!
JF.
“Embracing Darkness”
It was a clear and cold night in 1975, the time about 3:30 AM and the night had been ghostly quiet. Not much foot traffic in this punishing cold weather, so my patrol area was pretty much vacant of human presence. My patrol car marched slowly up and down the dark quiet streets that wound themselves through the lonely apartment complexes.
Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I see a large dark figure huddled in the grassy area behind an apartment complex building. The night was moonless and the landscape looked as if it was draped in black velvet. There was not much ambient light to help me identify this curiously dark mass. I let my patrol car drift pass the location so as not to attract the attention of my possible quarry. The night was bitterly cold, temperatures around 10 degrees F.---what possibly could motivate this dark figure to suffer the torments of Winter’s chilling embrace in order to remain motionless behind this building?
Maybe a Rapist, waiting to break in or maybe a burglar looking for the right opportunity? What Evil is this lurking in the darkness? I turn my patrol car around and slowly let it sneak back to our target. Stopping well behind the location where I last saw the dark figure, I exit my car telling dispatch “I will be investigating a suspicious subject” behind the apartment complex on Windsor Rd. I crept quietly towards the corner of the building where I saw the dark huddled mass. I draw my Revolver from its holster and feel the blistering cold biting at the back of my hand. In my other hand I am carrying the Mag Light flashlight that will pour 30,000 candle power onto my target at the push of a button.
I am now in position……and can see this dark figure huddled close to the ground, not moving…. I catch a glance of a small object he is using to sit on. Maybe this terrible cold has taken his life; as I can see no reason for him to be sitting motionless…..in the darkness…..in the cold…….in the silence.
I slowly raise my gun, pointing it at my potential adversary. The flashlight is aimed to greet this figure with a blinding handshake. These words shatter the night’s crisp, clear cold air “ Police – Don’t move” and then……. the darkness turns into day.
There sitting on a small bench is an elderly Blackman with a full beard. Sparkling ice sickles are streaming from his black beard as his breath is frozen instantly by Winter’s freezing touch.
His eyes squint shut from the blinding assault of my flashlight……but a broad warm smile emerges from his face as he says “ Good morning Officer”. His arms slowly extend outward and up towards the clear black sky. And there in front of him was this wonderful MAK Telescope sitting on a short tripod.
Not a burglar after all………just a very dedicated amateur Astronomer. “ Like to see some images of Saturn Officer?” Looking down at my drawn gun, we both laughed and I said “Sure”. I spent the next 15 minutes getting a tour of the sky and seeing some pretty impressive peeks at beautiful Saturn and her Rings. “Well, got to go sir or they will be sending the Calvary out here wondering what has happened to me” “Thanks for the views……I am sorry for messing up your night vision…….take care not to freeze out here”. I climbed back into my patrol car and drove off....…notifying other units not to bother this gentleman…….....braving it all…....…guns and the bitter cold…….....to view the Creations of our Universe!
JF.