Saturday, October 19, 2013
Officer Loses It
Cop
Mitch loved the action part of policing. Dozed off
during lectures, and messed up paperwork.
Alive as he has ever been while chasing a burglary
suspect over the wet cobbles fronting Darsen’s
Shoes. Spotted him exiting a Chase branch bank,
and radioed for help.
In keeping with the Victorian theme, Old Man Darsen
had installed boot scrapers. Mich’s forehead ends
up on one.
Sgt Olgrow discovers him after cuffing the suspect.
Mitch had rolled over with a groan, and Olgrow, in
the dim light from the old-fashioned streetlamps,
sees the gash as filling with red mica.
Mitch gets on. He doesn’t yet know the year. Speaks to
Gwen who isn’t there, but left him months before his
accident.
When? he asks himself in a clear moment.
The first thing he says to the doctor that next
morning. “It’s funny. Somebody named When.”
After a year the old doc says it takes time. Young
one recommends early retirement.
The city throws a nice party. Even the Governor,
who’s considering a Presidential run, emails him
later.
He’s learning the computer afresh and it’s his
first message. First he reads the Subject Line as
“Grim Christ Fixer” but shakes and shakes his
head until “Great Crime Fighter” appears.
Gwen never returns, though he feels she has.
Has conversations, even arguments.
The green trees have turned liquid. He jams his
eyes shut when this happens.
Labels: crime, forced retirement, head injury, police, recovery from trauma, traumatic injury, visions
