The Straits of Woe

    Area I used to work was a large Plain between a couple of middlin' mountain ranges.  When we got rain in the shape of thunderstorms,  high water was a real possibility.   The run off from the mountains found its way down into the valley pretty quick and the streams hit flood stage with little warning.   Trains ran north south through the valley with both underpasses and bridges.    Not many of the underpasses but They could be tricky with the high water.  Enough so that some had depth marks like the bow of a ship painted on the side of the tunnel. 

   Had this one kid who worked for me,  not a Star Player but he managed to stay off my personal attention list for motivation for the most part.  That changed in a big way when he grabbed one of the brand new cars (Less then 3000 miles) for patrol one day.  Some Patrol supers used to assign cars and zones.  I would assign zones but leave it to the individual to grab a car.  I would normally take what was left.   Used to grab the oldest ride 'cause if I had to wreck somebody, nobody would get snippy then if I took out a brand new ride.   Wicked thunderstorm,  We started getting all sorts of calls and the dispatch is hopping.  Sweeney gets a call out west and decides he is taking the Straits of Woe.  Railroad Underpass, floods EVERY Time.  So what does he do.  Sweeney decides he was gonna run the rapids with the new car.   Turns out it wasn't such a great idea.  When the water started coming over the window sill of the cruiser,  Sweeney bails out and manages to get to high ground.  He then calls it in on his handi talki as the car was submerged  50 feet out from the waters edge.    I wasn't working other wise I'd told him to leave his gun, badge, and creds in the trunk of the car and start walking home as he was on suspension.  Got in the next afternoon and was informed of the previous days events including his.  

 Gotta love cops,  Somebody taped a life jacket to his locker door along with the message  "Who's the U boot Captain?"   the next day.   He got the word from me he was never driving a new ride as long as he was at the "Berg" EVER.   Put his card in for another Troop soon after that.    Can't imagine why.    Oh yeah,   They named the underpass after him.   Can't repeat the name as it would be the giveaway but even the new kids who have never met him refer to the underpass as the "Straits of XXXX".   How's that for being remembered.  ;) 


   Just remember,  If you wouldn't walk through it,  why the hell would you try and drive through it.  

Just sayin'.