To Protect And Disservice

(I’m walking home when suddenly a police car drives up near the crossroad. It has no signal on, so I wait just in case. The police officer stares at me through the window, and doesn’t move. I think he is waiting, until I start to cross. Next thing I know, the car is in front of me. I run, and the car is rolling down his window.)

Officer: *angrily* “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Dumb kids these days, their heads tucked into their phones!”

Me: “Officer! I am so very sorr—”

Officer: “What?! You have an iPad, too?!”

(Our school recently received iPads, and instead of making my bag heavier, I had decided to carry my phone and iPad.)

Me: “Please, sir—”

(The officer begins ranting about how back in his days, they went outside and played with dirt, and made toys out of dirt. I begin to get irritated, and speak up.)

Me: “Officer, I really understand that back in your days, you did things differently, but it not my fault that you did not have a signal. My dad actually taught me things about cars, about how you should put a signal on, at least. And aren’t you a police officer? You’re ranting at a child; people are staring. Not to be rude or anything, officer, but this is definitely not my fault.”

Officer: “I… but… I’m a police officer.”

Me: “A police officer is meant to be nice to citizens. I’ve been in this town my entire life. You must be new. You’re kinda holding up a line.”

(And I was right. A ton of cars were piling behind the officer, and their faces were obviously irritated. The cop’s face turned tomato red, and he drove off.)