I had a client today talking about where he lived in the past. He mentioned Jersey City, NJ. For you that know of the areas I’ll be mentioning, don’t cringe in horror.
I asked the client where he thought I was from? He said, “New Mexico?” Once proving NJ people figure if you don’t have a thick NJ/NY accent you must be from the mid-west. I said I was born in NYC, but my adolescent years was in the Hudson county area, including Jersey City. He was happy find a home-boy, and asked where, I said Greenville. He looked at me weird, I’m pale. I told him the streets where I lived, and he was amazed. I commented how to this day I wasn’t happy with the isolated ‘hands/nightstick on’ approach the JC police had, and he let me in on a secret. He IS a JC police officer. A tear was brought to his eye when I told him how we were publicly hit, across the back of our thighs, if we didn’t get the ‘move along’ message fast enough.
Nice to see that a cop on the jercey city force long enough to have been one of the cops that struck me, unprovoked, is asking me for help with his future home. Isn’t life grand?!
Funny how life works. Not at all what we expect, sometimes.
You may be the salvation and enlightenment required to change his bigoted ways.
Now, who’s standing on the higher ground?
Appears you have been head and shoulders above these guys all along, ya think?
Great story and I’m sure you did him a great service.
As we used to say, “Right on, brother!”
cduphily
(Chris Duphily, Level II Infrared Thermographer #8355)
3
Barry said it best, all I can add is … Simply outstanding! Something to stick in the memory banks for another outstanding life lesson you can share with your kids when the time is right.
I had the last laugh. The house is 50 years old. Found Polybuteline plumbing, cracked (1/4" wide) waste pipes, open junction boxes, leaking plumbing. I heard about his job, and how long he was doing it, I said, “Hey the house is in excellent condition, no need for an inspection so no charge.” and left.
muhahahahahahaha!
j/k
It was very nice to meet him now, not then. I remember the cops that were heavy handed with me and my friends. He doesn’t match any of them. The client and I laughed as we shared stories.
