A Trip to the Police Station

I've never really cared for the administrative assistant at the police station.  She's not as friendly as the officers.  Maybe it was the smirk she gave me when I went in to report a missing hub cab a few years back.  I don't know.  I do know she did not earn herself any more points today.

I needed another key made for my roommate.  They did not provide us with enough when we moved in, so we've had to get more made.  'Round these parts you do that at the police station.  I walked in yesterday and was told the key-maker had left for the day.  He would be back between 6 and noon today.  I went back today a little before noon, and he was out on the grounds.

At first she began to take down my name (not even daring to repeat my last name to me but requesting I spell it), request, and a phone number.  I did not get past the area code when she looked out the window and almost stood.  She picked her Blackberry up off of the desk and radio-ed the officer.

Officer: Go ahead.
Secretary: Can you come in and help this little girl?

Woah.  I glanced around to make sure she and I were the only ones in the room.  Nope, no little girl had snuck in on my watch.  I politely waited, but her words rang through my head.

"Help this little girl... help this little girl... help this little girl..."

Suddenly instead of a renter asking for a new key to be made, I felt like a child separated from her mother.  That's where separated children are told to do, right?  Seek help from police officers.  I contemplated producing some tears just to accurately play the part.

Officer Larry came through the front door and stood in front of me, so close that if there had not been a wall and fake ficus behind me I would have stepped backwards to remove him from my large personal bubble.  His eyes were the same level as mine, not bad for a little girl.

Officer Larry: What can I do for you?

I held up the key between our faces.  I told him my request and gave my apartment number.

Officer: You already have a key.
Katie: My roommate needs one.
Officer: This for the front door?
Katie: Yes, sir.
When it doubt, throw in the "sir."  It used to be so unnatural it sounded corny but after three years down South I have to remember to turn it off when I go home (and not say it to women...)

He took the key and walked away.  I was not sure if I should follow or not, but I did since he was still talking to me.

Officer: I've already made a bucket full of keys for that front door.
Katie: You've made one, and we need one more.
I didn't blabber my spiel about the apartment housing six students and the school only providing four keys because I was interrupted by the Chief of Police.

Chief: You made a bucket full-a them?  Now whatcha gonna do?  Can your bucket hold one more?
Officer Larry: I guess so.
Katie: Thank you.

Officer Larry disappeared I stood in Chief's doorway waiting.

Chief: What are you up to today?
Katie: Causin' trouble.
Chief: Would you stop that?
Katie: What are you up to?
He looked down at his desk, knowing my eyes would follow and see his Subway sandwich and chips.
Katie: Eatin' lunch?
Chief:  Yup. 
Katie: All day?
Chief:  Yup.  You're like my wife.  I'm sitting on the tractor and she says, "Are you going to cut the grass?"  I want to say, "No, I'm just sitting here because I feel like it."

I contemplated telling him about how my dad and his neighbor-friends gather their matching orange tractors in the middle of the yard, rest their feet on the steering wheels, sit back, and enjoy a good beer and great company.  But I remembered I'm in the South... and talking to a police chief.  Crazy Northern Lutheran stories were probably unwelcome.

Instead, I should have asked to ride the segway.  Chief might have actually said yes.  Either that or he would have said, "Don't mistake my kindness for weakness."  I'm not really sure.

I didn't get to find out because Officer Larry came back with two keys and sent this "little girl" on her way to find her own lunch to eat all day. 

<>< Katie

What just happened?

I have never taken an American Sign Language course in my life. Before August, I knew one deaf person and she doesn't sign. I knew like four words in ASL (No, I'm not kidding... Four signs: God, Jesus, worthy, and "I love you").

Last week when [my hard-of-hearing friend] Renee suggested we study together I was down right terrified. I've learned enough sign to hold my own in a short conversation and I like to watch conversations at dinner, but study together for multiple hours? And history? I don't even know the sign for the United States of America. Plus, Renee signs quite fast. Even if I could understand every fourth sign, what were the chances I could carry on a conversation with her and actually study? To help calm my nerves, I asked a mutual friend, Lizzy [name changed for confidentiality], to study with us. Unfortunately, she couldn't that day. So Renee and I studied together. And by studied together I mean studied the same thing sitting next to each other. We did this two or three times before Lizzywas actually able to join us. Each time I learned more sign, and we were actually able to communicate together.

Renee, Lizzy, and I studied together again last night. This time we really studied together, quizzing each other, and everything. For awhile I was wondering what the heck I was thinking trying to study history in a foreign language with two native speakers, but it worked out really well! I learned a lot of sign and a lot of history.

A little over halfway through our study session, we decided to take a break and go play BINGO. After the first round, Lizzy looked at me and said,
"If you want to help me interpret, that'd be great."
WHAT? Are you kidding me? It made more sense for me to interpret because I was sitting across from Renee and Lizzy was sitting next to her, making it harder to sign but still! So, I tried. I mean, how hard can it be to interpret Bingo, right? O 66. I 33. B 14. Relatively easy, right? Well, yes. Except that I didn't know any numbers above ten. So, I'm struggling through this Bingo game, apologizing for being a crappy interpreter. Renee said I wasn't that bad and she was helping me learn numbers like 12 and 13 (I missed those up EVERY TIME... haha).

Chief (the caller) announced this would be the last game and the president was paying $100 to the winner.
Phew, we're almost done! I thought.
Chief made a call and I hear Renee's voice,
"Bingo!" What?! Well, someone else across the way with a louder voice had screamed it almost simultaneously and Chief heard his scream before hers. We urged Renee to go up anyway (she said it first, in all honestly). The president decided to give all three winners $100!

So, my first interpreting experience and she wins $100! How cool is that? :-)
Once again, God's shoved me out of my comfort zone, but He hasn't forgotten about me. He's still right there! I love that about Him. :-D

Still learning to listen,
<>< Katie

"The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? " Psalm 118: 6