I work the graveyard patrol in a jurisdiction where the trees outnumber the people ten thousand to one. It is a vast, deeply isolated county dominated by dense pine forests, winding dirt logging routes, and sprawling properties owned by people who value extreme privacy. You get used to the quiet. You learn to appreciate the long hours of driving through pitch-black roads with nothing but the hum of the engine and the dashboard lights to keep you company. But the extreme isolation also means that when something goes wrong out here, help is a very long way away. My partner and I were parked near a deserted county intersection, drinking lukewarm coffee from thermos flasks, when the radio mounted on the dashboard crackled to life. The dispatcher’s voice broke through the static. She was a veteran operator, someone who usually handled horrific car accidents and domestic disputes with a flat, unwavering calm. Tonight, her voice was entirely different. Her tone was elevated, tight with genui...
Context: This took place a few weeks ago. I’m a 30s M army vet, so I’ve got some thick skin. People can have their views, opinions, or whatever. Just be a decent person. I was at a small birthday party for a friend; maybe 10-15 people. They had just moved into their new house on a small plot of land and the neighbors on each side shows up. One was a late 60s white man. Well dressed and spoken. We sat and talk for a while and he was well educated. He started telling me about his two sons… They were both around 40, both quite successful in their respective fields. The older one, A, was a VP for some company and had a mentality similar to his dad, the man I’ve been talking with. Then he starts to tell me about the younger one, B… This son B has been married almost 20 years (around age 20), is a military lieutenant colonel and pilot, and described by his dad as not only a tough MFer that can withstand tons of pain, but also compassionate. Literally described one of the best people I’ve ev...