Where's the Beef?

When Mike & I left my parents house on Christmas day, we had made a "to-go" plate that consisted of a cinamon roll each, a piece of coffee cake, and 1/2 a muffin. We obviously weren't thinking past the frosting on the stinkin' cinamon rolls...

As my entire squad drove around our squad area...willing someone to commit a crime...our stomachs began to growl...I drove to just about every food establishment in the precinct & came to the realization that there would not be any kind of good Christmas dinner on Christmas.

(on a side note: I think most of us thought that our commander would take a few bucks out of the precinct budget & have some sort of food brought in for ALL the officers that had to leave their families & to do their jobs...I guess that would have been too much ask)

Anywho...I called Richelle to whine about my starving circumstances & she did the best thing ever!! She threw together enough food and treats for my entire squad!! She brought soup with bread bowls, meatball subs, hot chocolate, whip cream, cheese, etc. Mmm...it was SO good!!

The radio call I took just prior to Richelle bringing food was a mother running down the street with her baby, screaming that people were chasing her. It turns out that the mother was high on crack and very intoxicated as well. She was barefoot and her 2 year old wasn't dressed warm enough for a spring day, let alone a freezing winter night...he wasn't even wearing socks.

I asked her who was chasing her and she pointed to people that weren't there. She told me these "people" were chasing her because her son is a "demon." Well...that kind of crazy talk makes Randi become a demon...

I promptly took the "Demon" from her hands and placed her in the back seat of a patrol car. I called CPS and took Douglas (the demon) to the precinct. I called Richelle and asked her if she could please at least bring me some diapers and a pair of socks...Douglas seemed to be just about Jake's size.

Of course Richelle being Richelle...she showed up with some diapers, socks, wipes, sleepers and even a blanket. She changed him for me when she got there and chased him around while we ate. Unfortunately for me, she left without putting him to sleep, so I had to do that part myself. A screaming child at a police precinct, even if for only 10-15 minutes, is very odd.

CPS arrived after 3-4 hours and I carried the sleeping Demon to car and kissed him goodbye. He was so sweet and I was so sad...we charged his mother with child abuse, which is a class 4 felony, but we weren't able to book her into jail becuase of her level of intoxication and her delusional state...the jail enjoys not accepting people & forcing the city of Phoenix to pay for an unecessary hospital visit. The CPS custody notice we served was only temporary, so the Demon will be or is probably already back with her.

Oh wel...at least Richelle brought us food!! We were all so happy to have a home cooked meal...instead of the pop tarts from the vending maching.

So THANKS Richelle...I always knew that you were the BEST sister in entire world...but thanks for proving it over & over!! I love you...& would never make it in life without you!! (& now my squad feels the same way!!)