Edmund types the code into his phone and smiles at the screen. Even after fifteen years of marriage, butterflies flutter in the chest while thinking of his loving wife, Denis.
Their recent messages have been a mixture of sexy talk and funny GIFs. Words are no longer required when communicating with a soul mate. Sending a GIF will simply share the message they are portraying. The dirty talk is happening at a higher frequency and so has the frequency between the bedsheets.
He quickly sends a comical GIF of a cartoon cop car and locks the screen. “Well, BillBo let’s get you to the drunk tank.”
There is a mumble from the back seat. Edmund assumes it’s another insult and chooses to ignore it. After radioing dispatch his location along with the current mileage from the odometer, he puts the patrol car in drive and heads to the county center.
Considering fall had fully settled into the Colorado mountain town, Edmund was glad that BillBo had been called to dispatch. Soon it will be too cold for transients to live on the street and should migrate to the homeless shelter. Even with these services offered, there is usually one individual who sadly freezes from the unforgiving winters. BillBo was urinating in the streets but winter will suffocate the life out of anyone, regardless of the crime committed.
Edmund forces the dark memory from his head and reverts to the usual practice. Moistening his lips to whistle Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. This one song brings him back home every time. Home is the place that’s safe, happy, and where unscathed memories reside. When the outside world becomes too dark, this tune brings him home. He whistles the comforting tune while reflecting on life.
Ever since he was a young child, all he wanted to be was the “man in the uniform who helps.” For many years, his parents didn’t know what he was referring to until one night when they were pulled over by a state trooper. The family was exhausted after a day trip to Denver and the father was driving over the speed limit. Shortly after midnight, flashing red and blue lights reflected in the rearview mirror. The trooper was so understanding and kind that he let the family go with a warning. Once they were pulling back onto the highway, Edmund exclaimed “that will be me one day!” From that day forward, the Terrell parents encouraged him to pursue those dreams.
Even with Randall (his father) being a miner and Penny a grade school teacher - he never wavered from his ambitious dreams. Once he turned twenty-one, he immediately applied for the police academy at Red Rock Community College. There was no surprise that he graduated top of his class and was offered jobs to three different police departments.
It was a no-brainer that he chose the patrol officer position for his hometown. Edmund swore to serve and protect the city that welcomed him into this world, nourished his growing body, and united him to the love of his life through a casual encounter. It was love at first; as if their souls knew they needed one another.
A monstrous belch brought him right back to reality.
“Nice one, man. Are you going to throw up again?” He asks while turning on his blinker to pull onto the road’s shoulder.
“Nah, pig.” A hiccup bubbles up from BillBo’s mouth. “I am all good now,” another hiccup escapes.
“Well if that changes, there is an orange barf bucket beside you,” he comments while returning onto the highway.
His steely blue eyes look at the rearview mirror to see the usual reflection, a handsome but weathered face looking back. Just the other day, he noticed additional grey hairs peeking through the well-groomed blonde hair. During the younger years, he felt as if thirty was so far away and so old. But as he approaches forty, he believes that ninety is the new “old age”. In fact, he remains fit and healthy regardless of his stressful career. At a tall height of 6’3” he’s no stranger to the fitness industry. Crossfit piqued his interest for years but now he does functional fitness. In this line of work, he never knows when the time might come when he must wrestle a man twice his size. And in harsh reality, it could be a life or death situation.
Even with a strenuous job making an impact on his quality of life, he chooses humor to combat that. It’s no easy task seeing the wickedness that plagues this world. Edmund has seen murder, drugs, kidnappings, and the heartbreaking abuse of children. It takes a strong individual to choose this career year after year. But that’s exactly what the world needs right now - individuals willing to put their life on the line to protect those who will never fully understand the sacrifice. They never do it for recognition but rather choose to make a positive impact within their community. It’s not a job, it’s a calling.
When he’s not spending time with his wife and 15-year-old son, he is usually listening to stand-up comedy, fly-fishing, or hiking. All he really needs is some alone time with nature to disconnect from the harsh reality of the world.
He still resides within his childhood home and will only leave when he’s buried six feet under. Even if he tried to leave, he could never truly escape from The Home. It holds secrets that only blood can truly break the bond it has developed with the family. And so he will continue to live in The Home.
The patrol car parks in the tiny lot. As he turns off the engine, he hears an unfamiliar rumble. BillBo was fast asleep and snoring in the back seat. “Well, that explains why you were so quiet,” Edmund announces the arrival to dispatch and stretches upwards before exiting the car. “And yet another reason I workout daily is to help clumsy drunks exit my vehicle. Just another day patrolling the streets, crushing crime and keeping everyone safe.” He chuckles while softly waking the slumbering passenger.
______
With his business finished at the drunk tank, he heads back to the department to finish the report before the shift ends. He glanced at the time, realizing he hadn’t eaten lunch. With a flick of the blinker, he turned the cruiser in the opposite direction and headed home to devour a scrumptious sandwich.
Fall was making its appearance known. It was only the start of September but the changing leaf colors were in full effect. A mixture of green, gold, yellow, and bright red, blurred past the windows. There are only two seasons in the mountains: winter and mud season. But thanks to Mother Nature, she allows autumn to make its brief appearance for a few weeks. More like two weeks but Gold Springs was blossoming and fading with the changing of seasons all at once.
Edmund rolled down the windows to enjoy the fresh, crisp mountain air. A deep inhale of that dewy goodness brought life right back into perspective. All was fine and dandy till he pulled into the driveway and saw two figures standing in the front door.
Through the cracked windows, he heard Penny scolding a dark shadow looming in the doorway. Immediately that perspective of life was shattered when he realized the dark shadow was his little brother, Clyde.
With one hand on his gun and another on the door handle, he exited the vehicle, ready to serve and protect.
