The Junior Deputy

There was a young boy and as he was growing up he always wanted to be a policeman like his daddy. Not knowing what a task he was undertaking, it always looked so easy with his father. He thought, 'I don't know why dad is always so tired, you write a few tickets, talk to a few people, get a cat out of a tree, I think I can handle a job like that'. Little did he know what kind of day he was in for.

The small town he lived in had started a new program, it was for Junior boys and it just so happened it was called a Junior Deputy Program. Jacob knew this was what he wanted to do. He signed up and went through all the training, the only thing is he, never expected what happened.

One day the principle of the school said, "we are having a game and would like for the Junior Deputies to patrol the area", they could wear their uniforms and hats. Jacob was so excited. Him and three other boys from the school lined up and the principle talked to them, he explained the rules, "just keep an eye out for trouble makers and report them to the school officials.

The game started and all looked like it was going well until, some boys started yelling and saying things to the girls as they passed by and yelling things to the team members. Jacob went over to them and told them to stop , they shouldn't be doing that. They just looked at him and laughed. Jacob got really upset and jerked one of the boys off his seat. He knew he shouldn't have done this but he lost control. Jacob was always taught to be polite to girls and never be rude or loud.

Susan was watching and she was so proud of Jacob. the boy shut up right away and then Jacob told him, tell the girls you're sorry. The boys didn't want to but they were kind of afraid now of what Jacob and the other boys might do. Jacob apologized for being rough but he stood his ground for being polite. The boys told the girls they were sorry. As they left they looked at the girls and stuck out their tongue and Jacob just laughed. He remembered being 10 years old.

Susan watched Jacob walk away and she knew she really liked him and was so proud. As he walked around she went to him and asked him if he wanted a coke and if he wanted to sit with her. Of course Jacob said yes, he was kinda sweet on Susan and had been since they were in the first grade. He asked if he could walk her home and she said yes, so after the game, they started off the school grounds.

About that time he heard someone scream. Jacob turned and he saw a girl running after a boy who had grabbed her purse. Jacob told Susan he would be right back, off he took running as fast as he could, he jumped and caught the boy by the ankles and tripped him. The purse went flying and the girl picked it up. "Oh thank you so much" she said and kissed him on the cheek. Wow! did Jacob's face turn red, but he smiled anyway, you know he thought this job is not so easy after all but the reward is good. He went back to Susan and of course she saw everything that happened.

Well" she said "you got your reward" and laughed. The principle came out and asked Jacob if he would direct the kids away from the buses as soon as the game as over. Jacob said "of course". He left Susan again and ask her to wait. As he was watching the kids cross he noticed one of the buses, it looked funny, the bar on the front had stuck and would have hurt some people, the driver didn't see it. Jacob ran after the bus and knocked on the door, the driver stopped, he told him about the guard bar on the front, "Thank you so much", said the driver.

Jacob is thinking again, HMmmm, not so sure about this job. He went back to the crossing, he's thinking everything is calm and the people have all left when a mother came around looking very scared. "What seems to be the problem" he asked, she said, "I can't find my little girl" Jacob had a walkie talkie on his side, he called the other boys and describe the little girl to them and sure enough she was playing with some other kids behind the school . The mother hugged his neck and ran off to get her little girl.

Thinking now it has to be all over, he looks at the sandwich truck and the grill is on fire. "My Goodness" he said, "will this night never end?", he is only 15 and he feels like maybe he had his dad all wrong. If his day as a Junior Deputy has been like this, he can imagine what his dad goes through. ... . He runs over and gets the fire extinguisher and puts out the fire.

All is well that ends well. Susan is still waiting for Jacob, she has never seen anyone so busy, but the longer she waits the prouder she is of him. All the lights are about to be cut off when he noticed a car sitting in the parking lot, he goes over and the guy has a flat and no jack, he said "just a minute" and goes to the school garage and gets a jack and helps the man change the flat. Finally all is over and he begins his trip again to walk Susan home.

They stop for a moment and Susan looks at Jacob, she said, "you know I really don't think I'd like for you to be a deputy because its a busy job and takes a lot of attention and I really don't like the way some people reward you". He smiled and thought to himself...a little jealousy feels kinda good. "He then put his arm around her and they walked down the street. She was so proud of him once again. He takes her to the door , she smiles and touches his cheek, just thought you need to get the kiss marks off your face before you go home.

He is happy about a nice full day. As he walks in the door his mom asked, "how did your evening go as a Junior Deputy"? He looks at her and says "Oh okay I guess, kinda unusual but kinda okay" and just smiled. He goes upstairs and folds his cloths up and puts his hat and badge in a box, he decided he wasn't really ready for the law enforcement job just yet.

When his Dad came home, he shook his hand and said "Dad, I love you and you are doing a great job......a really great job......You know sometimes until we have walked down someone else's path or in their shoes, don't assume their job is easy.

There is a picture of Jacob and his badge in Amanda's Photo Album Page 5