Wednesday, August 17, 2016

A Lesson in Proper Etiquette




Years ago, when I bought my first car, a 1966 Chevy Impala SS, I picked up some of my friends for a night of cruising and partying. It was 1973, I was eighteen years old, and I was ready to conquer the world!
We had just left Mister Ed's Liquor Store on Rosemead Blvd just north of Washington Blvd in Pico Rivera. I took a short cut through an alley. Almost as soon as I turned into the alley a cop pulled up behind me and put on his lights. I stopped the car and waited. A few seconds later another car pulled up directly in front of me with another car behind him. All of us felt unjustly victimized by the cops.
Without thinking I got out of the car. I was angry and I was really going to give the cops a piece of my mind, especially since I felt I was in the right. No sooner did I raise my arm and begin talking, then I was on the ground face first, with two guns at the base of my skull. One of them had their knee on my back. I could feel the sandy grit and other debris against my cheeks. It did not feel good.
Suddenly I was scared. I figured out immediately that I should have kept my dumb ass in the car. I thought to myself “One wrong move and a gun might go off”. That was the only thing on my mind. I kept perfectly still. I was oblivious to everything they were saying to me. A minute or two later they let me up.
Later, after they were done checking me out, the first officer that pulled me over said “Look son, that was a stupid thing you did! Never get out when the police pull you over. We don't know what you're going to do! Next time keep your mouth shut and keep both of your hands on the steering wheel and wait for the officer!” “Yes Sir!” was all I could come up with. My pride and ego were bruised but I was otherwise okay. It was a valuable lesson and one that I never forgot
So what's the moral of the story? At some point, whether you are in the right or in the wrong, we are responsible for taking steps to save our own lives. I have no doubt that had I resisted I would have been shot. Take responsibility for your own life!!

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