Mixed Messages

I understand that there are people who work for the department who don't use their radio very much. I get that. It's understandable. I try to use the damn thing as little as possible myself.

But if you have something important to say, you damn well better know what you are doing.

I'm just saying......

So I'm standing out in front of Central waiting for BG to come through.... Nothing going on at that point. Just another day. He comes out and we start our walk down to the Hive.

This calm unexcited voice comes over the radio:

"M-something to Station Raccoon....... 10-45 in the dog run. Two gentlemen in the fence."

Ummmmmm........ what?

I look at BG and he looks at me and we both say "What?" You can almost hear the whole camp stop and say "What?"

So the Control Center comes on and says "10-9 your last transmission?"

And he says, still calm and unconcerned: "10-49 in the dog run. Two gentlemen in the fence."

Oh snap. A fight... maybe. But that phrase "in the fence" shakes me just a little. Are they fighting or trying to escape? And which dog run? There are two of them.

I turn to BG and say "I think I'll go to this one. You go on down to the Hive and get them ready." I hotfoot it back through central, drop my lunchbox in the lieutenants office and skitter out the other side.

Out on B-side and everybody seems to be running towards the 30-yard dog run and not the other one, so I head that way. I get about three quarters of the way there and here they come with two inmates in cuffs. And I can tell from the way they are hanging their heads and shaking them that they have both been pepper sprayed.

Nifty. At least I didn't get there first. I hate starting the day out like that.

About the time I start walking back the Captain comes trotting out of central and starts down towards the other dog run. We wave and point to the offenders in cuffs going the other way. he stops and says "Was anybody hurt?" I shake my head. "They got sprayed." He used words I don't use here. They really hate it when you make them work.

So back out through central I go, grab my lunchbox and head back for the Hive. I'm already winded and spattered with mud.

And my day began.