Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: ALL TALK, NO ACTION (01/10/19)
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TITLE: Commitment Jail | Previous Challenge Entry
By Laurie Glass
01/12/19 -
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I peek through the curtains. Wait a second. The police officer is coming to my door. Huh?
“Ma’am, is your name Lisa Reynolds?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Officer Drake Jefferson of the Commitment Police Department. We’ve had complaints that you’ve broken your word.”
“Excuse me.”
“Ms. Reynolds, you said you would either take voice lessons or stop singing outside on your deck. According to your neighbors, you aren’t keeping your word about this. Your so-called singing gets all the neighborhood dogs howling.”
I chuckle. “Is that all? I’ve been too busy to get voice lessons. I don’t know why people get so uptight.”
The officer raises his eye brows. “But not too busy to sing outside, disturbing your neighborhood. Besides, other people’s reactions aren’t the concern here. The fact that you aren’t keeping your word is.”
I don’t think I can feel more dumbfounded than I do at this moment. “I don’t understand. Are you giving me a warning? What happens next?”
“The judge will decide tomorrow. I suspect she’ll sentence you to singing in the shower, but that’ll be up to her.”
My heart sinks. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Lisa Reynolds, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent, and I suggest you do. Anything you say won’t be believed anyway. You have the right to consult an attorney. That is, if you can find one dumb enough to represent you since you have no defense. If you cannot afford an attorney, we really don’t care. You’ll be found guilty anyway. We conducted a stake-out and heard it for ourselves. Now I’m going to put a gag on you instead of handcuffs. After all, it isn’t your hands that got you into trouble, but your insincere words. You’ll spend the night in the Commitment Jail.”
What if someone sees me in this police car? What will my family, friends, and neighbors think when they find out? I would rather hide in a vat of snot than go through this.
After the arrest, mug shots, questions, and all that, I hang my head as a man takes me to my cell. At least I don’t have the gag on anymore. I suddenly remember something and ask, “Officer Jefferson said I could make one phone call.”
Looking down at me, he replies, “I’m sure he did, ma’am, but he didn’t mean it. Here is your cell. I see you don’t have a pillow. I’ll have someone get one for you. For now, supper is here. You’re having steak tonight with cheesecake for dessert.”
Yum. Maybe a night in jail won’t be so bad after all. Mouth watering, I lift the cover. “This isn’t steak, and there’s no dessert at all.”
With a half smile, he responds, “Oh well.”
I’m tired, and it isn’t like there’s something to do here. I might as well go to bed. I politely get the guard’s attention. “The man who brought me back here said someone would bring me a pillow, but no one has.”
“I see that.” He turns and walks away.
I can’t believe these people. Talk about incompetence. None of them do what they say they’re going to, and they each has such a flippant attitude about it. For crying out…
Wait. I feel a punch to my gut and a stabbing pain in my conscience. I’m struck with the sound of my mother’s voice in my head, “Treat others how you would want to be treated.”
I take a moment to process what just hit me. I hate it when others break their word to me. Today I had a taste of my own medicine, and I didn’t care for it. I hope I can remember this going forward. It’s a valuable lesson. Plus I would rather be caught picking my nose on live television than to go through this humiliation again.
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 (NIV)
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Oh, autocorrect ...
Well done,
God bless~