Ahhh, the old days

The days of Fighting Crime, Suppressing Evil and Leaping Tall Buildings in a Single Bound:

A Mardi Gras story from the files of WoFat:

Once upon a time: I had a sergeant working with me, whose name I seem to have forgotten. We were assigned to the uniform division. I was a lieutenant, given the Mardi Gras assignment of working Bourbon Street.

The sergeant observed, as he stood around doing his duty, two young men engaged in some truly stupid activity, I forget exactly what. He told them to stop doing what ever it was and to "get up the street." He was ignored. Again, in the nicest tones, he advised them to go away or they would be taking a trip to the New Orleans jail. One of the young men, whom the sergeant had gently pushed on his way, turned to him, pulled back his fist and yelled; "You can’t put me in jail. I go to Princeton University!"

With that statement, the sergeant picked the young man up and hurled him, body and soul, into the side of a prisoner transport van. Several large patrolmen picked the lad up and sat him inside the wagon. He then turned to the other youngster. "How 'bout you, boy, Do you go to Princeton University too?" The kid answered, Southern accent dripping from every syllable, "Yes suh, I do, but I'm from Macon, Georgia and I told that damn-fool Yankee not to mess with the po-leese. “"That's nice son,” said the sergeant. “You go on now, and have a fine day." Up the street the lad went, singing a little song, while his pal was introduced to the beauties of our lovely jail, operated by the Office of the Criminal Sheriff for the Parish of Orleans. I've always wondered if he perhaps found a cellmate named "Big Willy," who fell in love with his cute little Yankee self.

©Lieutenant Jack Willoughby

N.O.P.D. (Ret.)

Scottsboro, Al

2006