I wanna be a State Trooper

[Pappy]

Back in the mid fifties, I wanted to be a NYS trooper. Then one day this trooper came to gives us, in school, a talk about the benefits of becoming a trooper. As you can imagine how excited I was to see and hear him.

I remember how disappointed I was went I left the meeting.
Back then a recruit had to be at least six feet tall and have perfect vision. I totally flunked out in all of these. My, my....how times have changed. I now see troopers that aren’t as tall as I am and some are quite heavy...and glasses are worn.

But it I still wouldn’t trade growing up in the fifties for anything. My motto is; it wasn’t meant to be.
(although the benefits are a hell of a lot better then I get now)

 

[Gary O']

I can sorta relate, Pappy

Even wrote sumpm about it;

When I was about four, five maybe, all I wanted to become was a cop.

Not a Dragnet, Sgt Friday cop, but one that wore the blue, the boots, the service cap, the badge, the…gun…and holster.

OH YEAAAH

Not a doubt in my mind.

Thing is, I was never around cops per se, at least not for a few years.

So all I had for ready reference was the local service station guy. The ‘almost a cop’ guy.
He had a uniform, and if I recall, had some sorta badge.
And he had a service cap. The one with the glossy bill, and high rise front.
Yeah, he was almost a cop.

I always liked stopping there.

‘Fill’er up?
‘Ethyl?’

He’d get the pump going, cranking the numbers to zero, sticking the nozzle in, flipping the lever, filling the back seat with the glorious aroma of gas fumes of which I breathed deep (couldn’t get enough).

‘Check ‘at oil?’

He lifted the hood and did….something, appearing at the driver’s door, showing Dad the dip stick, resting it in display on a really cool red rag, then tucking that rag in his back pocket. Letting half of it stick out……cool.
Sometimes he’d go to the rack of oil, grab wunna the glass bottles with a stainless steel spout, and pour in a bit of oil.
Then he’d spray the windshield with some sorta soapy liquid, wiping all that off with the magic blue towel until the grime and streaks was totally gone. All the while talking about the weather or the ‘goddamm Yankees’, or Joe Louis.

And he had BO…yeah, real big guy aroma…..wow.

Man, I wanted to be him, only I’d strap on a gun, as that was the only thing his was missing.

What a cool job!
Just doin’ that all day long.

‘Check ‘at oil?’
‘Whuddaya think about them goddamm Yankees?’

tuck
wipe
pump
….kids in the back seat, lookin’ at me in awe…wide eyes ogling my holster…and ivory gun handle….and red rag.

One day me and Dad were headin’ down the road.
Just him and me,
and he sez, ‘Whaddya wanna be when you grow up?’

‘A service station guy!’

Things kinda turned south right then.
Dads.
Go figure.
Whud he do for a living? Work in a warehouse?
Prolly jealous.

After that, I never shared my true thoughts with him….for years….decades maybe.

Heh, turns out folks rather frown on service stations guys….with guns.

But, hey, if that ever happens……..

 

[Pappy]

Great story Gary. I can relate to the gas station man because I was one. In 57-8, while in the Army at Camp Roberts, CA, I worked at a Texaco station off base.

Yes, I was the proud man who wore the star. Motto; You can trust your car to the man who wears the star.......

And, we were required to wash windshield, check tires, check oil, water and battery fluid level. All while carrying on a conversation. And if we were working on a car in the garage, when the bell rang, we stopped everything and took care of the gas customer.

My boss, Swede Lund, kept a bottle of rye in the Pepsi machine and we could help ourselves to at as long as we didn’t over do it. What a great guy. The more I took a nip, or two, the more fun it was to greet the customers.

 

[moosehead]

Gary, I spilled my coffee....Again. Sue Read the article and said I should NOT drink any beverage while reading your posts. I've been warned....Anyway, When I was really young ...On Monday I wanted to be a hockey player....On Tuesday I wanted to be like the Lone Ranger. Now, he had a mask, a silver handled gun, a real cool looking horse AND a great pal who was always getting him out of mess after mess. On Wednesday...Well, you get my drift. Never could decide what I wanted to be. And then I saw Nelson Eddy as a Mountie! AND he had a great looking woman to sing to! So, I decided then and there I wanted to be a LUMBERJACK!!! Wait a sec....A MOUNTIE!!!
THAT lasted until I found out, if I actually DID become a member of the RCMP I might have to live in some remote village, surrounded by snow....So I settled on maybe being some sort of King....

 

[Gary O']

....So I settled on maybe being some sort of King....

Great read, moose

Everthing I see you write, I can’t quit reading…while smiling or grinning.

So, I ask myself, ‘self; does moose remind me of me, or do I remind me of moose?’
(I enjoy my own reads, that’s why I write…..ego be damned)

Naw

Moose has his own flavor...sorta deep thoughts Jack Handey-ish

Goes good with coffee

….and a bib

 

[Gary O']

My boss, Swede Lund, kept a bottle of rye in the Pepsi machine and we could help ourselves to at as long as we didn’t over do it. What a great guy. The more I took a nip, or two, the more fun it was to greet the customers.

Swede Lund...that should be a name in a novel

Heh, a jug of rye...it all makes sense now

 

[terry123]

My brother was a State Trooper in La. for several years and he had great stories to tell!! He is very blessed to be retiring in January without any serious injuries, etc. He emailed me this week and said it was a good time for him to retire as he has had it arresting folks, making a case and having a judge give a tiny sentence that did not reflect the damage done. He said he was glad to get out of it all. With the legal system what it is, he has had enough. He and his wife hope to leave the Miami area and move further north. I am glad he is able to retire at 65 and in good physical shape.

 

[IKE]

As a young pup I wanted to be a cop but when I hit my rebellious teens I started having to ride in the backseat of squad cars occasionally and that pretty much turned me against cops.....there's no telling how I'd have ended up if I hadn't of joined the Army at seventeen.

Times have changed and now I have nothing but the utmost respect for all of our men and women in blue.

 

[911]

I was a State Policeman for 37 years. By rule, I only needed to serve 25-30 years (depending on the contract at the time) to retire. Pay was good, benefits were good and I left with no complaints or regrets.

It was a good life. I still do some teaching at the Academy, so I get to stay close to the other Troopers, which helps me with retirement.

Mind you, many things changed drastically over my career. Some good; some not so good.

 

[Pappy]

Thanks for your service 911. I know some of you get a bad rap as well as the city cops. I believe the majority of policeman are doing a great job, but as with any profession, there are a few bad apples.

 

[fmdog44]

Pensions for police, firefighters and teachers are disappearing and that is one big reason for accepting the relatively low wages.. Houston firefighters have not seen a raise in 7 years if my facts are right. I would discourage my kids from pursuing any civil service type career now.