I grew up in Hershey, PA, home of a few delicious chocolates, but also where the Pennsylvania State Police Academy is located. Shortly after it had opened, I saw a lot of Cadets in training around town and from time to time they would sit with me and we would talk about many things, including the state police. It was after one such conversation that I decided that I wanted to be a State Policeman when I was able to.
My dad was all for it, but not my mom. She was always worried that some bad guy would hurt me. My dad even told her one time, “Don’t worry so much, Marie. He’s not a piece of machinery. He won’t break.” Then dad and I would kind of nervously laugh, but not mom.
I would from time to time try to sneak up to the Academy, but would always get caught. I came to know the one guard personally and we became friends on a first name basis. Every now and then, if there were no classes, he would show me around or at least something different than the last time. I told him many times of my ambition and he suggested that I study some form of Marshall Arts. After talking it over with my dad, we visited a local M/A training center and spoke with the Sensei. He suggested that I take 1 year of Karate and 1 year of Kung Fu. Dad agreed and so that’s what I did. My favorite of the two was Kung Fu because it taught me discipline and patience, something that I didn’t have of either.
During my senior year of high school, I enlisted in the Marines. After that was over, I registered to go to the local community college for 2 years and studied Criminal Justice, which went well and I graduated with an Associate’s degree. Then, I decided the time was right, so I applied to the state police. My first interview was over the phone. He just asked me some routine questions and at the end said that he would be back in touch within 2 weeks. Well, let me tell you, it was a very long 2 weeks, but I did get a call to come visit the Academy. After the tour was over, he asked me for questions and I had plenty to ask. After all that was over, he again told me that he would be back in touch, but never said when.
I waited almost 3 weeks for the next call. This person was a female, which for the time era, kind of surprised me. She didn’t introduce herself on the phone as being a state policewoman, so I was unsure of her position. My dad, “Why didn’t you ask her?” I told him that it was all that I could do to remember my own name. When I went for the next interview, there were 4 other people sitting in the room. The interview last 45 minutes and then I was sent home with no indication of when I may hear back from them.
A month went by and I felt like I was being tormented. My dad suggested that I call, but I thought that to be a bad idea. After all, I learned to be patient. Finally, I received a letter telling me that I was being invited to join the best state police in the country. Then it went on explaining a lot of details, including when my orientation date was going to be, starting salary, benefits and so on. In the letter was also a list of items that would be required for me to purchase for using while going through my Cadet training.
It was almost like people say dying is. The first 24 years of my life rapidly flashed in front of me.
It definitely was my “dream come true.”
Now, how about you? Has any of your dreams come true?
My dad was all for it, but not my mom. She was always worried that some bad guy would hurt me. My dad even told her one time, “Don’t worry so much, Marie. He’s not a piece of machinery. He won’t break.” Then dad and I would kind of nervously laugh, but not mom.
I would from time to time try to sneak up to the Academy, but would always get caught. I came to know the one guard personally and we became friends on a first name basis. Every now and then, if there were no classes, he would show me around or at least something different than the last time. I told him many times of my ambition and he suggested that I study some form of Marshall Arts. After talking it over with my dad, we visited a local M/A training center and spoke with the Sensei. He suggested that I take 1 year of Karate and 1 year of Kung Fu. Dad agreed and so that’s what I did. My favorite of the two was Kung Fu because it taught me discipline and patience, something that I didn’t have of either.
During my senior year of high school, I enlisted in the Marines. After that was over, I registered to go to the local community college for 2 years and studied Criminal Justice, which went well and I graduated with an Associate’s degree. Then, I decided the time was right, so I applied to the state police. My first interview was over the phone. He just asked me some routine questions and at the end said that he would be back in touch within 2 weeks. Well, let me tell you, it was a very long 2 weeks, but I did get a call to come visit the Academy. After the tour was over, he asked me for questions and I had plenty to ask. After all that was over, he again told me that he would be back in touch, but never said when.
I waited almost 3 weeks for the next call. This person was a female, which for the time era, kind of surprised me. She didn’t introduce herself on the phone as being a state policewoman, so I was unsure of her position. My dad, “Why didn’t you ask her?” I told him that it was all that I could do to remember my own name. When I went for the next interview, there were 4 other people sitting in the room. The interview last 45 minutes and then I was sent home with no indication of when I may hear back from them.
A month went by and I felt like I was being tormented. My dad suggested that I call, but I thought that to be a bad idea. After all, I learned to be patient. Finally, I received a letter telling me that I was being invited to join the best state police in the country. Then it went on explaining a lot of details, including when my orientation date was going to be, starting salary, benefits and so on. In the letter was also a list of items that would be required for me to purchase for using while going through my Cadet training.
It was almost like people say dying is. The first 24 years of my life rapidly flashed in front of me.
It definitely was my “dream come true.”
Now, how about you? Has any of your dreams come true?
