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Post by dgriffin on Mar 16, 2008 10:13:12 GMT -5
C'mon, guys and girls. Where are all of those promised articles for "More Stories!"? With Holy Week upon us, I know you'll just be sitting around saying your rosaries and contemplating your sins. So, what better mood for writing? Maybe an article on "The Worst Thing I Ever Did/Said (that I'm willing to publicize)" Or, "Why Sister Mary Caligula Would Be Proud of Me." Or simply, "The Kid I Remember Most From the Fourth Grade." Two paragraphs is enough if that's what you can muster. See examples at: www.windsweptpress.com/morstor.htm |
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Post by Clipper on Mar 16, 2008 12:22:14 GMT -5
 I have many stories to tell. I have started several times on stories and scrapped them. I wish I had taken a creative writing course in college. I am a prolific writer when it comes to writing opinions, and letters to the editor, and used to be criticized for the length and intensity of my memos when I worked in a management position at Griffiss. I seem to struggle with the issues of "he says, she says, he replied, I did this or that". It will come. I am an avid reader, and I am looking at other authors styles and use of paragraph breaks to designate who is speaking. I simply seem to be reading a poorly written news report of an incident when I proof read my writings. Looks like something out of the OD, haha.  I will get something off to you as soon as I can "perfect" or at least be satisfied myself, with one of my stories. After 61 years of life, and adventures of traveling around the world, serving in the military, fighting in a war, driving an over the road truck, and fathering 3 sons, I have a head full of stories to tell, and just seem to be "stuttering" in my attempt to put any of them in print. I am extremely grateful for the link to Windswept Press for providing a platform for us to attempt to satisfy our desires to author. Thanks Dave! 
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Post by Swimmy on Mar 16, 2008 13:30:39 GMT -5
Ah, writer's block. Don't worry clipper, it happens to everyone. I'm suffering from it myself. I have to write a memo detailing how to file a class action suit against SONY and the three best legal theories for recovering against them under the case's facts. Not fun.
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Post by Clipper on Mar 16, 2008 13:37:11 GMT -5
 I certainly hope that you overcome the writer's block before I do. My writers block is of little consequence to anyone but myself, but yours could have critical consequences. I am sure you will compose the required memos and they will be of an "A+, 100%, 4.0 quality. Mine are just the meanderings and reminiscences of an old fart with nothing better to do than bore you guys with my tales of times past, haha.  
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Post by Swimmy on Mar 16, 2008 14:00:17 GMT -5
I can tell you how not to cross in a cross walk...
It was my freshman year of college. There were three of us walking down to practice. As we approached the crosswalk to cross the campus roads to get to the gym, we looked both ways and after verifying there was no traffic in either direction, we proceeded to step into the crosswalk. Fortunately for us, a campus police officer (at SUNY Binghamton University, State Troopers are the Campus Security) peeled out of the parking lot about 25 yards away, ran through a stop sign and nearly ran me over as he skidded to a stop in front of us. With his lights flashing, he got out of the car, hiked up his pants over his enormous pot belly and told us that "crossing in a crosswalk is a ticketable offense."
Puzzled, we three college punks looked at each other in shock that we just committed a ticketable offense. I finally asked, "Under what section of the VTL?" (VTL is the abbreviation for Vehicle and Traffic Law). After being a punk college student for committing a ticketable offense, I wanted to make sure I knew the law so I didn't commit the same crime again.
The officer looked square at me. Rushed from the driver's side of his vehicle around the front and right toward me. "You being wise kid?"
"No officer. I was asking a simple question. After interning in the Utica City Court my senior year of high school, I was under the impression that you were supposed to cross in a crosswalk and that we had the right of way. Now you're telling me that every person in the Utica City Court system, including the judges and the DA have it all wrong. I'm just trying to learn how they run things down here in Binghamton so I don't make the same mistake again."
"The officer glared right into my eyes. He could smell the fear in all of us. He moved in for the kill, "If you're going to keep up that attitude with me, boy, I'm going to be forced to drag all your asses down to the station. You'll have to call all your parents and explain how you were breaking the law and got arrested."
Now he did it. He cornered me into an inescapable corner. I had no option but to attack. "You arrest me, and it will be the last official act you do as a cop. I know the law, and I was trying to be patient with you as you explained to me why my understanding of the law was wrong. Instead, you cop an arrogant attitude. Need I remind you that if you actually hit me, it would be your fault! You ran a stop sign just to cut us off from walking to swim practice. Then you have the balls to come out of your car with your fat ass and lecture me on the "Do's and Don'ts" of walking in a crosswalk? I dare you to try and arrest me. I'm here on athletic scholarship. It would be great to sue you, the campus security department, the school, and the state to recover a couple million dollars in punitive damages. I need some spending money." Please note, at the time I made that comment, I had no clue when I could sue for punitive damages or for how much. I just remember reading a Complaint that called for them and the damages were in the millions. "Now, officer, please be so kind as to tell me which section of the VTL we violated, because I can think of at least three you violated in your arrogant attempt to intimidate law abiding citizens to fear your presence. Why I ought to take your badge number now and report you to the state."
The outstanding officer's smile and swagger instantly disappeared. With his tail between his legs, "It's true that if I hit you, it would be my fault and I would have to fill out a bunch of paperwork that I wouldn't feel like filling out. I'd be pissed that I had to fill them out and would be able to ticket you for it."
"No, I don't think so. Not unless you have a burning desire to flip burgers for the rest of your life. You still have conveniently failed to answer my question. What section of the VTL did we violate?"
As he began to step back from his very offensive stance and cower back around the front of his car, "Well, none that I can think of. And you're right that when you're in the crosswalk you have the right of way. But you don't have the right to take the right of way, it has to be yielded to you--"
"I know, and seeing as how there was no traffic taking the right of way was not an issue, until you violated basic laws by peeling out of a parking lot without checking to make sure traffic was safe and allowed you to do so. Then you ran a stop sign without slowing down and stopping to make sure traffic allowed you to progress. Then you came within inches of hitting me, just to tell us we committed a ticketable offense that you now tell us is not true. So what the fu@#?!"
As he climbed into his car, he said in a much calmer and less aggressive tone, just be careful when crossing in a crosswalk, that's all I wanted to teach you boys."
So, the moral of the story, is to never cross in a crosswalk when the roads have no traffic and there is a police officer idling in a parking lot 25 yards away. If it wasn't for that officer's heroism, we would not have known that and might be sitting in jail for committing a ticketable offense.
As for the rest of the story, we ended up 15 minutes late to practice. The coach did not believe my story, until the two captains vouched for me.
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Post by Swimmy on Mar 16, 2008 14:04:55 GMT -5
Before anyone suggests otherwise, this incident did not lessen my opinion of law enforcement officers. I hold them in high regards. I know that this one officer does NOT reflect the countless honorable and dedicated officers who routinely put their lives on the line fighting crime so that I can walk outside my house without fearing for my life.
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Post by Swimmy on Mar 16, 2008 14:05:17 GMT -5
Thank you clipper. I have all the material, it's just committing it to paper that is proving difficult.
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Post by Clipper on Mar 16, 2008 14:18:37 GMT -5
;D You cracked me up with that story swimmy. I can totally envision a guy as big, or bigger than myself, swaggering around his car. You are probably giving him the benefit of the doubt, as I am sure he most likely "waddled" around the front of the car.
An overweight, donut munching, police officer wannabe, or a retired cop in a patronage position, comes to mind, haha.
I am sure his fat ass puckered a little when the intimidation didn't work, and his limited intelligence, and verbal skills were challenged. Turned the old lion into a pussycat didn't ya? Haha.
You couldn't have been more effective if you had slapped him in the face and took his gun away, while verbally demeaning him. LOL.
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Post by dgriffin on Mar 16, 2008 15:45:54 GMT -5
Good one, Swimmy. That should be next, after Guest Lecturer.
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Post by dgriffin on Mar 16, 2008 16:14:52 GMT -5
Before anyone suggests otherwise, this incident did not lessen my opinion of law enforcement officers. I hold them in high regards. I know that this one officer does NOT reflect the countless honorable and dedicated officers who routinely put their lives on the line fighting crime so that I can walk outside my house without fearing for my life. Take a look at this video that Joe Mezz just put up in his Blog. It's great! www.who-sucks.com/video/tase-him-bro |
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Post by Swimmy on Mar 16, 2008 16:19:44 GMT -5
Hahahahahaha. Clipper, I became known as the law-man after that incident. As this officer continued his rant, other team members came over and observed the situation. All the upperclassmen who saw use three freshman standing there gained a new form of respect for me. I was scared out of my mind. I thought for sure he would arrest me after what I said From that point forward, if anyone had trouble with a professor's policies or the coach's policies, the team came to me for help. The story spread across campus like wildfire. That Saturday night one girl showed up to the swim house looking for me. |
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Post by Swimmy on Mar 16, 2008 16:20:44 GMT -5
I'm ok with that suggestion, Dave. I'll let you come up with the title. I just sent you an e-mail about the Guest Lecturer one. |
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Post by dgriffin on Mar 16, 2008 16:25:32 GMT -5
I will get something off to you as soon as I can "perfect" or at least be satisfied myself, with one of my stories. Clipper, don't be a perfectionist, though. The idea is the story, not so much the writing. |
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Post by Swimmy on Mar 16, 2008 16:27:14 GMT -5
Now, it's officers like that man who I have a lot of respect for. I know I would not have been able to retain my professionalism or keep a cool head.
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Post by frankcor on Mar 16, 2008 19:26:51 GMT -5
That driver has issues. The officer has a lot of skill and perspective.
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I have many stories to tell. I have started several times on stories and scrapped them. I wish I had taken a creative writing course in college. I am a prolific writer when it comes to writing opinions, and letters to the editor, and used to be criticized for the length and intensity of my memos when I worked in a management position at Griffiss.
I certainly hope that you overcome the writer's block before I do. My writers block is of little consequence to anyone but myself, but yours could have critical consequences. 
