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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>This poem, written by occasional Vision2020 contributor
Debbie Gray, wife of Latah County Sheriff's Deputy Phil Gray, was published in
the Spokesman Review a few years back. It haunted me when I read it
then. I had to retrieve it and re-read it after this weekend's
tragedy. It brings home the fact that our law enforcement officers and
their families live with the fear of the unknown events to come, every day when
they go to work. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I take my hat off to them all for the service they perform
and their bravery in the line of duty -- and mourn with them and the
community at large over the tragic shootings.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Bruce Livingston</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Reprinted with permission of the author:</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">To Phil.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Leave for work.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Dayshift, swing, the ominously
named</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Graveyard</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Sometimes watch</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You go</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Will you return?</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Yes.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Or a knock on the door of </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">our first (now last?)</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">little home.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Someone from The Office. A
chaplain?!</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Go away, I will not hear you.
No.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">But I secretly rehearse in my
mind</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">What</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I will do. Say. React.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I know it's coming. Of course
it is.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">That's the story</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Of my life.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You say</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You didn't think about IT
before we had</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Our little man. He needs his
daddy. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">And now this sweetest baby
girl.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I,</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You calmly explain,</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Would survive. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">But our babies need a
daddy.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I have my doubts. On my
survival</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Without you. What is my
life?</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Sure, the house would be
cleaner. Much</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Quieter.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I would probably</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Adjust. Survive. Exist.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">But that is not a Life.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Every day, people survive </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">This.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">My worst nightmare.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">But I refuse.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I contemplate:</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Kevlar hat. Helmet.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Body armor. Kevlar socks,
even.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">What's the big deal? </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">So it costs a lot?. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Isn't your life</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Worth it? It is to me. But</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You’d get hot. And itch.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">So you go. Off to your day.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Protect and serve.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">But</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Please</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Come home</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Copyright 2004 Debbie
Gray</P></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>