There are some words that should not be uttered and some that should never be said out loud and then there are the ones that when linked together strike fear in my heart. Son. That is a good word. Pueblo County Sheriff alone is descriptive. Now link those all in one sentence and it becomes a very scary sentcnce to a mother at home alone especially when I have caller ID which comes up "Pueblo County" at 6:30 PM. Got to be a solicitation call or...
Ring! Ring!
"Hullo?"
"Lou Mercer?"
"Yes."
"Ms. Mercer, this is deputy Lile with the Pueblo County Sheriffs office and I am here with your son."
Now being a mother who has managed to raise 6 kids alone and not have any of them incarcerated for a felony, been the instigator of a stand off, jailed for DUI, or any of the other things you read about or hear on the news I consider myself beyond blessed. But far in the back of my mind is always that I am one phone call away. Thank God this woman kept talking because my heart had already stopped.
"He is fine, but his car has quit working. He was going to walk to the Walmart and call you, but I am giving him a ride as it is a long walk. He wants to talk to you. Here."
And I talked to him and I hopped in the car to pick him up and deliver him to Florence.
Now, to get to the irony of this little story I must back up to a few days prior to this phone call. I hopped in my car to run up to the highway to Jackie's shop where I do seamstress work. Every other corner out here in the county is a 4 way stop. I was turning right on 25th Lane so I made what is known as a "California stop". Now you all know what that is and how it works. You can see for miles. No one is coming so you just apply the brake and before you actually stop, you are around the corner. There is a stop, but if one blinks an eye, they might miss it. Apparently the deputy watching from wherever blinked.
To make a long story short very soon I had red lights in my mirror. As luck would have it I found both the registration and insurance card along with my drivers license. I am sure that surprised her! I know it surprised hell out of me. She was very polite and nice and I am sure that she did not know I had NEVER been stopped before. She made it very easy and when she brought back my papers she gave me her card. She was Officer Lile with the Pueblo County Sheriff.
I found Bret right where he said he would be outside of Walmart. I explained to him how the county sheriff calling me gave me a start. At that point he informed me he was no longer a child and if he was doing something wrong they would just cuff him and put him in the back seat and he would have to make his own bail. But mother's minds work in a strange way.
Back to the coincidence of Officer Lile being in two places with Mercers just a few days apart. When I saw how far Bret would have had to walk to get to a phone I was even more grateful to Officer Lile for giving him a ride. He works in a grow, so I am sure he smelled to high heaven of weed. I know he was tired and the last thing he wanted to do was a death march to a phone and then deal with the car that night. I am sure there are officers who would not have let him in the car, but she did and I have got to give a big Lou Mercer shout out to her.
I know police work is hard, dangerous and at times not very rewarding, but if anyone out there knows this woman I would like you to tell her how much my son and I appreciate her taking the time out of her day to do a good deed. I am sure I will see her again some day because that is how angels are.
Ring! Ring!
"Hullo?"
"Lou Mercer?"
"Yes."
"Ms. Mercer, this is deputy Lile with the Pueblo County Sheriffs office and I am here with your son."
Now being a mother who has managed to raise 6 kids alone and not have any of them incarcerated for a felony, been the instigator of a stand off, jailed for DUI, or any of the other things you read about or hear on the news I consider myself beyond blessed. But far in the back of my mind is always that I am one phone call away. Thank God this woman kept talking because my heart had already stopped.
"He is fine, but his car has quit working. He was going to walk to the Walmart and call you, but I am giving him a ride as it is a long walk. He wants to talk to you. Here."
And I talked to him and I hopped in the car to pick him up and deliver him to Florence.
Now, to get to the irony of this little story I must back up to a few days prior to this phone call. I hopped in my car to run up to the highway to Jackie's shop where I do seamstress work. Every other corner out here in the county is a 4 way stop. I was turning right on 25th Lane so I made what is known as a "California stop". Now you all know what that is and how it works. You can see for miles. No one is coming so you just apply the brake and before you actually stop, you are around the corner. There is a stop, but if one blinks an eye, they might miss it. Apparently the deputy watching from wherever blinked.
To make a long story short very soon I had red lights in my mirror. As luck would have it I found both the registration and insurance card along with my drivers license. I am sure that surprised her! I know it surprised hell out of me. She was very polite and nice and I am sure that she did not know I had NEVER been stopped before. She made it very easy and when she brought back my papers she gave me her card. She was Officer Lile with the Pueblo County Sheriff.
I found Bret right where he said he would be outside of Walmart. I explained to him how the county sheriff calling me gave me a start. At that point he informed me he was no longer a child and if he was doing something wrong they would just cuff him and put him in the back seat and he would have to make his own bail. But mother's minds work in a strange way.
Back to the coincidence of Officer Lile being in two places with Mercers just a few days apart. When I saw how far Bret would have had to walk to get to a phone I was even more grateful to Officer Lile for giving him a ride. He works in a grow, so I am sure he smelled to high heaven of weed. I know he was tired and the last thing he wanted to do was a death march to a phone and then deal with the car that night. I am sure there are officers who would not have let him in the car, but she did and I have got to give a big Lou Mercer shout out to her.
I know police work is hard, dangerous and at times not very rewarding, but if anyone out there knows this woman I would like you to tell her how much my son and I appreciate her taking the time out of her day to do a good deed. I am sure I will see her again some day because that is how angels are.
