Wylie Coyote

 

About 15 years ago I started a new job at the LaGrange Town Hall. Working in the Town Hall can be an interesting thing. You get to know the people that make your town what it is, including the Police Officers. There was one officer that was always very intimidating to me, his name is Oscar. I thought he was mean and scary to be honest. One day he pulled up to the office as I was walking in and I looked in the police car only to see a large size Wylie Coyote sitting in the back seat. That gave me a whole new picture of who Oscar is. Police officers demand respect by the very nature of their jobs. They get up each day, knowing that even in a small community, something really bad could happen to them while trying to "protect and serve". But seeing this stuffed animal in the back seat of the cruiser made me chuckle.

Oscar and I became friends after that. And we talked about the turning point in our working relationship many times. This last May he retired from our Police Department and I asked him what happened to Wylie. I don't remember what he told me at the time, but apparently he left him in the Marshal's office. This morning one of the other officers walked in my office and said "I heard you would appreciate this" and pulled the animal from behind his back.

I have to admit a little tear came into my eyes. Wylie Coyote might be retired from the Police force, but he now has a prominent spot in my office with the Beanie Babies.