<div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:black;"><div id="yiv5198285743"><div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;color:black;">
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">This is an excellent<span style=""> </span>story of a confrontation of a police man </span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">with the highest<span style=""> </span>motives </span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">and a<span style=""> </span>homeless man.<span style="">
</span></span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">Who’s motives are not understood. </span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">I have some questions below that
offer a different tilt<span style=""> </span>or interpretation
to this encounter.</span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">Once
Upon a St. Patrick’s Night</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"></span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">poem
by Alice Jane-Marie Massa</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">On a frigid St. Patrick’s night,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">my Leader Dog Willow and I walk into
the dry air of the waning days of winter</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">to hear the howling high winds and</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">to feel the descent of the
single-digit temperature.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">so very close to the first day of
spring,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">the wind chill will dip awkwardly to
five below—</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">a temperature and a torment that
makes me wonder</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">about the homeless people trying to
survive such a heralded night.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"></span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">Heralded night. I like this. </span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">It is unconventional<span style=""> </span>and says something abut the <span style=""> </span>night’s notable quality.</span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">I imagine </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">an officer—</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">man or woman of whatever color—</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">wearing a badge</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"></span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">You say imagined. Is this real
or<span style=""> </span>a made up incident.</span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">that some people hate</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">without cause,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">holstering a gun</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">which some despise</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">despite respect for laws.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"></span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> <b><u>This<span style=""> </span>is close to a<span style=""> </span>political statement. </u></b></span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">It<span style="">
</span>shows bias.</span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">On this frigid, fragile St.
Patrick’s night,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">I hear the officer plead with the
homeless man</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">to minimize misery,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">to choose survival at a shelter.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">However, for a variety of unwise
reasons,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">the homeless man does not want to
step a nearly frozen foot</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">into any shelter</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">because for him,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">time does not change with the
seasons:</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">time is frozen, and</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">his heart is frozen.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">He is numb to the cold,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">numb to the helping hand,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">numb to life.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">He coughs a long, prolonged cough</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">that seems unending.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"></span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> <b><u>This description of the
cough does give credence to your statement that </u></b></span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">he is numb to life. </span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">But it does not say anyting about
the<span style=""> </span>reasons for his feelings.</span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">The action of the officer </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">will not make the late news tonight.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">The pleading kindness</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">will be heard only by the angels.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">Words that echo ,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">bouncing back and forth</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">between cold brick buildings</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">cannot penetrate the lost, frozen
soul.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">The two individuals do not speak the
same language:</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">one speaks the language of the
living;</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">the other speaks the language of</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">the lost, the freezing, </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">the hopeless, the dying.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b style=""><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">
</span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"></span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"><span style="text-decoration:none;"> </span></span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">Again a biased point of view. </span></u></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">Still the officer tries to
communicate,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">respectfully waits for a response.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">With no thought to a badge or gun,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">the officer reaches out a gloved
hand,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">takes off one glove,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">then the other,</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">and gently puts the gloves</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">onto the freezing hands</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b style=""><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">
</span></u></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">of the homeless man.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"><span style="text-decoration:none;"> </span></span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"><span style="text-decoration:none;"> </span></span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">By his actions of giving his gloves
to the homeless man, <span style=""> </span></span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">the officer is indeed doing a
heroic, even angelic, action. </span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">The homeless man accepts this act of
kindness, </span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">which goes to show that he is not
numb. </span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">I wonder if the officer was being
less than capable of doing his job, </span></u></b></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">after giving away is gloves.</span></u></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">Willow and I return inside</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">to the pleasant warmth of our home</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">to wonder about the homeless people</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">on this unusually cold St. Patrick’s
night</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">when I will pray</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">to St. Patrick and all who will
listen </span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">for the homeless</span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal;" class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;">and for the officers.</span></p>
<br><br><br><p class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal">Leonard I. Tuchyner, Author</p>
<p class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://www.dldbooks.com/tuchyner/">https://www.dldbooks.com/tuchyner/</a><br></p>
<p class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv5198285743MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none;"> </span></u></p><br></div></div></div>