By Suzie Ivy
Police Chief Scott Silverii asked me to participate in a book anthology. Not just any anthology, but one that honors the lives of fallen police officers. And, all proceeds will go to the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund. I couldn’t type my reply quickly enough.
The book is aptly named “10-Code: By Cops, Honoring the Ultimate Sacrifice” and it’s about 10 police officers/authors, 10 fiction stories and 10 dedications to officers we each know personally who died in the line of duty.
These are touching stories. Some of them are gritty and others are eye-opening. Each of us likely knows a fellow officer killed in the line of duty, and this book celebrates their life. I am honored to be part of the 10-Code Project and all that it represents.
Here’s an excerpt from my story, The Forever Team...
After entering Pierce city limits and heading down the block that led to my home, I turned the radio down and carried on a one-way conversation with the suddenly attentive dog in the back. “I have a neighbor you can terrorize. Treats are in it for you if you do a good job. He has a twerpy little shit for a dog otherwise known as a Shih Tzu. You can eat him if the neighbor isn’t looking.” I glanced into the rearview mirror and saw Suii’s head lift higher and his ears cock. “I don’t go back to work until Wednesday, so you and I can be lazy and catch up on TV shows.”
A long whine sounded from the backseat as Suii returned his head to his favorite position of flopped down on any available object. If I understood his whine correctly, he liked the same shows I did or he liked the idea of being lazy. It was hard to tell.
Sure enough, as I pulled in front of my townhome, Mr. Hemorrhoid, as I called him because of his pigeon walk, came toward my vehicle with Shit snuggled in his arms. Whenever I came home, I found small piles of dog poo in the five-by-ten strip of grass I called a yard. Always on my grass and no other. Brown pee spots also peppered the small space. No one else in our vicinity had a small dog, and it didn’t take a detective to solve this crime.
I opened my door and walked around to the back with the leash. This would be tricky. I opened Suii’s door, clipped the leash onto his collar and stepped back. With my right hand, I made a motion toward Mr. Hemorrhoid. “Fass,” I whispered in German. For the first time, I saw all of Suii’s powerful glory in action. He even managed to surprise me by pulling me forward several feet before I gained control. “Nein, nein,” I shouted as Suii almost removed my arm at the shoulder.
He immediately stopped, but continued growling, completely overpowering the terrified yips coming from Shit and the unmanly screams coming from Mr. Hemorrhoid. I didn’t stick around to see if my neighbor’s pants matched my name for his dog. “Hier,” I said. Come in English. Suii followed me with loud I’ll-kill-you-and-your-little-dog-too growls.
To read the rest, please purchase a copy in paperback or e-edition. We received the exciting news that the memorial will carry copies of the book in their bookstore. I will find that special name on the wall and lay my white paper over it. Using a pencil, I will rub the inscribed letters of Philip Anthony Rodriguez. You are forever in my heart and my story. The Forever Team honors your short life. Thank you for being my friend, for your smile that I miss so much and for your sacrifice.
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