Run Everybody, The Police are Coming!!

One recent Saturday morning (at 3:15 am I dare say), I was abruptly awoken to the ringing of the telephone. Of course I jumped out of bed and ran to the phone because when you get a call at 3:15 am, it usually isn't someone calling you to tell you that you have won the lottery. I quickly answered the phone, "Hello?"... The deep voiced person on the other end of the line politely asks, "Do you have a son named Chad?" "Um...., Yes Sir...." I said with a quiet uncertainty. I almost wanted to say, "That depends on who's calling", but it didn't sound like the "gentleman" on the other end of the line was in the mood for my little "ad libs". "Well Ma'am this is your city Police Department. We have Chad in custody here at the station and need you to come pick him up," he said rather matter of factly. My immediate response was "What the H#LL did he do now?!" I shouted as I slammed my hand down on the kitchen counter all the while thinking "maybe I shouldn't have said that". Again, the officer in his very "calm, professional, monotone" voice, "Ma'am, we will have to discuss that when you get to the station." My husband was up by then was asking what was going on. I replied in my most colorful voice, "CHAD HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND HE IS THE x$#&^ JAIL!!!" My husband and I threw on some clothes and headed out to the police station. When we walked threw the door and looked over to our left, there was parent of another child we knew all too well. He looked even more upset and angry than we were (I didn't know that was possible). The "nice lady" behind the "bullet proof window encased booth" asked us which child belonged to us. I thought for a moment about sayaing, "I am sorry, what are talking about? We have no children. We are here to report a crime", but again, I mumbled "Chad". The "nice lady" told us to have a seat in their "comfortable chairs" and the officer would be out shortly. I certainly would like to know what their definition of "shortly" meant. It seemed like we were waiting there for at least an hour, and I was beginning to think that they were doing it on purpose just because they could.... No actually it was only about 15 minutes, but when your son is handcuffed back in a police officer's office, time seems to creeps slowly. The officer explained that the station received a call stating that tires from the high school practice field had been laid out across street just outside our neighborhood and needed to be removed. An officer responded to the call and moved the tires off the road and over to the side on the grass. He left figuring it was some "stupid kids" (wow he had that one pegged), but they probably had already fled the scene. He continued his story, telling us that about 15 minutes later they received yet ANOTHER call. The tires were BACK across the road. They knew that this was definitely the actions of some "stupid kids", and felt fairly certain those "stupid kids" were still at the "crime scene". Now mind you my son just received an invitation to join the National Honor Society. The What??? The police responded back to the scene along with several backups. I would say at least a total of 6 cop cars swarmed the school with officers jumping out like a SWAT team as if they were about to bust a big drug ring. The kids began running in every direction, but apparently, my Nationa Honor Society son didn't pick the right direction. He, and two of his other friends were surrounded by police officers and honestly I'm surprised they didn't pee in their pants right then and there. Two of the boys that "escaped" were crying saying things like "Oh no no no no no...Oh no no no no" or " OMG It's the police!!! It's the police!! We're toast man TOAST!!" The first thing we took from our son was his most prized possession, his cell phone along with his freedom. Worst of all, my son is a very good athlete and his favorite sport is football. He was just moved up to to practice with the varsity team. He's a freshman and practicing with the varsity (just in case you didn't get the importance of the message here). We told him that he was going to need to go and tell the head coach. It was like a scene out of "Friday Night Lights". The funny thing is, is that our head coach was from the Odessa, TX area and actually coached at that high school in which the show is based off. I think my son would have rather given up his cell phone all of his social freedom for a year before he have gone and told the coach anything that merely hinted to the fact of police even just scolding him let alone him being arrested. He wasn't the only one that had to go tell the coach. Two of his other friends, including one which was lucky enough to get away from the police were made to go see the coach first thing the following Monday morning. The waiting was maddening, but walking up the sidewalk to the coaches offices was the most frightening. They all looked as white as a ghost. The boys all explained what they had done and after the coach deliberated as to what an appropriate punishment would be, the boys probably needed to go and change their clothes because of drenching sweat pouring off of them. Then the coach said, "Well boys, since you like tires so much, we're going to make sure you "really love" them. They were made to carry tires everywhere around the athletic training field, rolling them up hills and running around the entire school property with them around their necks. I don't think they want to see another tire for a long time, which iis good because maybe this will deter their desire for driving for a while. But at the very least I do think it will deter them from wondering around at night, when they should be home sleeping. This is just one of those stories that will never be forgotten.