There are some things that get funnier over time. This is one of those. However, to Eric, it was not a lot of fun. It all started when he, a couple of friends and several acquaintances went airsofting. A few dressed up for their game in camouflage. Eric and one of his friends was headed to the place they start the game when lo and behold, there were a few sheriffs cars and personnel on the road above them. Knowing the drill from previous experience, they dropped their airsoft guns, put their hands above their heads and walked out.
Eric called me when they were asked to leave. He said that the Sheriff had showed up and he needed a ride. I let him know that I would call him back in five minutes. My hands were full and I was just getting out of my truck and wanted to make it inside the house to call him back as it was very hot out side. When asked by one of the officers if he had got a hold of someone to pick him up, he responded, “My dad said he would call me back in five minutes.” to which they responded laughing and stated, “I guess he whats to pick you up at Juvie.” He called back expressing some urgency and I headed out to pick him up, not knowing all the details. In the ride back home I got more of the story.
Eric was the first to emerge from the vegetation and noted, “they had their guns pointed at me and their was a German Shepard running towards me.” He followed their instructions, interlock your fingers on you head, spread you legs and he was padded down. Upon completion of making sure Eric did not have anything dangerous on him, the officer brought his arms down behind him and summarily cuffed him. He was then told to go sit down. Eric was in disbelief in what was happening and he was now faced with the challenge of sitting down with his hands cuffed behind him.
As the story goes, all eight young men were sitting in a row against a fence. All of the other young men had a ethnic background of Hispanic and when the officers asked them where they lived they answered with the lot number in the local trailer park where they lived. When Eric was asked, he gave his address on and they looked at him curiously. He then stated the city and they understood.
The facts were told to the young men. One of them had walked into the Rite Aid store very near the location with their tactical vest, holster and gun on them. One would wonder why that would cause alarm? Go figure, they probably thought they were going to get robbed when he walked through the door.
The curious question is, at least in Eric’s mind, “Why was I the only one in handcuffs?” I asked about the ethnicity of the commanding officer and Eric responded that he was Hispanic. I let him know that it was obvious, He was either the first one the saw and responded to or he was the only red headed white boy from the city in he group of Hispanic young men and the was singled out. Obviously, there is nothing like discrimination against a ginger!
