The next few days went by quietly for Molly and I. The day after Leon and Jacki had assured us that the Animatrix Serum didn't make the two of us sterile was Veterans Day. That day started with no difficulty. Molly and I settled into a fairly lazy morning between breakfast, the paper, and then football on television. While I'd settled into following Fox's Pre-Game Coverage, Molly focused on cleaning the dishes. I could hear the water running for a while.
"Do you need any help?" I asked.
These things weren't my favorite things to do, but I'd been raised to understand that a woman's place was wherever she chose or wanted to be. My mother had worked outside the home for as far as I could remember. And she would raise no male chauvinists. My dad had largely been indifferent to those issues. I don't think he would have cared one way or the other whether or not my mother stayed at home or worked outside it. And I could remember innocently asking my father the infamous "why" question as a youngster. The answer was, "do as your mother says". And so, I'd grown up in a household that didn't delegate all housekeeping chores to my mother. Both she and my dad did a lot of that sort of thing, and I was raised to do the same. And now, I was doing the same... or at least trying to.
"No, George," Molly answered, "I'll be done in a few minutes."
"Are you sure?" I asked, "I can help..."
"I'm sure you can," Molly gave a chuckle, "but I'm nearly done."
I was about to speak again when I heard the water be turned off and I heard Molly's footsteps coming to where I was. I looked up to see her come into the doorway.
"See," Molly gave a smirk, "grease is no match for me."
I scooted over to let her come in and sit down.
"You don't need to do all the housework," I managed to say, "it makes me feel like I'm not doing enough."
"I don't mind doing it," Molly answered, "I know your Mom and Dad were very big the whole equal rights thing... and trust me, I'm a big supporter of that. I probably wouldn't be able to do a lot of things if your mom hadn't burned her bras."
"I don't think my mom did that," I commented, "She was big on equal rights, and that's how she raised me... that it isn't fair to you..."
Molly reached over and essentially muzzled me with one of her paws.
"I know, and if people tried to recreate the fifties, I'd probably protest that effort," Molly answered, "Every person should have the choice of where and how they work. At home, in an office, on the farm or ranch, in the schools, on the force, in the military, or in the factory. You've chosen work as a police officer. I am a teacher. Both of us work outside our home... but at home... I don't mind the housework."
"mmph..." I mumbled, unable to really say anything understandable with Molly's paw holding my muzzle shut.
"George, I am fine with keeping house while at home," Molly answered, "I am flattered that you want to help. Really I am... but I'm fine with the housework when I'm not at school. Okay?"
Not able to do much, I conceded defeat for now. There would be other days and other times to help with those sorts of things.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The next few days went fairly quietly with no major difficulties. I did manage to help out here and there at home with things in the kitchen, with either the cooking or the cleaning. All to show her that I saw us as equals. Though a lot of it also involved me having to insist on helping her. And here and there, Molly did accept it. Neither of us had to worry about one or the other trying to dominate the other. And our contact with Leon and Jacki had put aside any fears that we might have had over whether or not Molly and I could have children. That made our home life peaceful and happy.
Work at the school still revolved around the DARE program. Things there remained quiet as well... mostly. The scheduled drug searches had been done for the time being, and the next scheduled search wasn't until after Christmas break, and since weren't yet to Thanksgiving yet, I didn't really focus on that. It was also with the knowledge that the city had approved Officer Howard's budget, Officer Barnes and I would be returning to patrol duty. Now, the real question came down to what the state government in Helena do and how the application process went. Officer Howard was confident that the budget questions would go through, but getting good applicants would be a different thing. Officer Barnes could return to patrol duty early in January if we were lucky, and if not... we'd have to finish out the school year.
"So, have you heard anything more from Officer Howard?" I asked one day.
It was mid-morning and for the moment, our only real mission was monitoring the security cameras. The surveillance system was something. While we predominantly followed things at the High School from there, the software in the computer in the DARE office was such that we could even check on the other schools as well.
"You mean in regards to the status of when the replacement DARE officers will be available?" Officer Barnes asked.
I nodded. I had asked the question because I knew that Officer Barnes outranked me in the Columbia Falls PD's official ranks, and seemed to be in line to replace Officer Howard whenever he retired. So it seemed logical to me that Officer Howard would keep Officer Barnes appraised of things in order to train him for the post of looking after the town's police force.
"I'm afraid I don't have much to tell you," Officer Barnes replied, "the state government has approved the city's request and Officer Howard will get the funds to hire a new officer, but you could probably have found that out watching PBS's coverage of the state legislature."
I sighed and nodded. I had hoped that Officer Barnes would know then that.
"So I suppose we'll still be waiting for awhile," I sighed.
Officer Barnes nodded and then turned back to the screens that were covering the security camera images from around the school. I had looked up at the same time, and the both of us were focused on one of them. It was a camera that covered the area just inside the front doors. On the screen a lone man had wandered into the school. He wasn't a student, as he was old enough that even if he had been held back, he could simply leave and quit, and the law couldn't stop him from doing so. And he was ambling in manner that did not indicate that he was a parent of one of the students.
"We'd better check this guy out," Officer Barnes commented and got up.
We both got up and were quick to move out. The man appeared to be drunk, and the last thing the students needed was to either be hit on by a drunk or assaulted by one. By the time we got to the area where we had seen him the screen, he had actually made it into the office and was hitting on the secretaries.
"Come on, Mzzzzzz... come witffff me... Iiiilll make yur eyezzzz bat," the man slurred as made a hugging motion with his arms.
"Sir, you shouldn't be here," the secretary answered, sounding half nervous half angry.
"But Iiiiimmmm a nize guy!" the drunk protested.
"I'm sure you are, sir, but the school does not permit social fraternization among those working there," Officer Barnes cut in.
I followed him, and then recoiled in shock. The scent of alcohol on him was powerful, and it wasn't even noon. Now, if this guy wanted to get himself hammered, that was his business, but it would be best if he had stayed home to do that. Officer Barnes was the one who approached him and began to move him out. He had then turned when he heard Officer Barnes speak. In turning he also saw me.
"You look like a cat," the drunk stated, his attempts to get the secretary to date him forgotten for the moment.
"Probably because I am one," I managed, "you need to come along with Officer Barnes, here, sir. We'll want to run a few sobriety tests."
"So-buy-er-tee," the drunk slurred slowly.
"To see if you're sober," Officer Barnes clarified, "If you are, we'll send you on your way with the request that you stay off of school grounds. If not... well, I'm afraid we'd have to arrest you for public intoxication."
"In-toc-see-kay-tion?"
"Drunk," Officer Barnes sighed.
"Yeah," the drug nodded, "am I drunk."
By the order of the words used, that would normally be a question, but the man had said with a tone that implied that he was making a statement rather then asking a question. To some extent, I didn't think the sobriety tests were needed. I could smell that he was drunk. But, it was a formal procedure. Officers everywhere had to perform the tests, even when the drunk admitted it.
"Thank you," the secretary said from behind her desk as we lead the drunk out.
I managed a slight nod as Officer Barnes and I lead him out. Once outside the school, we began to put him through the paces.
"Do you know the alphabet?" Officer Barnes asked him.
"Yes."
"Okay then, starting at X go backward to C," Officer Barnes instructed.
It was a bit of a "trick" question as people generally knew the alphabet quite well going forward, but a sober person could figure it out. And he'd usually go slower to take the time to figure it out. People that weren't tended to fumble all over these questions. This guy proved to be no exception.
"A, B, C, D, E, F, G... G... G... L, M, O, N, Q, Z," the man managed, "am I right?"
"No," Officer Barnes shook his head, "I said backward starting with X, and stop at C."
"Can I start again?"
Officer Barnes nodded.
"X, Y, B," the drunk finished, "am I right?"
Officer Barnes shook his head, "No. Moving on. I want you to hold your left foot six inches off the ground and hold the pose."
"For how long?" the man asked, holding up his right foot.
"For three minutes," Officer Barnes told him, "and I said your LEFT foot, not your right."
"But Iiiimmm left footed," the drunk slurred.
"Just try," I told him as I moved around to stand behind him. That way if he fell over, Officer Barnes and I would be able to catch him if he fell.
The man tried, but after a few moments he did lose his balance and fell over backward. I managed to catch him before he got himself hurt.
"You're big," the drunk stated.
"Yes, yes I am," I nodded, "I think we'll move on to the next and final test."
"And then I can go home?"
"Maybe," Officer Barnes stated, and then stepped back a few feet, "Now I want you to walk in straight line between Officer Wayne and myself. Feel free to take your time."
Again the man tried, but was unable to move in a straight line. He ended up stumbling into Officer Barnes' arms once he got to where Officer Barnes was standing.
"Did I do it?" he asked.
"No," Officer Barnes said with a sigh, "I'm afraid we'll have to place you under arrest for public intoxication..."
Officer Barnes continued to read the man the Miranda Rights and moved to cuff him. He didn't fight, but he made it clear that he didn't want to be arrested. He hollered "no" repeatedly and as loud as he could.
"Come on," I sighed, "You're embarrassing yourself. The worst you'll get is a small fine and eight hours in a holding cell. This isn't that serious an issue."
"NOOO!"
By now Officer Barnes had finished cuffing him and began to lead him away. He managed for a bit, but soon lost his balance again and Officer Barnes and I were forced to essentially carry him to the DARE car. We got him there and placed him in the backseat.
"I'll stay here and keep an eye on things as they go," I said to Officer Barnes as he climbed behind the wheel, "You'll be alright with getting him into the station?"
"NOOOO!" the drunk hollered from the back seat.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Officer Barnes replied, "and after eight hours, he'll be fine, too."
And with that, Officer Barnes then drove off and I went back into the school. It wasn't a big incident, especially when compared to the other cases I had been assigned to so far, but it was odd. The man was drunk before noon and wandered into the school. I sighed and felt thankful that he didn't attack anyone or do any damage in the process. I hoped that that there wouldn't be many more "odd" things to be dealt with before Thanksgiving which was now coming up quickly.