What he didn't bargain for was his much slower pace in his four-year-old body. His much shorter legs just didn't have the stride of his older body. After what seemed a very long time, Oliver arrived at the neighborhood park.
As he arrived at the park, he passed by a police office in uniform. He just seemed to be strolling himself, making sure things are on the up and up. He's a tall, very handsome-looking young Hispanic guy and really fills out his uniform, too.
He doesn't look all that big from half block's distance, but seems to grow the closer he gets.
Oliver found his footsteps slowing a bit as the cop approached. He knew he needed to try to at least act cool and normal after he suddenly realized maybe he should not be at a public park without adult supervision.
"Just try and look normal," Oliver whispered to himself, but then he reminded himself that no matter what he might now look like , he was still a grownup…an adult.
And, he added, he was not breaking any laws or doing anything wrong.
Thankfully, the cop just walked right past him, though, and he had to shift to the right to get out of his oncoming path. With an inner sigh of relief, Oliver realized he must blend in with the hundreds of other kids the cop must see every day.
At the last moment, Oliver decided he should make eye contact as his path crossed with the cop's. Seems like the right hint to do. Except, as he does, the looks slows his pace, even looks back and smiles.
Immediately, Oliver started feeling all funny. The eye contact might have been a mistake.
The cop stopped and turned around. "Oh, crap," Oliver whispered as he realized he is now barely knee height to the muscular cop.
The cop looked almost amused... He drew close and leans down a little. "Having fun?"
That funny squirmy feeling doubles and Oliver found that as he continued walking he suddenly had to think about the process, each step.
His eyes widened as the cop stopped and talked to him. In response to the cop's question, he just nodded when words failed.
The cop looked down at your feet and noticed how Oliver's flip-flops looked ready to flop off, being sized for a slightly larger pair of feet. And all the rest of his clothes look slightly too big.
"Yah, I was just going to the store," Oliver blurted.
"Did you take a wrong turn?"
He has sized Oliver up as someone's little brother. "I used to get all the hand-me-downs, too," the cop remarked in that still friendly tone.
Oliver wasn't fooled. He knew when someone was mining for information.
"You must be the little brother, huh?" The cop flashed a wide, white smile against a nicely tanned face.
"Turn? Uh, no. I mean, I'm just going to that mal-mart"
Oliver felt a warm blush. This guy is too much. Like all big and friendly and his uniform is so big and tight and stuff.
His hand landed on Oliver's shoulder. "That's across that busy highway. I think you better just stay here in the park."
This is going to lead to some dangerous questions very quickly Oliver realized.
"Uh, wull. I'm sposta to get some stuff…"
Questions like… where is that big brother? Or where are your folks? Who you here with anyway, kid?"
Oliver gazed past the cop and stared at the highway that seemed fifty blocks away, and then at the cluster of kids and moms in the park
On an impulse, he invented a wild story. "I'm here for my cousin's birthday, but I forgot to get him a gift."
The cop looked relieved. "So you're with family?"
"Uh, yeah… my mom is right over there, mister. She's in that group over there. And my brothers, they're…"
Oliver scanned rapidly for a likely family. Fortunately, there is one picnic area that seems to have an abundance of balloons and streamers and people.
"Your cousin will understand," the cop said. "I can't have you just sneaking across that big highway by yourself."
His hand is still on Oliver's shoulder, making him feel funny in itself. But he broke away and promised to stay in the park. To fully convince the cop, Oliver ran toward the picnic pavilion all decked out for a birthday.
The cop looked satisfied, but he kept watching Oliver, forcing him to continue toward at least the outskirts of the huge group of kids and adults.
And now Oliver found himself at a crossroads. He can't go to the store with Officer McMacho watching, and he can't go home either. But he can't really just go crash a birthday party either...can he?