Short Story

I have been raised by great parents who showed their love and encouragement as I grew up.

I did not realize until later in my life just how good I had it.

During the good weather I went out on Lake Michigan every weekend fishing with my father.

I loved fishing then and to this day still love it!

It fed my competitive disposition and I was very lucky and caught some prize sized fish that my father had mounted and to this day proudly displays them over the giant fire place in the family room.

During inclement weather, my mother introduced me to her great love, cooking.

My mother is a lawyer of high standing in the Chicago area but her passion has always been creating delicious master pieces in her kitchen. This passion was so great that she took time off to become a chef and took training from several very distinguished chef’s in France, Italy and New York.

I did not develop the same passion but I really enjoyed my time in the kitchen with her. I watched as she took the fish that I had caught and turned them into delicious master pieces.

I also did not recognize the fact that though I am Black, my school experience was that of a Black girl in an all-White Evenston, Illinois school system. My experience was really that of white kid.

The coaching that I received at home and the fact that school seemed easy to me had me academically at the head of my classes.

My participation in sports was both on court and from the side as I made the cheerleading squad and was one of the cheerleaders that was thrown up in the air and landed on her handlers shoulder. I was also the one that ended up on the third level of a standing pyramid.

I was the shortest basketball player on the team but I had a mean corner shot that made me one of the top scoring team members. I lettered as a sophomore and enjoyed several years of notoriety.

But what I am even more proud of was the fact that I became my high school’s paper editor. I not only enjoyed writing a good story but took great pride in getting the entire journalism team members to dig deep and produce great stories to read.

The time at high school went by much too fast and I found myself wondering what I should pursue in college. I was number two in my graduating class and had offers from Dartmouth, Princeton, and Stanford. There were numerous other colleges that offered scholarships and other incentives. I struggled in making my choice.

I wanted to hold on to the warmth that I enjoyed at home.

I wanted to excel and launch myself into a career that would fulfill my life.

It was during this time that I realized that I was facing a branch in my life’s journey. I chose to stay at home and go to Northwestern where my father was a tenured professor.

That choice was a great one. I continued to enjoy fishing and the great home in which I had grown up. For my High School graduation my father gave me an old but beautiful dark green Jaguar convertible that I have to this day.

What could possible go wrong with such a good life?

Well, after an especially drink laden party when I woke up on the beach and did not know where I was, I realized that I had crossed the line where I had lost control. I vowed not to let it ever happen again. I joined AA and to this day, I do not imbibe. It has been a decision that I look back on and know that it was the right one.

I followed my mother into the practice of law. I passed the bar exam and went to work in her office. It did not take long for me to know that I was in the wrong place.

I wanted to be out catching the crook or the evil doer and bring  him or her to stand in front of the Judge.

My decision to leave my mother’s law firm and take a job as a deputy sheriff, caught my mother by surprise. To say she was angry would be to underate her reaction. She was sure that I was throwing away a great opportunity and going for a boring, risky underpaid life.

I went to work for Sheriff Jason the sheriff of a small northern Illinois town. He provided the experience that was the foundation that I needed. He insisted on a strict routine of gun practice at the firing range, a heavy routine of physical exercise and the social practice of “treating others as you wish to be treated.”

I laughed about the final requirement because it was the same mantra that both my mother and father had imprinted permanently in my mind.

My parents quickly recognized that I enjoyed doing what I was doing.

My mother invited me back into the kitchen.

My father who had always told be to follow my dream chuckled and asked me if being a deputy sheriff was going to fulfill my dreams.

Sheriff Jason recognized that I needed to move on in order to grow. Unknown to me he had identified an opportunity in Cincinnati where the Chief of detectives was looking for a Black candidate for his unit. He wrote a letter of recommendation and when he received a positive response he let me know.

The change from issuing parking tickets to potentially being in Cincinnati’s Detective unit was attractive. I was nervous about my interview with Chief Johnson. The first was a brief conversation over the phone. I must have made a good impression because I got an invitation for a face to face meeting in Cincinnati. Only years later did I learn the positive impact that the letter of recommendation from Sherif Jason had.

It was an all-expense paid trip which made me feel good. It’s a little of an understatement to say that I was only a little nervous.

However, my mother’s parting words were, “Remember that you are the best,” kept running thorough my mind. I decided that I needed to project that confidence.

When I was greeted at the police station, I was reminded of my High School.

Everyone was white.

The exception was Chief Johnson. He was about two tones darker that I was. When he smiled it seemed as if light project out from his teeth.

The Chief and I were the only Black persons visible in the station.

His interviewing style was a little unnerving. He asked me what scared me the most being Black or having to work for a Black boss.

I replied that neither scared me. I replied that what scared me was to fall short of the expectations I set for myself.

He smiled and told me to follow him. He led the way out into the bull pen where he loudly announced that he was considering me for a position in the unit.

He then asked if anyone had any questions?

One person raised his hand and in a snide tone asked,

“Can that pretty little thing shoot?”

I smiled and replied, “If you are talking about me, my name is Alex Evercrest and I bet that I can shoot better than you.”

I watched as he pulled his gun from his shoulder holster and said, “I would like to see you shoot better than me.”

His partner looked at him and said, “Trevor you don’t have to make a scene.”

I looked at the Chief and asked, “is there was someplace where Trevor could show off his superb skill?”

The Chief affirmatively shook his head and then placed a call. He then pointed at Trevor and suggested he follow him to the gun range.

When we got to the gun range, I was handed a standard Smith & Wesson M&P9 semi-automatic pistol. This was a newer weapon than I had been issued by Sheriff Jason. I asked if I could have a couple of practice shots since the weapon was new to me.

My first shot hit a little low, at the edge of the bullseye. I adjusted my aim and the second shot hit dead center. I smiled because it was an easier, smoother firing weapon than I was used to. It felt great in my hands.

I looked at Trevor, smiled and said that he was the challenger and should shoot first.

I watched as he placed all of his shots in the center ring but only two in the target’s bulls eye. After so many shots the target center was ready to fall apart.

Trevor’s smile was one that I hoped to take off his face.

I lifted my weapon, pulled the magazine out and commented that I was impressed with the fact that the department had the seventeen round ninety millimeter Luger with a five inch barrel.

Bill, Trevor’s partner started laughing.

I put the magazine back in with a sharp push then pulled my target out into position. Sheriff Jason had constantly told me that I was an extraordinary shooter. On this day I hoped that would be true.

I asked Trevor how he spelled his name. Then I slowly shot his name into the target. It took sixteen shots for his name. I put the last shot dead center into the target.

I pulled the target back in and handed it to Trevor and used a phrase that over the years would be a mutual greeting between he and I. “I love you too.”

The range master said he wanted the target to hang up at the range.

The Chief smiled and let me know that the interview was over and to follow him back into his office.

I got the offer to come to Cincinnati and be the lead detective on a new team that he was forming.

Having you meet my detective partner is something I look forward to but I will leave that meeting for another time.

I will add that the years in Cincinnati have been challenging, enriching and exactly what I wanted to be doing.

Thank-You for taking the time to get to know me.

Alex