My Barney Experience
This past Sunday, my church had a special event called Worship in the City. Basically we had 4,000 or so people from our church and others combine for an outside service in a park right in the middle of a big city. I signed up for Kid-watch..which I wasn't sure what would be involved. When I got there, they explained that our job was to walk the perimeter and make sure that children stayed with their families (did not run out into the street etc.), and that no one tried to walk off with a child that did not belong to them. While I was absorbing this responsibility that was more sobering than I thought, the lady handed me a whistle on a string. She said, if you have any issues, or questionable situations..just blow your whistle. Well, I was wearing a stick-on name-tag that said Kid-watch (kinda like a badge) ..and now a whistle is placed around my neck. I immediately starting hearing the Barney Fife theme music in my head that is played when he is patrolling in front of the cells, or getting serious about a police assignment. I went totally Barney Fife in my head. I was not going to just look for stray kids, but by golly I had my eye out for pick-pockets, Jay-walkers, Chicken thieves (sorry Harriet) and parking violations. I was there to serve the people and assist other law enforcement officers, and protect the Common Defense. When my friends saw me strutting around I just tipped my hat and pointed to the whistle (as if to say..take it easy, I've got everything under control). Luckily, nothing really happened. I gave directions to the port-o-lets a few times. I told a few kids to stay closer to their Mothers, and I picked up a little trash,,but I was ready for anything, Giving me that whistle was like Goober getting a badge, or Deputy Jerry Miller when he slipped on the uniform with a badge, You just can't help to be a law-enforcement rube. The Untrained Voice (and Untrained Officer of the Church Patrol) _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
