A Neighborly Walk With A Fort Wort Police Officer Trespassing On Chesapeake Energy Property

A walk around my neighborhood was my vertical motion choice this last Good Friday of March.

Before the walk around my neighborhood I walked to Albertsons to pick up this week's FW Weekly and DFW.com.

Between my abode and Albertsons I came upon a Fort Worth police car parked on my neighborhood Chesapeake Energy property, parked behind the  No Trespassing/Trespassers Prosecuted sign that Chesapeake good neighborly installed at this location.

I have no way of knowing if the Fort Worth police officer was aware he was trespassing and under threat of prosecution courtesy of Chesapeake Energy.

I thought this was a very odd location for a cop to be parked. When I walked by I could not see a cop sitting inside the car. I debated with myself whether the good citizen thing to do or not was to walk over and check to make sure the cop was okay.

The debate with myself was short, with me opting to just mind my own business.

When I exited Albertsons and the cop car came back in to view I was fairly certain I could see someone inside the car, moving around. Why I was able to see this from a distance, but not when significantly closer, I do not know.

I took the picture you see above and hoped to myself that the cop did not come and arrest me for blowing his cover or some such thing.

The Fort Worth cop car being oddly located was the only odd thing I saw on my walk today. It was a warm walk, with the temperature nearing 70.

This morning when I got in the cool pool the air temperature was 61. The cool pool seemed to be about the same temperature as the air. Due to yesterday getting to be nearly 80 degrees hot, the cool pool was uncool enough that I had myself a salubrious long swim this morning. I suspect tomorrow morning will see a similar salubrious long swim in the not so cool pool..

The Shadow Of The Tandy Hills Pinhead Startling Scurrying Fort Worth Police Cockroaches

I was late in the afternoon today, making it to the Tandy Hills for my daily main dose of aerobicizing.

You can sort of tell I am late on the hills due to the lighting. And somehow that lighting made the Shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man into the Shadow of the Tandy Hills Pinhead.

The trails on the hills are in great shape, totally recovered from their recent bout of mud and totally ready to be trampled on by hundreds of Manly Men/Wild Women Feet this coming Saturday.

The temperature was nearing 60 when I headed for the hills this afternoon. So, once more, back in shorts and t-shirt.

Whilst moving fast today I snagged a stick and this somehow ripped a big tear in my favorite cargo shorts. These were my last remaining undamaged cargo shorts. This is nothing short of a minor tragedy.

Now, let's back up in time a bit to the point where I arrived at the Tandy Hills. Today I decided to hike from the top of Mount Tandy. When my usual parking place, underneath the Fort Worth Space Needle came in to view I saw two Fort Worth police cars.

Oh oh, this can't be good, I thought.

So, I parked far away from the cop cars, since they were blocking my access to my regular parking spot. As I began walking towards the cop cars one started towards me.

I had instant deju vu of last year's confrontations with white Express Energy pickups.

The cop car reached me. His window was down. He was talking into his microphone, but he stopped where I stood. I asked is there a problem? Is it safe to go hiking?

The cop said there's no problem. He continued on. So did I. Then the second cop car started moving. He drove right by me, driver's window closed. Passenger window open.

I reached in my pocket and got out my camera, turned it on and turned around to snap a picture. The first picture only showed the second cop car, blocking the view of the first one. I waited for the cops to turn to the left so I could get both in a picture.

Well, they drove past my vehicle and then pulled up beside each other again..

Now, why, when I showed up and started walking towards them, did the cops scurry like a pair of cockroaches when a light is turned on?

And why, after they thought I was gone, did they pull up side by side again? To continue talking through those open windows?

Were the two cops parked in this isolated location because they thought they could pass some of their duty time unnoticed? Was there no donut stand nearby?

It was all very very odd.

Calling 911 With A Dry View From Miss Puerto Rico's, A Cop Visit And The Queen Of Wink & Me Going Around The World

24 hours ago this was not what the view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony looked like.

So far, this Sunday, at least at my location, in Texas, there has been no heavy duty storm action, like we got blasted with yesterday, despite the prediction of a possible repeat.

I called 911 this morning, after which a Fort Worth Cop quickly showed up to take my van vandalism/bike theft report. I am not sure, but I don't think a report was made.

Apparently there is a ghost's chance in hell that the culprits might be caught and my bike recovered.

I know nothing about the science of police work, but it would seem there must be some system of checking pawn shops.

I was impressed with the high tech equipment in the cop car. I'd not seen that before.

Since there is quite an outbreak of the type break-ins that broke me, I would think decoys could be set up to trap the bad buys. How hard would that be?

Awhile back I watched an astonishing police operation from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony. At least a dozen police cars showed up, with a lot of cops running around. The culprit was caught,  handcuffed and bent over the back of a police cruiser.

The crime? Shoplifting a box of disposable diapers and a pair of socks from a Dollar General store. This seemed a bit of overkill, disproportionate to the crime.

My bike and the damage to my van costs quite a bit more than some diapers and socks. How many others have been the victim of the same car prowler?

Anyway, the visit with the cop was quite nice. In the end he said he'd be on the lookout for a bright yellow K-2 bike.

Feeling despondent, on my way back from Pantego and Dalworthington Gardens, I called the Queen of Wink. Her royal litany of woes made mine seem puny. I guess that made me feel better. I must begin to work on our audition video for The Amazing Race. We feel due to my good navigational skills, the Queen's superior intellect, my inherent charm with natives and the Queen's flirtatious nature, we should be able to zoom around the world to an easy first place finish.

As long as no mountain biking is involved. I don't do mountain bikes anymore.

After we win and get our million dollar check we will be holding a party. You, who will be invited, know who you are.

Hiking In The Texas HEAT After Another Fort Worth Police Encounter

Another 100 degree day. Number 18 or 19 in a row. Very humid. I opted for the shaded trails of Village Creek Natural Historic Area when my need to commune with nature kicked in around noon.

I had myself a really fine morning of filling out forms for the IRS, then making copies of them. I was almost to the Post Office to send the IRS my offering when I saw lights flashing behind me.

I was being tailed by a Fort Worth Police Cruiser, with its lights flashing.

I pulled into the Post Office, parked and turned off the engine, opened the door and stepped outside. An amplified voice ordered me to remain in the vehicle.

I knew I'd not done anything as serious as shoplift a pair of sox and some diapers, so I was not too concerned. Maybe a blinker was not blinking appropriately.

Eventually the officer got out of his cruiser. I asked what did I do. Your emissions sticker has expired, I was told.

Well, I knew that. I'd not gotten around to the laborious bother of getting this year's nuisance sticker. I find it aggravating.

When I lived in Washington I never had to get my vehicle's emissions tested. Here in the Fort Worth/Tarrant County zone we have thousands of Barnett Shale Natural Gas Wells that apparently put off more pollution than cars do. But, do they go through an emissions test every year? I think not.

So, the officer took my driver's license and retreated back to his cruiser. I got out of mine to ask if I could go mail my letter while he did his thing. Remain in your vehicle I was told. So Gestapo-like over having an expired emissions sticker.

When I was stopped for the serious crime of driving too slow, while not wearing my seatbelt, it took the officer at least 15 minutes before he returned with the ticket that was thrown out.

This time the officer showed up back at my door in just a couple minutes, saying something like "I'm giving you a break, so continue on your way. And get that emissions test."

I then exited my vehicle and went to mail the letter. When I came back out of the Post Office the Police Officer was back on his merry way chasing down other evildoers.

When I related this story to a particular party familiar with my various Fort Worth shenanigans, this particular person suggested the Fort Wort Police probably have me red-flagged, something along the line of unless it is a serious crime, let this person go.

Yeah, I'm sure that's it. It was strange though. I probably should go get that emissions test. If I remember right, last year I put it off for 3 months.

Sunday Night's Fort Worth Version Of To Catch A Thief

You are looking at the Sunday night view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony. Those are Fort Worth police cars you are seeing through the foliage.

Police car after police car arrived on the scene. Eventually the street was clogged with police cars, no traffic moving.

We figured a very serious crime, likely of the violent sort, must have taken place. We could see the police talking to a guy who was pointing at shrubbery in front of Miss Puerto Rico's office.

At that point we thought maybe this was a drug-related bust type police action, hence the massive show of force.

Then a phalanx of officers came into view with a guy in custody. They put the guy over the trunk of a police car and handcuffed him. It was all done very gently, none of that police brutality type stuff that seems to happen way too often.

Miss Puerto Rico called her boss to tell her something major had happened on the property they manage. That was the assumption at that point in time. We decided to go find out what major crime had been committed.

I walked up to the guy who I'd seen pointing out shrubs to the police. I said I was with the property and would like to know what the guy in custody had done.

Well.

The guy helping the police told me he was in Dollar General when he saw the guy now in custody shoplift a pair of socks and a box of disposable diapers. He and his girl friend tailed after the guy, calling 911 as they tailed. They followed the guy onto Miss Puerto Rico's property, where he'd scaled the security fence. I assume this is about when the first police arrived.

Now, I am fully cognizant of the fact that shoplifting is a crime. But, was this not overkill? Does Fort Worth maybe have a few too many cops out on patrol? Maybe the police force could be scaled back a bit and the freed funds used to keep a library or two open an hour or two longer.

I could understand a massive police response to a really serious crime. But, stealing a pair of socks and a box of diapers is borderline Jean Valjean territory, you know, the guy in Les Miserables who's life was made miserable because he was super hungry and stole a loaf of bread. The police overreacted in that case too.

I wonder how much last night's police action cost? Obviously way more than the cost of a pair of socks and a box of diapers.

I enjoy my visits to Miss Puerto Rico's. You never know what you're going to see. Or hear. Or do.

Following Dozens Of Fort Worth Police To A Bad Scene On Randol Mill Road

As I was leaving Town Talk after Tandy Hills Hiking I was greeted with the sound of sirens and the sight of a lot of Fort Worth Police cars and emergency vehicles, turning off Beach Street, heading east on Randol Mill Road.

What fresh hell is this I wondered?

I didn't know if I should go home via a different route in case the Fort Worth Police were in Gestapo Stormtrooper mode, or go home via my usual Randol Mill Road route and catch the cops possibly doing something nefarious.

I took the Randol Mill option.

As I drove east I saw flashing lights on the other side of the skinny bridge that crosses the Trinity River. I got my camera out and armed.

I came to a stop so that I could take pictures. I only took two. One of the police seemed to be signalling for me to continue on. There were at least a dozen, likely more, police cars, plus several emergency vehicles. In addition to all the uniformed police there were maybe 20 emergency workers.

No one seemed to be in any hurry. There was a big, late model car, parked on a side road, about 150 feet off Randol Mill. That car seemed to be the focus of all the attention. But why? I had no idea.

I got back here, made lunch, then had to go deliver some paperwork to an entity I'll call Miss Stacy. As I got to Miss Stacy's office a Fort Worth Police Officer also arrived. I followed him in, asking him if he was here to arrest anyone. He said no. When I saw Miss Stacy I told her I'm being arrested. Then I handled her the paperwork and left.

A couple minutes later I came upon the Police Officer again and asked if he knew about all the police action on Randol Mill Road. Yeah, he said. Suicide. And that it was a very weird scene. That's all he said.

Sunday Fort Worth Drizzling While Gestapo Agents Run A Radar Sting Operation

At noon, when I crossed the Cooks Lane overpass over I-30 on my way to Sam's Club, I saw a Fort Worth Gestapo Stormtrooper standing beside his mechanized transport, aiming a radar gun, west, at the incoming traffic.

On the east side freeway on-ramp, there was an entire mechanized unit of Fort Worth Gestapo Stormtroopers, waiting for the signal from the overpass spy, to take off after speeders.

I saw maybe 5 units waiting on the on-ramp for their attack order, while strung long the side of the freeway, I saw, into the distance, maybe 5 or 6 flashing red lights, indicating 5 or 6 Gestapo agents had successfully caught their quarry.

When I left Sam's Club it was drizzling hard.

I decided to return to my abode, via Cooks Lane, and snap a picture of the Gestapo Agent and his radar gun. But, when I was stopped at the red light for a perfect photo op, the cop, I mean, Gestapo Agent, had retreated from the light drizzle and was hiding in his car.

By the time I crossed back over the freeway again, on the Morrison Street crossing, the cop car had left Cooks Lane, driven back to regular patrolling, I assume, by a little dampness.

I really don't like these type Gestapo raids. It would aggravate me less if I was not eye witness, way too many a time, to a Fort Worth Gestapo Agent in his mechanized vehicle, well over the speed limit, with no sirens blaring, no lights flashing. If it is an emergency, and the cop does not want the perps to hear him coming, then they go into silent running mode, with just the lights flashing. The incidents of speeding cops, that I have witnessed, have been just that, speeding cops.

Why are city cops operating on the federal highway, I could not help but wonder? I thought the federal highways were patrolled by state patrolmen. Who gets to keep the revenue generated by today's Fort Worth Gestapo Stormtrooping? The city? Or does it go to Washington? I mean D.C., of course.

Stings, like what I saw today, seem like a waste of resources. That it'd be a much better plan to have the cops out on the freeway, driving, at the correct speed limit. Drivers tend not to speed past cop cars on the freeway, from what I've seen.

There are safety issues too. It's dangerous pulling off to the side of a busy freeway, both for the Gestapo agent and the stopped driver. Getting back on the freeway, after getting your ticket, is dangerous to the drivers still on the freeway, as the Gestapo's victim tries to re-merge with traffic.

I really think this type revenue generating sting needs to be stopped.

Another Car Hits A Tree By The Handley Post Office In Fort Worth

I have no clue about the details. All I know is I saw a strange scene this afternoon when I pulled into the Handley Post Office to mail some important documents to the Queen of Wink.

8 or 9 Fort Worth police cars, a couple emergency vehicles, a lot of flashing lights and one dilapidated looking car slammed up against a tree.

That is the tree and the car you see on the right.

I saw no tasering or any other Gestapo-type Fort Worth police behavior, which is why I referred to them as police, in case you were wondering.

What appeared to be a blanket was covering the back of the wrecked car. That seemed odd to me. There was no rush by the emergency vehicles to take anyone to a hospital. Was this a police chase that ended badly? This is the third wreck-type incident I have seen while at the Handley Post Office. Nothing seems unusually dangerous about the road in this location.

It's very perplexing.

Another Tandy Hills Fort Worth Police Encounter With A Horse

I've had myself an all jumbled up day. It started off okay with a nice cool dip in the pool. Followed by that lengthy meeting with Fort Worth Mayor Moncrief I mentioned earlier. I did not get around to having lunch til 2.

I'm under my therapist, Dr. L.C.'s, orders to get heavy duty aerobic exercise every day to try and reverse my weight gain and lower my blood pressure.

So, today was the 4th day in a row to hike the Tandy Hills. This afternoon I decided to park by the Tandy Tower at the east entry to the Tandy Hills Natural Sanatorium Area. As you can see in the photo above I was greeted by a Fort Worth Police Car. My fear of a Gestapo encounter increased my heartbeat before I did anything aerobic.

I saw another car parked closer to Tandy Tower. I figured the cop must be chasing someone into the hills. I started heading that way, then heard a noise behind me, someone shouting. I turned to see the Fort Worth Cop.

No. He was not shouting at me. He was shouting at a horse. Trying to get the horse to enter the fenced area of the broadcast buildings. Eventually he succeeded and corralled the horse inside the fenced area you see in the picture.

After the successful corralling the cop walked back towards his cop car. I was concerned I was going to be an object of attention due to some illegal parking issue. And I was not wearing my seatbelt.

So, I said howdy to the cop and asked what the deal was with the horse. He said there'd been reports of a horse running wild in the neighborhood. I told him I'd seen a lot of hoofprints the last time I hiked the Tandy Hills. I think I mentioned that previously, and the fact that posted signs clearly say "No Horses." Apparently this horse does not follow rules and has no respect for authority.

About an hour later I was done with the hiking. As my vehicle came into view I saw the cop had moved his car closer to the horse. What appeared to be a police truck pulling a horse paddy wagon was driving in.

A cop wrangler in a cowboy hat got out of the cop truck.

I did not stay around to see the horse get wrangled. I hope this all has a happy ending and a home is found for the apparently abandoned horse.

Two Fort Worth Police Officers Fired By Fort Worth's Hottest Male For Driving While Intoxicated

That is a Fort Worth Police Officer, Evangelin G. Carr, in the picture, resisting arrest by Keller police after he failed a field sobriety test on August 18.

The picture was taken by the dash-cam video cop camera. The video shows Carr resisting arrest when the Keller police attempted to handcuff him. Over and over again Carr is heard saying he does not want to lose his job.

Yesterday, Fort Worth Police Chief, Jeffrey Halstead, fired Officer Carr, saying, "Officer Carr’s actions and behavior is a discredit to all of the hardworking men and women of the Fort Worth Police Department and will not be tolerated."

E. G. Carr's criminal case is pending.

The second Fort Worth Police Officer fired yesterday was P. Payton (first name not disclosed). Payton was found guilty of the Class B Misdemeanor of driving while intoxicated on September 21. Payton was arrested in North Richland Hills on January 25, driving drunk while off duty.

On a totally different, yet somewhat related note. This week's annual Best of 2009 edition of Fort Worth Weekly, in the People & Politics section, in the Hottest Local Celebrity (Male) category, picked the aforementioned Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead as the Hottest Local Male, saying...

"His good looks are on the rugged side, but in his mid-40s, Fort Worth's current chief can still turn some heads. So nice that staying fit is part of the job. And humility has its own charm, of course: Halstead started out making excuses and sounding defensive after the Rainbow Lounge incident, but when evidence showed officers had been in the wrong, he backtracked convincingly. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that a cop beat him up when he was 19. Ah, there's more allure: a man with a past."

Fort Worth Gestapo Storm Troopers Strike Again. And Again

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Seeing Birds and Fort Worth Mounted Policewomen

For weeks now I have been seeing Fort Worth Mounted Policewomen patrolling my neighborhood. I did not get a good photo opportunity until today.

Usually it is a solo cop on her steed that I see, a few times it has been a pair of lady mounted cops.

I have no idea what the purpose of doing this is. I see where they park the big horse trailer the horses are hauled in. Keeping horses is expensive. I know this from personal experience. Fort Worth has a lot of budget woes. The city cut back on library hours. Yet can somehow pay for horsebound cops.

I came upon the Mounted Policewoman today at a stoplight on Woodhaven Boulevard. The horse had the right of way. This gave me an opportunity to get out my camera. That is the picture to the right, taken as she slowly ambled down the street.

The cop and the horse presented a bit of a road hazard, walking slowly, basically blocking a lane. I think I mentioned, previously, that in recent times I was stopped by one of the Fort Worth Gestapo, because I was driving too slow in a quiet residential neighborhood and did not have my seatbelt on.

Well, the Fort Worth Mounted Policewoman was moving slow, on a busy street, not a quiet residential neighborhood. The Policewoman was not wearing a seatbelt. Or a helmet. I know a citizen can make a citizen's arrest. Can a citizen give a cop a citizen's ticket?

To take the picture at the top, I'd passed the mounted cop and looped back around her to take that picture, as she took a left, without signaling, nearly having a head-on collision, clearly illustrated in the photo. I was appalled at the disdain for public safety so wantonly on display.

After I was finished with photo documenting this latest Fort Worth police outrageous behavior I continued on my way to Oakland Lake Park to partake in some high humidity hiking. The temperate was a very pleasant low 80s, but this morning's rain had amped up the humidity.

There are a lot of waterfowl on Oakland Lake. Ducks and geese and others alien to me. People have fun feeding the birds. The birds get used to getting fed. Today I stopped to look at the birds and the pair in the picture were sure I was going to feed them something. They made a bee-line towards me. As I got out the camera, apologizing to them for my lack of food, they figured out I was not reaching in my pocket for food and turned their backs on me and waddled away, making scornful noises as they waddled. I'll try and remember to bring them something to eat next time I visit their home.

Big Brother Is Watching In Fort Worth

The picture you're seeing here was taken about an hour before noon. As you can see, we are a bit overcast today in Fort Worth.

The McDonalds you see in the picture is on Beach Street. I am standing in the Wal-Mart Supercenter parking lot, looking east.

That white thing that looks like some sort of carnival ride is actually a Fort Worth Gestapo Reconnaissance Tower. I have only seen these in Fort Worth and only in Wal-Mart parking lots.

The glass is tinted, but you can still see in. I have never seen a Gestapo Agent in one of the towers. Maybe there are cameras inside, broadcasting a 360 degree view of the parking lot to Central Gestapo Headquarters.

We are only 81, coming up on noon. Chance of storms throughout the day. I did not get up early today. I did not go swimming. I got coffee at Wal-Mart. Maybe I should perk some and see if that perks me up. I may be chronically unperkable today.

Star-Telegraph: One Of Fort Worth's Best Watchdogs

By this morning Fort Worth bloggers were blogging about last night's Fort Worth city council which was packed, for once, with angry Fort Worth citizens, demanding action regarding the Rainbow Lounge Scandal, where a group of Fort Worth police, acting like Gestapo thugs, beat up bar patrons, handcuffed over 20, forcing them to lay, facedown on a parking lot, while one was so severely beaten he had to be hospitalized.

When the police version was released there were howls of protests from citizens who were actually there, including newspaper reporters and others of good reputation, who quickly let it be known that the police version was a BIG LIE. Soon large protests and world wide condemnation of the Fascist State of Fort Worth, led Fort Worth's morally bankrupt, ethically challenged mayor, Mike Moncrief, after a week, to call for a Federal investigation of the crimes that took place here in Fort Worth.

One very astute Fort Worth blogger, the Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, managed to see the connection between the Rainbow Lounge incident of police judgement gone awry and my incident yesterday, where a Fort Worth policeman, legitimately and responsibly doing his job, stopped me to ask why I was driving so slow. A valid reason to stop someone, I suppose, guarding the neighborhood against something that looks suspicious.

Where it goes awry is, rather than simply ascertaining that I was no threat to the neighborhood, the cop had seen I was not wearing my seatbelt. The explanation of why I was not wearing my seatbelt was of no import to this cop. The fact that I was driving slow while not wearing the seatbelt was of no import, made no difference. As in, I was not violating the spirit of the law, that being to click it when you are driving at as speed and among traffic where a wreck could cause injury.

Might I add that in my long driving career, that surely covers hundreds of thousands of miles, I have not had a single incident where the seat belt was of any use to me. As in, I have never had a wreck. Knock on wood.

So, just like with the Rainbow Lounge, only on a minor scale, I had an incident where the officer could have earned my respect, in that he was diligently doing his duty to look out for the neighborhood he was patrolling. He could have simply said, okay, I get why you were driving slow. And I understand why you didn't want to put your belt on, but you need to. So, get out of here, sorry for stopping you, have a good day.

That cop behavior would have had a totally different outcome. Instead he managed to annoy one of the citizens he is supposed to serve and protect, causing the citizen to besmirch the character of Fort Worth's possibly serious corrupt police department, in a venue that reaches far outside of Fort Worth, adding, just like the Rainbow Lounge incident, but in a more minor way, to the growing image being projected to the outside world, that Fort Worth is not a place you want to visit. You may find yourself getting beaten up by Fort Worth police in a bar. Or get a ticket for driving 15 mph in a residential neighborhood without wearing your seatbelt because you were sweating like a fat pig and didn't want the added discomfort of a seatbelt til you cooled down.

Yup. That is my advice to those not currently in the Fascist State of Fort Worth. Stay away til we have a revolution here and establish a respectable law enforcement agency and city government.

Wild Wild West

Last night the phone rang just as I was getting ready to go to Krogers to get a gallon of milk (skim, $3.50). It was Lulu. I put her on speaker phone so I could continue putting on pants and shoes. Lulu stayed with me as I left my place and headed to my van. These are like little virtual trips to Texas for Lulu, a world away from her idyllic paradise in the shadow of Mount Rainier.

As I drove into the Krogers parking lot I saw a Fort Worth police cruiser pulling in, lights flashing, siren blaring. As I got out of the van I saw the cop slowly approaching the store. As I got closer to the entry I saw a huddle of people around a woman, a slightly obese stereotypical Texas woman looking a tad unkempt. As the cop approached her she put up her arms in the position you see on TV when a cop puts on the handcuffs. Apparently she had had experience with the procedure. On the ground in front of the woman was a spilled grocery bag that seemed to have spilled out what looked like pharmacy type products.

Within a couple minutes I'd bought my milk and was exiting the store, still talking to Lulu. I'm quite the multi-tasker, able to talk on the phone while going through the self-checkout. When I stepped back outside I was surprised to see that the incident had escalated. There were now 5 polices cruisers with lights flashing, with an equal number of officers. There was a fire truck with firefighter emergency guys doing something to the woman who had wanted handcuffs that looked like some sort of tubing, as if she was on an intravenous drip. She was sitting on the ground, conscious, no handcuffs.

It was quite noisy and must have sounded dire and scary to Lulu who was screaming something along the line of "what sorta hell hole do you live in?" I explained it was not a hell hole, it was east Fort Worth, Fort Worth, known locally as Where the West Begins, with that wild west tradition held up regularly by incidents like the one last night at Krogers.

I was almost back to my van when I saw a MedStar ambulance drive by. I said to Lulu I think they called in an ambulance but it missed the entry. I saw it then turn around and head into the parking lot.

I saw nothing in the morning Star-Telegram about last night's incident. Just like I never saw anything about an incident of a couple days ago when I returned from hiking Tandy Hills Park to see 2 female cops, slowly making their way to a closed dry cleaner, guns at the ready, speaking into those shoulder communication devices you see on cop shows.

I've grown used to the occasional notice being put on my door telling me there has been yet one more armed robbery in the neighborhood, advising that caution be taken when out after dark. Since I've been in Texas I've happened upon one murder scene, after the fact, several murders have occurred in my neighborhood, including that nationally reported one of a few years back where a woman, I think it was a woman, ran into someone who got stuck in her windshield, so she drove home and parked in her garage and left the victim to slowly die. And then got rid of the body. I think, if I remember right, her defense was she was tired and didn't notice the man stuck in her windshield til a few days later.

I probably should get a gun and holster if I'm gonna keep living here. Or some mace. Can the general public buy tasers?