IT HAPPENED!
After canceling / rescheduling four times, it happened. The New York Police Department graduated the Auxiliary Police class of 2012 on June 5th, 2012.
All invited guests had also rescheduled, some canceling bus and plane tickets. Finally, none could reschedule again. Only dutiful spouses and doting parents attended. We were surprised by two out-of-town guests who's original invitation prevented attendance, who did attend as the latest schedule allowed it!
And what a graduation night! At least it wasn't raining...
Many special announcements had been made that the doors would "open" at six o'clock while the event would start at 7 PM. One simply had to be there at 6 PM to get a decent seat. No big deal, this is NYC. Everyone knows in order to get a seat at the nearest park bench, reservations must be made a whole season before hand.
Raymon left far earlier than I as he and his fellow grads had to gather together, rehearsal and do all manor of grad stuff way out in Brooklyn and then drive into Manhattan. In full dress uniform no less. I don't know why.
Making sure to arrive at exactly 6 PM, I messed up and got there around 6:10. Oddly, the mammoth crowd was only about twenty deep. According to all the announcements, weren't the doors suppose to be open now?
About 6:20 PM, some door did open. And this un-mighty crowd shuffled forward for the sole purpose to have our purses, watches and cell phones checked, airport style. (Not as extensively as we got to keep our shoes on.)
"Out the door and stand against the wall to your left". He raised his voice slightly so that we could hear him. He seemed a little embarrassed about the whole thing.
Okay, I'm ready, where is THE door! That wasn't THE door was it?
No.
Now we had THE wall. All of us desperate family members and relatively few friends are now standing against the building wall. (All of us are looking for any door now.) Directed to stand there by the next set of very efficient fellows, it seems that we must wait here to enter THE door.
Standing. Outside. For 30 + minutes. (remember the rain?)
And we all had lots to say standing against the wall; plenty to discuss about the Mayor, the way things were being run, the disabled and / or pregnant women who had to be somewhere against that wall in some sort of need and most especially--good grief, what if we had really done something wrong!
Oh yes, we all really had something to say. Do? Nah.
And promptly 10 minutes before graduation, THE door opened and we all trotted into mass chaos -- five minutes of finding a seat, it was the most fun I'd had in days.
Graduation. In under one hour, he was declared along with the rest of the five borough classes among the many courageous AUX NYPD officers. It was memorable and lovely. I got to meet many of those he works with and who have come to respect him.
One of several memorable moments of the evening was when the band played jazz music for the entrance of the colors.
There was and is much about the AUX NYPD graduation that hangs in my mind. But the faces under the hats showed more than humanity, they all showed a youthfulness no matter their age and wisdom, a determination to hope and to seek goodness.
When was the last time you saw godliness reflected in a police uniform?
After canceling / rescheduling four times, it happened. The New York Police Department graduated the Auxiliary Police class of 2012 on June 5th, 2012.
All invited guests had also rescheduled, some canceling bus and plane tickets. Finally, none could reschedule again. Only dutiful spouses and doting parents attended. We were surprised by two out-of-town guests who's original invitation prevented attendance, who did attend as the latest schedule allowed it!
And what a graduation night! At least it wasn't raining...
Many special announcements had been made that the doors would "open" at six o'clock while the event would start at 7 PM. One simply had to be there at 6 PM to get a decent seat. No big deal, this is NYC. Everyone knows in order to get a seat at the nearest park bench, reservations must be made a whole season before hand.
Raymon left far earlier than I as he and his fellow grads had to gather together, rehearsal and do all manor of grad stuff way out in Brooklyn and then drive into Manhattan. In full dress uniform no less. I don't know why.
Making sure to arrive at exactly 6 PM, I messed up and got there around 6:10. Oddly, the mammoth crowd was only about twenty deep. According to all the announcements, weren't the doors suppose to be open now?
About 6:20 PM, some door did open. And this un-mighty crowd shuffled forward for the sole purpose to have our purses, watches and cell phones checked, airport style. (Not as extensively as we got to keep our shoes on.)
"Out the door and stand against the wall to your left". He raised his voice slightly so that we could hear him. He seemed a little embarrassed about the whole thing.
Okay, I'm ready, where is THE door! That wasn't THE door was it?
No.
Now we had THE wall. All of us desperate family members and relatively few friends are now standing against the building wall. (All of us are looking for any door now.) Directed to stand there by the next set of very efficient fellows, it seems that we must wait here to enter THE door.
Standing. Outside. For 30 + minutes. (remember the rain?)
And we all had lots to say standing against the wall; plenty to discuss about the Mayor, the way things were being run, the disabled and / or pregnant women who had to be somewhere against that wall in some sort of need and most especially--good grief, what if we had really done something wrong!
Oh yes, we all really had something to say. Do? Nah.
And promptly 10 minutes before graduation, THE door opened and we all trotted into mass chaos -- five minutes of finding a seat, it was the most fun I'd had in days.
Graduation. In under one hour, he was declared along with the rest of the five borough classes among the many courageous AUX NYPD officers. It was memorable and lovely. I got to meet many of those he works with and who have come to respect him.
One of several memorable moments of the evening was when the band played jazz music for the entrance of the colors.
There was and is much about the AUX NYPD graduation that hangs in my mind. But the faces under the hats showed more than humanity, they all showed a youthfulness no matter their age and wisdom, a determination to hope and to seek goodness.
When was the last time you saw godliness reflected in a police uniform?
Lindy and Raymon - This was a highlight of our trip. I hate that the graduation had to be rescheduled time and time again, but to our delight, it fit perfectly into our week in NYC. After landing at noon - we were very excited to meet you in that line - to get in THE door - and take wonderful pictures of our very special graduate. Being there with you, supporting you TWO was wonderful. Thank you for keeping us on the invitation list - and for sharing that evening. You are both very special people - and yes, we did see godliness in a police uniform that night.
ReplyDeleteThanks for make that evening so very special. It was a grand time. Officer F. now walks his beat with prayer coverage from follow believers.
ReplyDelete