[ SHOWGSD-L ] Remembering Charlie
- From: "David Fritsche" <d_fritsche@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2006 12:33:40 -0800
I was talking with an old COP friend who remineded me of Charlie as we were
reminising.
When I came on the PD, Charlie was an Inmate Trustee. He had served his time
and was being released, so I paid little attention to him. About a month
later, there was Charlie, back at the Police Station - singing, dancing and
cleaning. He cleaned the police cars until they sparkled, then cleaned the
squad room, the offices, and the jail. While he worked, he sang and danced.
He was always singing and always dancing. Although he was a trustee (one who
is incarcerated but allowed to work outside the jail), he did not seem to
understand that he was in jail.
One day I went into the squad room to do some reports and found the other
officers in there in stocking feet. I soon discovered why as Charlie came in
and asked me to take off my shoes so he could shine them. I resisted,
afterall I did not think it right to use him to do my personal chores, but
he insisted, "Now Officer Dave," He said, "I ain't never goin to be as good
a COP as you, but you ain't never going to shine shoes like me, so you got
to let a man do what he do best."
He was right - I could never shine shoes like that.
One day, I just stopped to talk to him and asked him why he was so happy. He
explained that he had lived a good live, and even though he was now old and
homeless, he had done some good things in this world. "Besides," he
explained, "There's music in my soul and dancin' in my feet. I just gotta
let it out!" He told me of his earlier days when he had a dance school and
he had taught Gene Kelley "every thing he knows." He then proceeded to show
me all the routines from the Gene Kelley movies. Sensing my skepticism, he
pulled out a tattered old notebook from his pocket and there, sure enough,
were articles and pictures of his time training the stars.
Thanksgiving came and it was again time to release Charlie. He seemed sadder
as he walked away from the station. The singing was gone. A few weeks later,
Christmas eve came and the back door of the station house opened and in came
Charlie, drunk again and carrying a tattered little Christmas Tree. ""I
stole this from the lot down the street Officer Dave, and you need to arrest
me," he said with a pleading face. I sat him down and went to my locker and
got him something to eat then explained that the tree lot was closed down
and they had left the trees, hoping they would disappear and for there to be
a theft and a crime, there had to be value in what was taken, and in that
there was no value to the tree, I could not arrest him, and if I did it
would get laughed out of court.
He sat for a brief time, then a light seemed to come on as he sobered a
little, and out he went and down the street.... An hour passed, and Charlie
was back, this time with a stack of books and magazines. "I stole these from
the Salvation Army box Officer Dave, and they resell them, so they got to
have value," Charlie said. So, I arrested him, booked him and the next
morning called the judge and asked if he would feel free giving Charlie a
maximum sentence.
Christmas evening I arrived back on shift to find Charlie in his "TRUSTEE"
overhauls, working, singing and dancing. He was once again home. A few days
later I found him in the parking lot, polishing cars and singing. I slipped
him a little package and watched as he opened his belated Christmas gift and
stood with tear rolling down his cheeks. I had found a pair of patton
leather shoes in just his size at a thrift shop. They had not been worn, or
danced in, until they found Charlie. I gave the old black dancer a hug and
simply said, "You dance Charlie, and don't you ever stop," I don't think he
ever took them off.
That was a long time ago and I am sure Charlie is gone now. But I bet every
angel in heaven now knows some new dance steps. Thanks Charlie for the
memories..... Thanksgiving is better for having known you.
Dave
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