O is for Officer Observations

Major thrill alert! Ask your doctor if you are healthy enough to read this post.

It was an out of the ordinary morning at preschool. Our new Richardson neighborhood community support police officer cruised through the parking lot while the kids were out on the playground. We try to take the class out as early as possible each day to do our "observations".  That's when we each try to notice interesting things in the garden.  

Even observing a ladybug on a zucchini blossom can't compete with the thrill of the police car stopping outside the fence and a big, friendly officer with a shiny badge, a sense of humor, and a whole lot of patience climbed out to chat with the kids.  Lots of high-fiving ensued.  This genial man heard long personal stories from nearly every child, and answered all sorts of nonsensical questions.  The preschoolers liked this much more than when the garbage truck driver empties the school dumpster, toots the horn and waves. 

Later the kids drew pictures of the officer, and wrote the number three to mark the third day of school.  The school staff is pleased to have increased police patrols of the parking lot.  The wooded creek behind the parking lot became a hand-off spot for young adolescents and older procurers of beer this summer.  We liked it better when we just had families of gray foxes hanging out by the creek.  They didn't drive fast through the parking lot in red and yellow sports cars ignoring the traffic cones and school crosswalk.  The business landlords are finally taking action to prune trees and shrubs on their properties along the creek that made a perfect hide-out.  

© 2012 Nancy L. Ruder