You’d have thought that I was wanted for murder. One, two, three … No … four cop cars, descending and surrounding us as we exited a public restroom at a skateboard park about a mile and a half from where we camp. This is along our usual route into town, but we had just recently become aware of the availability of the public toilets.
Mary went in and was taking care of business and I was stand outside the door, guarding and making sure she had the necessary privacy. I watched several dozen kids and young adults as they practiced their skateboarding technique and at the far end of the complex BMX bikers diving into a huge concrete bowl constructed for their enjoyment. I really must say that I am impressed with what the city has done and the skills I observe being accomplished by these young people.
As I waited, and I believe most men will understand the waiting for a woman in the restroom, a young man, I would guess in his early twenties, rode over from the bike area and rode his bike back and forth through the curved channels usually used by the skateboarders. He came to the end and made an abrupt turn to circle back and sped by me within a foot or so. He was glaring … bearded and resembled a young version of Chuck Norris. He circled around and repeated his course, pulling by me even closer. It appeared he was trying to intimidate me. I didn’t move, I didn’t say a thing … I refused to react. He peddled his way back to the bike section and his buddies who were waiting.
Mary came out of the restroom and I went in to do my thing. I exited the restroom and I noticed Mary looking somewhat perplexed and staring towards the parking lot. I looked and a police car was there and two officers walking towards the restroom. I didn’t think anything of it so we started on our way continuing into town. We had gone about twenty-five yards and I glanced back. One of the officers was motioning with his hand for me to return. I turned around and walked back toward him. “Take your hands out of your pockets”, he said as we approached each other, and I complied holding my hands out revealing that they had nothing in them.
“We received an anonymous phone call saying there was someone suspicious in the restroom matching your description”, he said, “It may have been a crank call, but we have to check it out, and you did just come out of the restroom”. He proceeded to ask for my I.D. and I gave it to him. He was asking numerous questions concerning my situation. “Is that the only hat that you have?” I wear a baseball cap that says “House the Homeless”, it is well worn and sweaty. I received it on New Year’s Day at a function for the homeless sponsored by a lawyer who renders aid to the homeless. It is the name of an organization he started to secure housing opportunities for the homeless. “Yes, it’s the only hat I have”. The officer continued questioning. The second officer looked at my I.D. and then handed it to a third officer who took it to his car to run a check. It was then that I noticed that we were surrounded by three squad cars.
The first officer and I continued in polite conversation. There were some questions I would not answer regarding our living situation. “Are you homeless?” … “Yes”, I replied. I then told him about coming to Austin and having my I.D. run previously. The first time falling asleep on the hill above the ARCH and the conversation I had with that officer. Then about another time in October, Mary and I were in a park near downtown and it appeared Mary had fallen asleep while I was reading. “You mean you can’t do that?” he asked. “Yep … not since the crackdown downtown.” He was shocked. He was unaware of the extent of what was happening downtown. I told him how we had migrated out of downtown to stay out of trouble.
The third officer returned with my I.D. and handed it to the first, “He’s clean”, he said. My I.D. was then returned to me and I informed the officer of the young man’s actions with the bike and I suspected it was he who made the call. “You had no words with him?” … “No, none at all.”
The officer thanked me for my cooperation and we continued on our way. It was then that I noticed the fourth cop car.
Use the restrooms here at your own risk, and teach your children well … they do in Texas.
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