Part-Time Police Officer

So Rocco was a part-time Police Officer. He still worked at the family business each day, but he had Monday night meetings he had to attend and most weekends were taken up with some sort of police detail: extra manpower for a fireworks display, traffic control for the annual Walk-a-Thon, presence for various events in our county, an occasional DWI-stop. That was it. He enjoyed it and made some great friends. They all had other jobs, too...he became friends with Ric (The CO) and Kyle, a male nurse. I had cops shuffling in and out of my house on a regular basis, eating my food, and of course, drinking vats of fresh-brewed coffee.

Then one of the guys decided to take up Law Enforcement as a full-time career. He applied and got on with the NYPD. Suddenly, part-time work wasn't enough for Roc. He wanted to do more. He would volunteer more often and sometimes we would fight. I didn't want him working every weekend and leaving very little time for us. I didn't understand his fascination with the job and I didn't care: I wanted more time with my husband.

And let's be real here: I think I sensed where this whole thing was going and I didn't like the smell of it. I would ask him from time to time: do you think this is something you'd want to do? What would you do with the business? What are you thinking?

He was mulling. I could tell. He became even more restless, looking for "real" police work to do. He called up a cousin who was an officer. Met him at a diner and picked his brain for a while.

He told me he didn't think he wanted to go there; that he was too old, that he wasn't so sure he wanted to change his life so completely.

Plus, did I mention that he likes money? Starting salary for a police officer in NYC at that time was...wait for it...$25, 000 per year.

Do you have any idea how expensive it is to live in New York?!?!

It seemed impossible, and he shelved it for a while, and I have to admit I wasn't upset.

I liked my life and wasn't ready for any big changes. I liked having my husband around and I wanted to be like any other thirty-something couple: hosting dinner parties, going to Yankee games, having BBQ's, and simply living life.

But I knew that it wasn't completely put to bed, because deep down I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And it did.