Day 714: 5 Minute Freewrite: Friday - Prompt: law and order

Things were going to get a lot worse in Lofton County, VA, before they could ever get better. Captain H.F. Lee of the police force in Big Loft, VA could feel it all the way down to his DNA, DNA that had given him the face and appearance of a certain Lee great-great-great-uncle, initials R.E. – an appearance that made people comfortable sliding up to him when he was returning from an excursion for official research and saying the kind of things that Confederate wannabes enjoyed hearing.

But this was a big, big, big, big mistake to make, because H.F. detested everything Uncle R.E. had fought for …

“If y'all would spend more time enforcing good law and order on the populations that most need it instead of chasing down frat boys who were just having a little fun last week, I think Big Loft would be better off.”

The frat boys had robbed the Church in the Midst of Life of more than $1,500 worth of food, food taken out of the mouths of battered women and hundreds of downtown workers of all classes of work per week who came through for a free box lunch. They had robbed the church because they were angry with the Black woman who had called them out on some bad behavior, angry because true law and order would not allow them to do anything to harm her. The Big Loft citizen had been merely annoying until he had reminded Captain Lee of that.

Thus, this poor citizen of Big Loft would end up being the first person in 149 years to have his face melted clean off by the sudden switch from mild words to a brutally tart blast from a commander named Lee... not exactly the kind of Lee encounter that Virginians dreamed about …

“I suppose there is a species of purported law and order that allows robbing – and even burning and blowing up – of certain churches who will not uphold the desire of people like you to make chattel of the rest of us. You look about old enough to have been involved in some of that when you were a frat boy, but it is 2019, sir – allow me to assist you to get with the program.”

The mouth of the man fell open … often, that part went before the hair was completely blown away...

“Virginia was readmitted to the Union around 150 years ago, sir. That means the U.S. Constitution – including the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments – is the law of the land. It has been the law for 150 years already. Thus, order means putting down each and every lawbreaker and traitor to this nation who would act against that law. So: there is your law and order, sir, which protects all populations of citizens from domestic terrorism, and those who practice it -- lawbreakers and traitors to the nation! As a loyal Army officer who never has and never will leave the Federal blue of his graduation from West Point, and has given 23 years in the service of this nation, I admit of no other law and order to enforce but what I have just described.”

The veteran turned law man narrowed his burning dark eyes, his usually soft voice now a dangerous rumble...

“Are you caught up now?”

“Yes, sir,” the man weakly squeaked.

“Good. I'm glad we had this conversation. Always good to know that the citizenry of Big Loft and its law enforcement are on the same page. Good morning.”

Captain Lee turned with military precision and walked off, leaving the person who had aroused his wrath to get his face, his heart rate, and his whole life back together after that shattering Lee encounter...

Mrs. Magdalena Thornton was watching from just inside the police station, and went up giggling on the elevator to her fourth-floor post.

“Mess with Lee if you want to,” she said, “but the 21st-century version ain't letting you off any easier than his uncle from the 19th century would. If you don't know, you can and will find out!”