I love police scanners!  As a kid, my aunt, who shared our home, ALWAYS had her police scanner on. When a call came across about a fire or some other type of emergency, she would get in her car – always a Pontiac Bonneville – and “chase” the scene.  As I grew older, I begged to join her.  And she let me.  So illegal today!  But the thrill of following the breaking scene was such an adrenaline rush!  I have a scanner to this day – and sometimes (don’t tell anyone) when I can get it to work correctly and I hear of a “scene” in my town – off I go to see what I can see!  

 

Many years ago – my husband and I could have been “the scene”.

 

About 30 years ago, we lived in a rural community in Twelve Mile,IN.  The home of the Lawnmower 500.   Our first full time pastorate.  Me – the perfect little stay at home mom, singing in the choir, making jam and canning beets (that is an entirely different Funny Friday story) and trying to figure out how to mash this city girl into the country.  The hubby working diligently to be all that he could be for the people of the church. Lucky for us – there were some wonderful families in this church that took us in.  There were a couple of older couples and then a few younger families that invited us to be a part of their everyday/holiday/special event day life.  They were responsible for some of the sweetest memories of the ministry that we have.

 

It was Lent.  There were a number of churches from our denomination in this area, and every year we each hosted a Lenten services for one of the weeks of Lent. Folks from all the churches travelled to each others for this time of worship.  Afterwards, we would often get together for dessert – almost ALWAYS  ice cream.  Many times homemade.  And I always asked – is it made with “junket”?  And if yes, I chose to skip that night.  (That is also another story….)

 

Lenten services.  We travelled with an older couple to our neighboring town for church.  This couple had become like a set of grandparents to our oldest child – and we often travelled with them.  We met up at the church with the younger couples that we were friends with.  After church, one of the younger set invited everyone over for dessert.  We regularly went to their farmhouse for get togethers. We said we would meet them there.

 

Grandma, Grandpa, the hubster, our oldest son and I beat them to their house.  As I mentioned, this was a farmhouse in the country.  It was dark. We parked out front and waited for the owners and our other friends to arrive.  

 

 

Suddenly, there was  a flashlight beam visible from inside the house.

 

Then it went out.  Then on again… sweeping the house … from inside.  Goodness… we were sitting in the driveway… of course prior to cell phone days… watching someone rob our friends house!!  And this was not the first time they had been robbed. And in fact, they had just recently told us about the theft  that left them without some of their firearms.

 

What to do?

 

We have the Preacher and his wife, a couple that are in their 60’s and a one year old in the car.  We are in the country and no way to contact law enforcement. If we leave, to try and find help…

 

THERE IS THE FLASHLIGHT AGAIN!

 

AND AGAIN!!

 

We have to do something! If we leave to find help – we might miss seeing who is actually perpetrating this crime.  The occupants of our car are in a quandary.  Where are the homeowners?  We all left the church at about the same time?  Why are they not arriving and catching these robbers?

 

As we are attempting to decide our best course of action, the thieves have moved to the outside of the house.  The flashlight is going on and off as they move down the side of the house.  There is all fashion and form of farm equipment on this property and we are convinced that if we don’t do something to help our friends, these people will take off with something valuable.

 

So – here we go!  

 

The Preacher and our “grandpa” decide to apprehend these criminals.  I decide that I will toss my high heels and join them in my stocking feet by jumping out of the car… running full speed ahead towards that flashlight.  My incredibly brave Preacher husband gets close and at the top of his voice he yells:

 

FREEZE!!!!!!

 

(For real?  Freeze? Why would thieves freeze just because you told them too?)

 

Grandpa says:

 

YEAH – FREEZE!!!

 

(Hey, if it works for the Preacher, it should work for him, right?)

 

And they did just that.

 

In their tracks.

 

And slowly they turned.

 

Step by step…

 

And faced the out of breath Preacher and grandpa. And one sound could be heard loud and clear.

 

LAUGHTER.  Hysterical laughter.

 

From the robbers.

 

It appears that the robbers, were actually the homeowners and the other young couple that drove with them that evening.  They had, in fact, arrived at their house prior to us, hid their car in the garage and then proceeded to “pimp” those of us in the grandpa’s  car. They hid in the house until they saw our headlights in the driveway.  Then they began swinging the flashlight around inside and out -trying to scare us.  They had no idea that we would actually challenge them. Especially the Preacher.

There has to be some kind of lesson here – but I have no idea what it is, other than to say – well played “Scott’s” and “Morrow’s” – well played.

 

Thank goodness we didn’t have a cell phone…. can you imagine what would have come over the police scanner?