First off, my love to Beverly Cory and to those who loved her. I didn’t know Beverly but she could have been my friend or my financial advisor. The financial advisor Jody and I work with is also our dear friend and aunt to our children.
While volunteering for Richfield Police Reserves, near the 8-mile mark of the Woodlake half marathon, I positioned the police car to block the street. I turned on the squad lights, indicating that the intersection was closed. Half marathon runners could run safely up 71st St E. Many would shout out some thanks as they went by. I’d wave in acknowledgement.
With the police car doing most of my work, my mind was on what I was hearing on the police radio.
The speed of information and the rapid coordination of agencies astounded me.
A person had been robbed at gunpoint. Police chase ensued. Car crashed into swamp. Man fled into nursing home. Perimeter set up. Command post opened. Swat team deployed. Help requested from nearby agencies. Police dog on scene. Request for another police dog. Photo of suspect received. Witness identified suspect. Snipers placed on roof tops. Squad cars, armoured vehicles, and helicopters surrounded the area. Area on lockdown. Evacuation of White Pine Living Center begun. A methodical door-to-door search of the center. Buses on site for residents and staff.
Though it was peaceful at my post, with runners yelling their appreciation, my heart rate increased, my blood pressure rose, and my breathing quickened.
In Mendota Heights, attention had turned to the office building.
Dispatch continuously fed the command center with information: persons who could possibly still be in the office building, the vehicles they drove, and their physical description.
Intensity continued at the senior center and at the same time increased at the office building.
A door-by-door search of the office building begun. A robot deployed. Beverly Cory found. My heart sank.
Long after I took off my Police Reserve officer uniform, I couldn’t stop thinking of Beverly and what might have transpired in her office. I don’t know what did. When I change into civilian clothes, I become a member of the public. I receive news the same as you.
One thing that I knew for sure, is that the police would work 24/7, and use all the resources that they had available to catch the murder suspect. I felt safer knowing that. I also knew that the police were doing a job that I could not possibly do.
12 responses to “Keep a Book Journal? Um, Not So Much”
Your post warmed my heart. I’ve kept a list of every book I’ve read since graduating from college, though have only intermittently comment on them, which I regret. I also have long lists of books I want to read…plus have reached the limit on my Amazon.com wish list. Crazy I know. And now, spurred on by a new friend, I’ve started keeping a list of movies I see…and am rating them. Last night: Atomic Blonde. Violent but loved seeing anoher strong female lead…and may even add the book it’s based on to my “someday I’m going to read” list.
I’m impressed you’ve kept a list since college! What’s been interesting to me is that there are books I liked back then that no longer appeal to me. For example, my book group wanted to read Kerouac’s On The Road, which I liked in college but really didn’t care for now–didn’t have the patience for it.
I made it through Upstream but it wasn’t an easy ride. I think I like her better as a poet.
Yeah, that might be true for me too. I also promised that I’d try to read Upstream some other time when I wasn’t so preoccupied.
I’m also an avid reader who doesn’t keep track of what she reads. It’s usually not a problem until someone asks me for good book recommendations and my mind draws a blank. It would be handy to have a list then. For now, I just have to go look at my bookshelves, because I keep any book I like well enough to read more than once.
That’s a good system! In my case, I get a lot of books from the library (I simply can’t own all the books I want to read) so I needed a backup because I always draw a blank too!
Why not rank what you’ve read? Might be useful for the rest of us. I’m liking Flower Moon, BTW.
Good to know you like Killers of the Flower Moon–I’m looking forward to it!
I’m a Goodreads drop out, too. Too much work! I have started jotting down titles and authors names in a daytimer type of calendar mostly in case I want to recommend a book to a friend. My brain no longer retains this kind of info so if I write it down I can flip thru the daytimer to find what I couldn’t remember.
That’s essentially what I do, but on my phone. That way, I have my want-to-read list handy at the bookstore oe library or book group. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Keeping a book journal? I can see it can have its purposes depending on your ambitions. Instead of a book journal, I use authors to lay breadcrumbs to the next delicious read. Often authors will list what books they love and recommend — either in a blog post, an interview or on the book cover itself. I have found the most enjoyable books this way. Almost as good as a recommendation from a good friend. ; )
P.S. Four books a month! I’m lucky if I get through one book in four weeks!
What a great way to get recommendations! If I’ve enjoyed an author once, I often look for more.