Clarksville, Tn — This is not a story about motorcycles or anything motorcycle related.  This is a story about respect and the lack thereof.

Today while running some errands around town, I came down one of the main streets here and noticed a collection of police squad cars that had surrounded a local Credit Union. 

My curiosity has now been peaked!

So I pulled into the strip mall where the Credit Union was and proceeded to check out the situation.  Four squad cars surrounding the building, guns drawn.  Apparently a bank alarm had been activated.

I parked across two of the police cars and stayed in my vehicle.  Others did the same.

Once it was determined that the situation was under control, everybody breathed a little easier and things began to disperse.  As I got out of my car, I heard a woman’s voice coming from the nail salon in the strip mall.

“If you don’t mind, I would appreciate if you guys wouldn’t lean against my car!  That’s a $45,000 car and I would appreciate you not leaning on it.

For the record, the cops were NOT leaning on her car.  “We’re not leaning on your car” one of them said.

I was surprised.  The cops were surprised.  I was pissed.  

“Ma’am, we’re not anywhere near your car” said the one officer. 

We had a tense situation going here.  Anything could have happened and yet this woman was determined to get “pissy” with the police. 

She then went on to say, “Well, you don’t have to give me any attitude about it.”

Wait, what?  What did you just say? 

I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing, and now I was getting more upset. So as I entered the nail salon, (the reason I was even there in the first place)  this woman kept on me. 

“You know, this really isn’t any of your business” and I said, “Well, I’m pretty sure I’m going to make it my business, especially when I see someone hurling their insults at those cops for no reason.”

“Well, why don’t you just toodle-do along and mind your own business.”  “I teach elementary school here and we get locked down all the time because of the idiots in this town and it’s no big deal.”

Now my head is about to explode. 

“You need to go out there and apologize to those guys.  They didn’t deserve that.  They were just trying to help and I assure you, they wouldn’t have hurt your car.”

She said, “well, I’m not going to do that.”

I said, “well, I’m ashamed to think that this is the type of respect you’re teaching in the school system, because you suck!”  And with that, I left.

It was an embarrassing, uncalled for, totally out of line, disrespect shown for the LEO’s over something that wasn’t even an issue.  I’m saddened by the fact that this country has become so hateful and angry.  So disrespectful and self centered.  

I felt sorry for the officers.  I could tell it upset them.  Upset them because they couldn’t fight back, or give the woman a piece of their mind. 

I will say that they were very professional, just nodding between them like, “been there, done that” and moving along.

Its brutal to be a police officer in this country today.  Cops are being killed all over the country.  They never know when their day may come.  This woman just epitomizes the attitudes in this country toward law enforcement.  

AND IT’S GOT TO STOP!

I walked over to the officers and thanked them for being there and was sorry they had to deal with “that woman” and they told me, “we see this everyday.”

And THAT’S sad too.

One of the best things I’ve learned about being a biker is respect.  Respect is the cornerstone of this culture.  It’s what makes this brotherhood strong and loyal.  So we understand how important it is.  We may have different opinions politically, or spiritually, but we have respect for each other.  We have respect for the biker.  The code!  It’s understood.

I just wish this grumpy old school teacher understood it. Her behaviour was totally uncalled for. 

Rant over.