Dragnet 1968

Dragnet 1968

We were working the Night Watch out of the Public Morals Division out of the Wilshire Division. The Captain was Lemuel Sancocho. My Partner is Bill Gannon. My name is Friday. I carry a badge. And a grudge.

Bill Gannon walked into the division and hung the shiny jacket of his Robert Hall suit on the hook on the wall at the back of the squad. We had been partners for twenty years. We agree on most things. Except barbeque sauce. And Politics.

"Evening Joe. Want some coffee?"

"No time Bill. Get your jacket. We have to go sit on a witness. Lets go. I will warm up the Rambler. We are taking my car. Don't want anyone to know where we are going."

We drove twenty five blocks away to a nondescript ranch on the Avenue. I knocked on the door. Pete Malloy answered. He was baby sitting our witness.

"Hello Sargent. Your witness is inside."

"Did he eat yet Pete?"

"Not really. He says he is a vegetarian. He only drinks schnapps, eats Linzer Torts and talks about his German Shepard."

We walked into the room. A short disheveled very thin man with very blond hair wearing a sort of quasi brown uniform was playing solitaire. Pete's partner was sitting on the couch looking disgusted.

"Mr Coulter. This is our relief. This is Sargent Joe Friday and his partner Officer Bill Gannon. They will be waiting with you overnight. Let's go Jim. I want to get out of here and have a beer." The two LAPD flat foots rushed out to get into Adam 12 their patrol car. Pete was going to out to score some USC coeds. Jim Reed was meeting his friend paramedic Johnny Gage at the Turkish baths. They were a little strange.

"Hello Mr Coulter" Bill said. "It's an honor to meet you. I have read some of your books. Very sound reasoning if I say so myself."

"Shut up Bill. I don't want to hear any of your John Birch Society bullshit. This is just a job."

"Just like a good servant of the elite trying to stifle dissent Sargent. Your masters have trained you well."

"How's that?"

"You brook no dissent. Only the approved narrative can be discussed. If you have a different view you are an outcast. A racist. A sex discriminator. A monster. Soon you will not be able to say anything without a witch hunt that will cost you your job, your livelihood, or your family. Just as it happened to me."

"You are a Nazi Coulter. You have no rights."

"I am no Nazi. That flag belongs to your partner. He hung it last night."

"Is that true Bill."

"Well I wanted him to feel at home. So I brought a few things to help."

"Cut the crap Bill. We don't need any of that crap here."

"Never mind Officer Gannon. It will take a long time before the proletariat will see the light. I don't think it will happen until my granddaughter's day. She is not even born yet. But I will make sure to instruct her in racial matters, tribalism and anal."

"You are a fool Coulter. Now go to bed and leave us in peace."

Coulter got up and went into the bedroom. 

I turned to Bill Gannon. "Enough of your John Birch bullshit Bill. I don't want to hear it anymore. You are on the fringe. Nobody wants to hear it. Integration is what this country needs. Everyone wants to live with Negroes. It's cool. Diversity. More Mexicans to do the work that we don't want to do. Better welfare benefits. So what if people don't want to get a piece of paper to get married. They will still love and support their kids. So shut up and stop your nonsense."

"Your the Sargent. Whatever you say Joe."

"That's right you racist knucklehead. What could go wrong?"

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