The lady who cooks for us....

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

This is CMPD's beautiful police headquarters located in downtown Charlotte. I took this photo last Winter after a cream puff drop.

Those who work here might take its beauty for granted, but not me....I love everything about it. Its majestic exterior architecture, built specifically for CMPD in 1996, and how they have kept the right amount of old and mixed it with the new when they have updated and remodeled the interior over the years. But most of all, I love the people inside.

Last Saturday night I volunteered in the gift shop. I didn't set up a treat table so I parked in the visitor lot for the first time instead of the parking deck, and I was so glad I did.

Since I went in the front door, I had to take the elevator down to the lower level to get to the gift shop. When the elevator doors opened, there stood one of my South Division officers who was with his beautiful wife and his visiting in-laws. It was kind of surreal because it was about 10:15 pm, so I didn't expect to see him there. They had just come from the basketball game downtown and I guess he was showing his family around.

The officer seemed just as surprised to see me as I was so see him. We hugged and then he introduced me to his family...."This is the lady I was telling you about who cooks for us", he said. It made me smile big that my name had come up in a conversation with his family.

This officer has sat at my table many, many times over the past seven years, and has probably eaten everything I know how to cook. I haven't seen him in a while, so I asked if he was still with the South Division, and he said he was.

The next time I plan a meal, I will ask the sergeant for this officer's schedule to make sure I cook on a day or night that he is working. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be able to come because they're so busy, but at least he'll know the AHOP light is on and I'll save a place for him at the table.

 

                                                                                   ♥