Survival guide

I just moved down to the Spokane area about five months ago from the “last frontier,” Fairbanks, Alaska. Alaska sometimes has a reputation for being unforgiving of mistakes, where you can lose your life by making the smallest miscalculation. Well, Spokane puts Alaska to shame.

The rule of survival here is, do not cross the police. I mean do not even look cross-eyed at the police.

During the short time I have lived here, there have been five police shootings in six months. These seemed to have been incidences where other officers in other equally dangerous locations like New Orleans or Baghdad might decide to resort to a spray or a Taser. In Spokane, though, the police are not wussies. They are not fair-weather cops. They don’t resort to girlie measures like those. They go right to the heart of the issue. Literally.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not criticizing them. I love the police. Frankly, the alternative is much less desirable. All I am saying is that it is good to know how to interact with them. If they say, “Drop that iPod (or cell phone or toothbrush),” you say, “Sir, yes sir!”

Thomas E. Foote

Spokane