Citizen Journal: I’d advise against trying to intimidate my wife
I grew up in Hillyard, so I am not likely to be putting on airs when I criticize North Idaho which is the childhood home of my wife, without whom I would be figuratively and literally dead.
Recently, my wife was driving in North Idaho in order to visit her family when she observed a crime, specifically a man and a woman beating on each other. She dialed 911 and reported the incident as a good citizen is likely to do. She is an RN so she can recognize physical attacks that might be lethal rather than the common garden variety spat.
My wife came home after her visit and informed me of her day in the wilds of Kootenai County. She described the disturbing scene of the man and woman whaling on each other. She remarked it was brutal but that neither combatant seemed to have an advantage. I suggested that sort of altercation is often described as “Getting to Know You” in North Idaho, but I still commended her for erring on the side of caution and making the 911 call.
Later that day, my wife got a telephone call from the Idaho police making further inquiries into the unfortunate disturbance my wife had witnessed. She didn’t have much more information to impart.
A couple of days later, she got another phone call advising her that she would soon be receiving an official summons to return to Idaho and give evidence. My wife advised the caller that she works at a hospital and cannot take the day off to participate in a trial. She asked if she could just make a statement regarding the matter. No.
The summons arrived.
We regularly attend my wife’s family gatherings in North Idaho. Each time I remind her that we need to leave for home before sunset. I am not comfortable in North Idaho when it’s dark out.
This particular situation especially troubles me. In Hillyard, a rather strict “snitch rule” was enforced. In 1960, Joey Dolan stole a watermelon from the basket in front of the Hillyard IGA store. He intimidated me into storing the stolen merchandise for him. I chose some tall grass adjacent to Harmon Park. The park monitor came to know of my hidden booty and confronted me.
I sang like a bird, or rather a snitch. Joey Dolan was a known scofflaw in Hillyard. He was swiftly apprehended by the watermelon theft squad.
After his release, Joey Dolan came looking for me. He found me out and administered the customary Hillyard punishment for snitching.
Now I am standing guard at our door, alert for North Idaho’s version of Joey Dolan coming to intimidate my wife. He better be an ass-kicker (Hillyard lingo). I am almost a foot taller than my wife and outweigh her by over a 100 pounds but her nursing career has provided her with familiarity with the male anatomy. It gives her advantages in turning big guys into sniveling crybabies begging to be forgiven. She’s so much more vicious than Joey Dolan. I think I hear someone at the door.
kroghdz@comcast.net