i am my own hell

Oh my God. I totally forgot about the cookout this weekend. Is it an all day event?

Is that that the time out circle of the police barbecues? Does he get a dunce cap?

No, just the ‘think about what you’ve done’ area for the famous sauce champion. And a demotion from cooking ribs to serving hot dogs is as much a dunce cap as a physical one when it comes to Johnson. 

You can’t do that to good food. That’s just not fair. It’s not the food’s fault, after all. But demote away. That might be amusing.

Oh, don’t worry, I wouldn’t put him in charge of cooking the hot dogs and potentially sabotaging them. He’ll probably be in charge of the ribs as usual, or we wouldn’t hear the end of it. 

Is that a brand or a person? Never mind, I don’t care. The hot dogs are free right?

Sometimes I fill out paperwork, okay? I’m important. 

Of course you are. Even the higher ups around here have to do paperwork. I’m sure you keep things in order there - no mixing up of keys or anything. But you’ll have to forgive me if I think it’s more of a “spoiled” position than mine, as you put it.

Amen. Well thank you, Ms. Graham, for keeping our streets safe. Next time you find me in your department, I hope you’ll remember that I’m one of the good ones. 

All in a day’s work, Ms Love. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that and you don’t find yourself in my department or on the wrong side of the bars. 

If that’s what you’d prefer, you could make an effort with some of the people in my life…

I have made an effort, Eli. It may not seem that way but...I know things. I just want to keep you safe.

Bitch and hard-ass were definitely in there somewhere, but if no one’s calling you a bitch, you’re not really doing your job right are you? Or you’re a man. 

Ah, there we go. Somehow they’re more complimentary when they’re not being flung at you and followed up by a kick to the gut. And that’s unfortunately true. I wouldn’t be where I am if I was afraid of being called a bitch. Before long they figure out that the bitch can just as easily be the alpha.

Yeah, well, you’re spoiled. Trade jobs with me for one day and see how the other side lives. 

Things are good. But they could be better…

I’m sorry to hear that, Eli. You know I’d prefer that things go as well as possible for you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you and Rylie.

You sound like you’re good at your job. You know, I’ve heard the name Officer Graham from the first moment I got to this place, and I never knew what the fuss was about. I think I get it now. 

I take pride in doing my job well, I can’t lie. Someone has to keep these kids in line - half of them have hopes of leaving here some day and they can’t do that if you don’t nip delinquency in the bud. Really? Well in that case, they’re all good things I hope? Not that I’d want to develop a reputation for being lenient.

Fireworks? Sick! I mean–How reckless, these damn youths! 

Youths and troublemaking adults, actually. Trust me, I love fireworks as much as the next person, but the illegal kind are more dangerous than anything else. They might look nice but they’ll set off car alarms through a whole neighborhood and a stray ember in dry brush and it’s all downhill from there.

… What’s wrong, Daph?

Nothing you need to worry about, Eli. How are...things? 

Really? On my lunch break, I like to hear the sounds of couples making out passionately in our lower floor rooms. And the occasional “Condoms? I thought you were buying condoms!” 

Nah, that’d be Rylie. She’s always happy. I have my moments of optimism. What’s the worst of your problems? I haven’t heard of any murders so you can’t be that wrecked at work.

True, but who wouldn’t be, surrounded by those little faces every day? And I’d really rather not have that conversation. But you’re right - work is actually more of a welcome outlet lately.