By Mike Simmons
“Get Inmate Gulley (not his real name) from the tank and take him back upstairs” barked the orders over the radio. I was working as an escort officer at the Escambia County Jail.
“10-4” came my answer. “I’m enroute.”
Not far to go, I unlocked the south door to the holding area, went through, and closed it behind me. The whole actin took less than a minute.
“Come on, Ronnie” I said in a friendly sort of way. “Let’s go upstairs.”
“I ain’t goin” he responded quietly.
“Come on, Ronnie. What’s the matter?”
“I ain’t goin Simmons. Forget it.”
I tried to reason with him, but his mind was made up.
Now, I have never been able to figure this out. We were inside a jail. All of the inmates were locked up and all of the officers were free to help me. Ronnie had to know he wasn’t going to win the fight. HE WAS GOING BACK TO HIS CELL! Why put up a fight? He can’t win. Maybe he just needed exercise. Well, I didn’t. It had been a busy day and we weren’t through yet.
“Ronnie, I don’t want to make you go. Just do me a favor and come on.”
“I’m not goin, and that’s that!” he replied, sort of matter-of-factly.
What I didn’t realize was that he was determined that he was going to fight, and he meant to whip the entire staff! Now, Ronnie wasn’t a big guy. As a matter of fact, he was kind of puny looking. All the more reason that I had no idea what was coming. As soon as I opened the cell door and stepped in, he came at me with everything he had! We locked up and went to the ground. I tried to simply overpower him, but his determination made it harder than it seemed. I found myself calling for assistance – NOW. Suddenly, I got angry! I had always treated him good, and this is how he is repaying me? So, I decided that I wasn’t holding back either. This is going to cost him some hurt!
At least I knew the cavalry was coming. Or as much as could be afforded. Like I said, it was busy, so help would be slim.
All of a sudden, the hallway door unlocked and swung open.
“Finally” I said to myself. “Some help. This guy’s not giving up!”
She stepped in. Corporal Minnie Stoddard (not her real name). Minnie was 5’ 5” and weighed over 200 lbs. And it was wasn’t gym weight, it was watching TV and eating ice cream weight! But I will give her this – Minnie didn’t hesitate. She sat right down on top of both of us! After I caught my breath, I managed to wiggle out from beneath her. Ronnie was gasping for air when I got the cuffs on him. Minnie got up, nodded her head as if to say, “thank you,” and walked off. I learned the the truth in the old saying, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” I took Tylenol for two days.
Thank for sharing such real life experiences. I am a skinny technical guy, but I have no chance against TV and ice cream weight.
That was funny!
Well Written
Believe me when I say that I can totally relate to this story. I have many of them myself.
Being firm but fair coupled with a reputation for being able to scrap helps, but some days you just have to fight anyway.