Posted by: Ed Chernoff
October 02, 2007
Topic: Brownsville, Part Dos

So to see that Willacy Sheriff vehicle pull out into traffic and stalk my Navigator fascinated me. He had no reason to follow me. The Navigator was new, so it was current on its papers. i wasn't speeding. Matt had made sure of that by lending me his state of the art satelite enabled Jenna Jameson endorsed cop detection device. It checked for laser, infrared, X Band, K Band, XXX band and Rubber Band radar. They weren't shooting me. No reason at all, but the cop car closed in and I hadn't any doubt he was going to stop me. I told Matt, who was as confused as I. "What for?", he asked, craning his neck backward. "I don't know", I replied, "but we are about to find out." It was then the lights went on.

It turned out to be two of them. They followed protocal. After I stopped, one approached my drivers side, just slightly to the back of my shoulder. The other waited at the back passenger side. The one near me asked for my license and insurance. So far, I was amused. With a smile, I asked if it was okay if I reached into my glove box. He agreed. I dipped between Matt's legs to dig for my insurance card. Strangely, Matt seemed tense. His face was unmoved, like a guard dog perked by a sound outside the front door. Later, I found out why. I couldn't find the card, and told the deputy. He asked me out of the car.

It would be incorrect to say I was concerned, but I began to feel a discontent at the operation. They were far too terse considering the occupants they found in the car. It didn't make any sense. I turned to ask the deputy why he had stopped me - really just to break the ice. As I turned he jumped and reached down to his belt, where his semi-automatic rested. Taken aback, I stepped away. I held my hands open to the officer, and said, "Whoa there, there's no problem here!" I said it in a pleading manner. This guy was clearly stressed, and God knows I didn't want to do anything to ramp up his apprehension. Unfortunately, it didn't do any good. I heard a shuffle, and turned to see the deputy at the rear of the Navigator running towards the passenger door. It was then I saw Matt bolt from the car and take off towards the field next to the highway. Alarmed, I took a step forward. That's all I remember.

I had always heard about how it felt to be knocked unconscous, but the descriptions don't really do it justice. I can't say I felt pain, until much later when I woke up in the hospital. I've got to give him credit, he was fast. I think it was a flashlight, but I didn't see it coming, and really it could have been anything. The romantic in me likes to think I was pistol whipped. All I know is the bright sunshine of the Texas Valley faded to black very, very fast and whatever importance I placed in protecting Matt was buried in the hot concrete of the southernmost part of US 59.

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