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Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Police Officer Job Description Essay Example for Free
Police Officer Job Description Essay Police officers in cooperation with the general public are in front line to fight and prevent criminal activities. The officers respond to the needs of the people in the community. With the use of technology, the officers should be able to gather enough information that can help in the prosecution of offenders. The police officer is required to carry out some specific duties as directed by the shift sergeant, as a way of maintaining and enforcing laws. The officer has to investigate complaints, ensure order is maintained, help people, and identify criminals. Identifying problems associated with enforcing law, conflict resolution, and assisting the public whenever need be are also part of the officerââ¬â¢s duties. You will also be called to carry out some activities that require physique such as containing violent people or animals, and be able to run fast when responding to distress calls. The supervision for the officers is carried out in a general form (Higher Education Careers Professionals, 2008). Essential duties As an officer, there are essential duties you have to perform, but there are other duties that you might be required to carry out as well. The main duties include detecting and apprehending those who act against the laws. The officer will be required to take necessary steps incase of physical hazards and law breaking activities by criminals. You are also required to take necessary actions whenever there are distress and emergence calls (LS/TB/JO, 2006). While on shift, you will be required to carry out investigations on issues that might occur during the period, and come up with the best action to take. As an officer, you have to reassure the community of their safety by ensuring frequent presence. In all these, you will be required to write a report indicating all activities that took place while on shift. Finally, you have to complete a departmental report that will have to be forwarded to the relevant authorities (Higher Education Careers Professionals, 2008). Minor duties may include; carrying out a review on reports about the incidences occurring while on duty, giving testimony about such incidences, and finally, you will be required to carry out any duty assigned by the supervisor. Education, Ability and Skills Applicants must be at least high school graduates, but priority will be given to college graduates. The applicants should not be less than 21 years of age. The applicants should exhibit the ability to identify problems and come up with sound solutions from analyzing all the available alternatives. In case of unexpected situations, you should show the ability to respond very quickly and swiftly. There are different working conditions which you must have the ability to work in all of them. In case of emergency, you must have the ability to work with the patrol car, and must be able to get in and out of it easily. There is a physical and agility test that all the applicants must be able to pass during their graduation. With the increased technological use, you need to have knowledge of computer usage and cameras. Applicants must be able to communicate fluently both verbally and written means, to the departmental members and the entire public (LS/TB/JO, 2006). In general, the duties of the police expose the officers to the challenging tasks and diverse activities. After serving as a police officer for sometime, one is entitled to rise to the other specialized areas like the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Monday, August 5, 2019
Literature and communities
Literature and communities Literature can help people to get a real in depth view of life through someone elses shoes. You can almost get lost into another world while reading a book. No matter if that world is fiction or non-fiction, it can take the reader to an unfamiliar place and make them feel comfortable in that space. A person can take something away from what they have read in some form of literature and put it to use into their communities. Something as simple as a feeling, viewpoint, or even a new perspective, can bring a new knowledge on the whole outlook of something. Literature can help to add culture to a readers life. Anytime a person adds culture to their life, they would have a positive affect on our society because they have been enriched with literature. Everyone has different points of view that they wish to express in life, regardless of the theme. Everyone also has different opinions as with literature. Each individual that reads a poem or a story is affected by it differently. However, t he common ground for literature and the community and every person that reads it is this: we all must start at the beginning before we get to the last page or line from a poem. Every community has been affected by literature since the beginning of time. At first, many people did not have the pleasures of being able to read and write and therefore could not appreciate literature. But once they were taught how to read, interests in reading became popular through many communities. Communities are affected by historical stories, autobiographies, fiction, non-fiction, and even poetry told by authors. It is somewhat like a domino effect that has been happening for many years and it will continue to grow and affect those in the future. The readings from this pasts week even show how communities are affected by literature. My first example is in the ââ¬Å"The Prodigal Sonâ⬠by Luke, (cited in DiYanni, 2007, page 27) is two sons and their father. One son works by his fathers side without complaining. The other son, however, asks for his inheritance as soon as he is old enough to speak with his father about it. The father in this story does as per his sons request and sells his half of the land and gives the money to his son. That son wastefully spends all of his fortune and loses all of his friends when the money is gone. He ends up homeless and becomes very desperate until he realizes that he will go home and ask his father to become one of his servants. The servants were not as poor and desperate as he was becoming. Naturally his father was so delighted by having his son come home that he holds a feast in honor of the son returning. Then the other son complains to his father about being loyal while the other son did not remain loyal. The father answers his sons complaint with a great explanation: ââ¬Å"son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thinefor this thy brother was dead and is alive again: and was lost and is now foundâ⬠(cited in DiYanni, 2007, page 28). The father was simply saying that what is his is theirs and he was thankful that his son learned his life lesson. This story affects the community because it gives people a sense of hope when there is despair. Even when people can bring on their own problems by selfish acts, faith, hope, and love can help people get through the toughest of times. I feel that this story has a very prominent part of the religious community. A person can still receive forgiveness in spite of the fact of the thing they may have done wrong. I most certainly can relate to this story because I have know that I have hurt my mother time and time again, but no matter how big and ridiculous my mistakes have been, she is always there to help and guide me. That is why I feel that if I am impacted by this story that my community is also. Another story from this weeks readings showing the relationship of how the community is affected by literature is ââ¬Å"APâ⬠by John Updike (cited in DiYanni, 2007, page 32). This story is about a young man that is employed by the same supermarket chain as in the title. He tries to suffer for three girls in hopes that they will notice him but they do not exactly give him the time of day. There are these three girls that go shopping in the store, but they are wearing nothing but bikinis. Being that they are inappropriately dressed, the store manager asks them to come into the store having their shoulders covered next time. The young man ends up quitting his job in the hopes of catching the girls attention. I believe that he wanted to be viewed as the hero for standing up for them; even though, the girls were in the wrong for coming into a store dressed that way in the first place (cited in DiYanni, 2007, 36). This story affects the community because there can be different ways t hat this sort of story can be viewed, and we could all learn from this sort of storyline. A person can take something away from what they have read in some form of literature and put it to use into their communities for the future. That something can be as simple as a feeling, viewpoint, or even a new perspective, that can bring a new knowledge on the whole outlook of something. A person with culture added to their life, has a positive affect on our society because they have been enriched with literature. Each individual that reads a poem or a story is affected by it differently. However, the common ground for literature and the community and every person that reads it is this: we all must start at the beginning before we get to the last page or line from a poem. This knowledge is something that stays with a person forever; not only here, but in every community. References: Di Yanni, R. (2007). Literature: reading fiction, poetry, and drama. NewYork: McGrawHill Publishing, Inc.
Sunday, August 4, 2019
The Story :: essays research papers
A story can be many things. By the definition, a story is an adventure, a mix of litterary terms, a conflict, an antagonist, a protagonist or hero, all within a coherent timeline, to entertain or teach the person the story is told to. For a person of deeper interest though, a story isn't just something thought up of, it is a source of ideas all so wonderfully expressed, a downpour of action and suspense to crisp the eye, a flow of emotions to enchant the heart, or a deluge of unknown to challenge the mind. It could possibly be all of these. Most people cannot appreciate the true essence of a story. They merely watch it from afar, admire in dull silence without even attempting to travel into the world of the story and feel the emotions, enjoy the happiness, share the sorrow, and partake in the action. The few that do appreciate it well. One such person was Ned Devine. He truly adored all stories. Whether they were children's or adult's from all around the world, he truly worshiped nothing else. He knew many of them by heart and could recite them word for word after having read the books and seen the movies at least twenty times each. Now however, he was tired of reading and watching the stories of others. Wearied he was of the few yet constant imperfections in the ideas of the material he so well enjoyed over the many decades of his life. Worn was he of the stories that were too short, or that had unsatisfying conclusions he made a decision never before considered during his long lifetime; he was going to write the perfect story because he had discovered in the flash of an instant a deep secret. This time, no imperfections would be to speak of. The wording would be as close to the degree of perfection as possible. The grammar would be mastered as if he was the one who wrote the rules that defined it. Ned Devine was elated with his new idea. He believed that his creation would be the ultimate literary creation. It was to be impossible to be tired, wearied, or worn of such a magnificent fiction because it would endlessly tingle and tickle the emotion of the reader. He knew what to do to bring his masterpiece to reality; he was in need of aid from the most qualified people of the language.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Platos Forms Essay -- essays research papers
I. Introduction Purpose I intend to show the validity of Plato's arguments about his theory of Forms. Aristotle, along with others, cross-examines Plato's proposals. Yet, I happen to see the potential of his point of view and would like to take a deeper look into his theory. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the theory of Plato's Forms from his perspective and that of several others, including Aristotle. Topics The topics in which I will mainly focus on will be Forms as universals, Forms as separate entities (substances), Universe as two realities, and Forms as final causes. For the most part, the topics are interwoven together yet I will try to separate them in such a fashion as to provide sufficient arguments for each main topic. II. "In View of Plato's Theory of Forms" Topic #1: Forms as Universals "The essence of [Plato's] theory of Ideas (Forms) lay in the conscious recognition of the fact that there is a class of entities, for which the best name is probably "universal," that are entirely different from sensible things" (Allen 18). Plato's theory of Forms assumed that Forms are universal and exist as substances. Aristotle firmly disagrees with the idea of Forms being universals. In Scaltsas' Substances and Universals in Aristotle's Metaphysics, he defines universals as being "the object of understanding and thought, the object of knowledge, and indeed of scientific knowledgeâ⬠¦" (33). Plato's first argument for his idea that Forms are universals uses mathematics and the sciences to explain his theory. According to Plato, science is the 'body of universal and necessary truths' (Jones 125). Jones also pointed out Plato's view that since math is a science, 'there must be forms to be the objects of mathematical knowledge.' "Nothing other than eternal, unchanging forms can qualify to be the objects of scientific knowledge." (Jones 125) Plato also described mathematical objects as being universals and separate substances (Cherniss 180). In Nicholas Denyer's article titled "Plato's Theory of Stuffs" he claims that Plato's argument on Forms, as universals, is valid. He believe... ...elements. Plato's arguments did have some value though but in order for them to stand with the highest merit, they should be revised and refined. There is much relevance for Plato's theory of Forms in today's society. Forms were a way in which Plato defined reality and they can still be used in order for others to find a reality for themselves. In looking at Plato's view, as well as others, it has helped me to see more clearly my concept of reality and the final causes in which I strive for. Forms exist still today; for example, Justice, Beauty, Equality, Truth, and Goodness. Even though people may not realize it, they are searching for final causes, or Forms. "It is easy to understand why and how the Forms are the ultimate objects of human striving. Since they are unchanging and pure, the Forms provide a type of satisfaction that is unavailable from any other source. Not only are we unable to completely possess them, which fires our desire, but also they endure, unlike lesser things that ultimately fall into nonbeing" (Teloh 134).
Friday, August 2, 2019
The Contributions of Homers Book XXIV :: Greek, Odyssey
Greek literature, in particular, Homerââ¬â¢s Odyssey, remains a masterpiece because of its structure. Additionally, an abundance of wisdom pours forth from its pages. Aristophanes and Aristarchus, two Greek critics, claimed that Homerââ¬â¢s Odyssey ended with the lines, ââ¬Å"Rejoicing in each other, they returned to their bed, the old familiar place they loved so wellâ⬠(XXIII: 337-338). While, at first glance, Book XXIV appears unnecessary, entirely omitting it leaves Homerââ¬â¢s work unfinished. Book XXIV features a wonderful study of the human condition. The initial encounter between Achilles and Agamemnon appears of little significance, but the overall concept lends importance to the book. Since The Odyssey meditates on the nature of civilization, it corresponds that Homer concludes his epic with a lesson addressing mankindââ¬â¢s inherent qualities. At the beginning of the book, Homerââ¬â¢s character, Achilles, accurately brings to light that life does not happen as planned and, in turn, this becomes a downfall of man. First, Homer calls attention to the human thought process. Achilles tells Agamemnon that ââ¬Å"we thoughtâ⬠a different fate awaited Agamemnon because of his circumstances (XXIV: 25-31). Homer also identifies the tendency to dwell on a different aftermath. He illustrates this claiming that ââ¬Å"if onlyâ⬠Agamemnon died differently, the possibility of glory and fame awaited his son (XXIV: 32-35). Finally, Homer concludes his lesson proclaiming manââ¬â¢s way of thinking as incorrect and ââ¬Å"not soâ⬠. He charges Agamemnon ââ¬Å"fatedâ⬠to whatever destiny befell him (XXIV: 36). Homer also has his character, Amphimedon, highlight another human trait: the inclination to blame others for the outcome of actions, even when knowingly committing a wrongdoing. Homer illustrates this behavior as he writes how Amphimedon charges Penelope with the fault of his death because of her indecision, even after he admits that he made her finish her weaving ââ¬Å"against her willâ⬠and ââ¬Å"forced herâ⬠(XXIV: 161). Amphimedon also attributes his demise to Odysseus because of trickery. He condemns Odysseus for disguising himself (XXIV: 171-177), although Amphimedon openly admits he attacked Odysseus (XXIV: 178). In trading these stories (XXIV: 1-226), Homer imparts his knowledge on life, responsibility, and accountability. Since writing about the nature of civilization, Homer needs to feature the importance of the family relationship. As a result, the epic necessitates Odysseusââ¬â¢ visit to his father to let Laertes know of his well-being.
Frederick Douglas Ethos Pathos Logos
Ethan Holmes Professor Hohmann ENG 101 9/25/11 Frederick Douglass is trying to persuade his audience by using number of charismatic traits, such as ethos, pathos, and logos. Douglass starts out his essay by expressing what the Fourth of July is to slaves in comparison to the rest of America: ââ¬Å"What have I , or those I represent, to do with your national independenceâ⬠(Douglass 480)? Douglass has credibility because he was a slave(486).He states: ââ¬Å"Fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach themâ⬠(480). If Douglass was never a slave, the quote wouldn't had been as powerful in its deliverance. Douglass uses pathos to describe an emotional event that anyone can relate to; since everyone agrees that children are so innocent. Suddenly you hear a quick snapâ⬠¦ your ears are saluted with a scream, that see ms to have torn its way to the centre of your soulâ⬠(486). Douglass is a very good writer and speaker, he does argumentative description very well. The thought of someone cruel enough to whip the flesh off of a woman's back while she's caring her baby, is chilling. Douglass uses a lot of descriptive writing mixed with pathos throughout his essay, and its astonishing how effective it is.The argument itself, or logos, is slavery. Douglass illustrates his argument throughout the essay. For instance, ââ¬Å"There is not a man beneath the canopy of heaven that does not know that slavery is wrong for himâ⬠(482). Again, at the end of his essay: ââ¬Å"There are forces in operation which must inevitably work the downfall of slaveryâ⬠(487). Frederick Douglass was a master of persuasion, with ethos, pathos, and logos, in his arsenal of charisma.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 27
As If He Were Yoda and I Were Luke Skywalker Training on the Dagobah System When we finish discussing our Kubb tournament victory and Mrs. Patel's extraordinary ability to render an exact likeness of Brian Dawkins's bust on the hood of a school bus, I pick the black recliner and tell Cliff I am a little depressed. ââ¬Å"What's wrong?â⬠he says, pulling the lever and raising his footrest. ââ¬Å"Terrell Owens.â⬠Cliff nods, as if he were expecting me to bring up the wide receiver's name. I did not want to talk about this earlier, but it was reported that Terrell Owens (or T.O.) tried to kill himself on September 26. News reports stated that T.O. overdosed on a pain medication. Later, after T.O. was released from the hospital, he said he did not try to kill himself, and then everyone began to think he was crazy. I remember T.O. as a young 49er, but Owens was not on the 49ers' roster when I watched the Eagles play in San Francisco a few weeks ago. What I learned from reading the sports pages was that T.O. had played for the Eagles when I was in the bad place, and he had helped the Birds get to Super Bowl XXXIX, which I do not remember at all. (Maybe this is good, since the Eagles lost, but not remembering still makes me feel crazy.) T.O. apparently held out for more money the next year, said bad things about Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, was suspended for the second half of the season, and then was actually cut from the team, so he signed with the very team Eagles fans hate most ââ¬â the Cowboys. And because of this, everyone in Philadelphia currently hates T.O. more than just about anyone else on the planet. ââ¬Å"T.O.? Don't worry about him,â⬠Cliff says. ââ¬Å"Dawkins is going to hit him so hard that Owens will be afraid to catch any balls at the Linc.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not worried about T.O. making catches and scoring touchdowns.â⬠Cliff looks at me for a second, as if he does not know how to respond, and then says, ââ¬Å"Tell me what worries you.â⬠ââ¬Å"My father refers to T.O. as a psychopathic pill popper. And on the phone this week, Jake also made jokes about T.O. taking pills, calling Owens a nutter.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why does this bother you?â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, the reports I read in the sports pages claimed that T.O. was possibly battling depression.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well,â⬠I say, ââ¬Å"that would suggest maybe he needs therapy.â⬠ââ¬Å"And?â⬠ââ¬Å"If Terrell Owens is really depressed or mentally unstable, why do the people I love use it as an excuse to talk badly about him?â⬠Cliff takes a deep breath. ââ¬Å"Hmmm.â⬠ââ¬Å"Doesn't my dad understand that I'm a psychopathic pill popper too?â⬠ââ¬Å"As your therapist, I can confirm that you are clearly not psychopathic, Pat.â⬠ââ¬Å"But I'm on all sorts of pills.â⬠ââ¬Å"And yet you are not abusing your medications.â⬠I can see what Cliff means, but he doesn't really understand how I feel ââ¬â which is a mix of very complicated and hard-to-convey emotions, I realize ââ¬â so I drop the subject. When the Dallas Cowboys come to Philadelphia, the fat men's tent and the Asian Invasion bus are combined to create a super party that again features a Kubb tournament on Astroturf, satellite television, Indian kabobs, and much beer. But I cannot concentrate on the fun, because all around me is hatred. The first things I notice are the homemade T-shirts other tailgaters are buying and selling and wearing. So many different slogans and images. One has a cartoon of a small boy urinating on the Dallas star, and the caption reads dallas sucks. t.o. swallows â⬠¦ pills. Another shirt has a large prescription bottle with the universal skull-and-crossbones poison symbol on the label and terrell owens written underneath. Yet another version features the pill bottle on the front and a gun on the back, under which the caption reads T.O., if at first you don't succeed, buy a gun. A nearby tailgater has nailed T.O.'s old Eagles jersey to a ten-foot cross, which is also covered with orange prescription bottles that look exactly like mine. People are burning their old T.O. jerseys in the parking lot; human-size dolls in T.O. jerseys are strung up so people can hit them with bats. And even though I do not like any Dallas Cowboy, I feel sort of bad for Terrell Owens because maybe he really is a sad guy who is having trouble with his mind. Who knows, maybe he really did try to kill himself? And yet everyone mocks him, as if his mental health is a joke ââ¬â or maybe they want to push him over the edge and would like nothing more than to see T.O. dead. Because of my poor throws, Cliff and I get knocked out of the Kubb tournament early, losing the five bucks my brother fronted me, and this is when Cliff asks me to help him move some India Pale Ale out of the Asian Invasion bus. When we are inside of the bus, he closes the door and says, ââ¬Å"What's wrong?â⬠ââ¬Å"Nothing,â⬠I say. ââ¬Å"You weren't even looking to see where your batons landed, you were so distracted during the Kubb games.â⬠I say nothing. ââ¬Å"What's wrong?â⬠ââ¬Å"You're not in your leather seat.â⬠Cliff sits down, pats the bus seat, and says, ââ¬Å"Pleather will have to do today.â⬠I sit down in the seat across from Cliff and say, ââ¬Å"I just feel bad for T.O. That's all.â⬠ââ¬Å"He's getting millions of dollars to endure this type of criticism. And he thrives on it. He brings it on himself with those touchdown dances and the hoopla. And these people don't really want T.O. to die; they just don't want him to perform well today. It's all in good fun.â⬠Now, I know what Cliff means, but it doesn't seem like good fun to me. And regardless of whether T.O. is a millionaire or not, I'm not sure T-shirts encouraging anyone to shoot himself in the head should be condoned by my therapist. But I don't say anything. Back outside the bus I see that Jake and Ashwini are in the final game of the Kubb tournament, so I try to cheer for them and block out the hatred that surrounds me. Inside the Linc, all throughout the first half, the crowd sings, ââ¬Å"O.D. ââ¬â O.D., O.D., O.D. ââ¬â O.D. ââ¬â O.D.â⬠Jake explains that the crowd used to sing, ââ¬Å"T.O. ââ¬â T.O., T.O., T.O. ââ¬â T.O. ââ¬â T.O.â⬠back when Owens was an Eagle. I watch Owens on the sideline, and even though he doesn't have many catches yet, he seems to be dancing to the rhythm of the crowd's O.D. song, and I wonder if he is really so immune to seventy thousand people mocking his near overdose or if he really feels differently inside. Again I can't help feeling bad for the guy. I wonder what I would do if seventy thousand people mocked my forgetting the last few years of my life. By halftime Hank Baskett has two catches for twenty-five yards, but the Eagles are losing 21 ââ¬â 17. All throughout the second half, Lincoln Financial Field is alive; we Eagles fans know that first place in the NFC East is at stake. With just under eight minutes to go in the third, everything changes. McNabb throws a long one down the left side of the field. Everyone in my section stands to see what will happen. Number 84 catches the ball in Dallas territory, puts a move on the defender, takes off for the end zone, and then I am in the air. Under me are Scott and Jake. I'm riding high on their shoulders. Everyone in our section is high-fiving me because Hank Baskett has finally scored his first NFL touchdown ââ¬â an eighty-seven-yarder ââ¬â and of course I am wearing my Baskett jersey. The Eagles are winning, and I am so happy that I forget all about T.O. and start to think about my dad watching at home on his huge television, and I wonder if maybe the TV cameras caught me when I was riding high on Jake's and Scott's shoulders. Maybe Dad saw a life-size me celebrating on his flat screen, and maybe he is even proud. A series of tense moments get our hearts beating at the end of the fourth quarter, when Dallas is driving, down 31 ââ¬â 24. A score will send the game into OT. But Lito Sheppard intercepts Bledsoe and returns the pick for a TD, and the whole stadium sings the Eagles fight song and chants the letters, and the day is ours. When the clock ticks down, I look for T.O. and see him sprint off the field and into the locker room without even shaking the hand of one single Eagle. I still feel bad for him. Jake and Scott and I exit the Linc and run into the Asian Invasion ââ¬â which is easy to spot from far away because it consists of fifty Indian men, usually clumped together, all in Brian Dawkins jerseys. ââ¬Å"Just look for fifty number 20's,â⬠they always say. Cliff and I run up to each other and high-five and scream and yell, and then all fifty Indian men start chanting, ââ¬Å"Baskett, Baskett, Baskett!â⬠And I am so happy; I pick little Cliff up and hoist him onto my shoulders and carry him back to the Asian Invasion bus as if he were Yoda and I were Luke Skywalker training on the Dagobah System in the middle section of The Empire Strikes Back, which is ââ¬â as I told you before ââ¬â one of my all-time favorite movies. ââ¬Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!â⬠we chant so many times as we navigate the crowds and find our way back to our spot behind the Wachovia Center, where the fat men are waiting with ice-cold celebration beers. I keep hugging Jake and hig h-fiving Cliff and chest bumping the fat men and singing with the Indians. I am so happy. I am so impossibly happy. When the Asian Invasion drops me off in front of my house, it's late, so I ask Ashwini not to blow the Eagles chant horn and he reluctantly agrees ââ¬â although when the bus rounds the corner at the end of my street, I hear fifty Indian men chant, ââ¬Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!â⬠I can't help smiling as I enter my parents' home. I am ready for Dad. After such a big win ââ¬â a win that puts the Eagles in first place ââ¬â surely Dad will want to talk to me. But when I enter the family room, no one is there. No beer bottles on the floor, no dishes in the sink. In fact, the whole house looks spotless. ââ¬Å"Dad? Mom?â⬠I say, but no one answers. I saw both of their cars in the driveway when I came home, so I am very confused. I begin to climb the steps, and the house is deadly quiet. I check my bedroom, and my bed's made and the room is empty. So I knock on my parents' bedroom door, but no one answers. I push the door open and immediately wish I hadn't. ââ¬Å"Your father and I made up after the Eagles victory,â⬠Mom says with a funny smile. ââ¬Å"He aims to be a changed man.â⬠The sheet is pulled up to their necks, but somehow I know my parents are naked underneath the covers. ââ¬Å"Your boy Baskett healed the family,â⬠my father says. ââ¬Å"He was a god out there on the field today. And with the Eagles in first place, I thought, Why not make up with Jeanie?â⬠Still, I cannot speak. ââ¬Å"Pat, maybe you'd like to go for a run?â⬠my mom suggests. ââ¬Å"Maybe just a little half-hour run?â⬠I close their bedroom door. While I change into a tracksuit, I think I hear my parents' bed squeak, and the house seems to shake a little too. So I slip on my sneakers and run down the stairs and out the front door. I sprint across the park, run around to the back of the Websters' house, and knock on Tiffany's door. When she answers, she's in some sort of nightgown and her face looks confused. ââ¬Å"Pat? What are you ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"My parents are having sex,â⬠I explain. ââ¬Å"Right now.â⬠Her eyes widen. She smiles and then laughs. ââ¬Å"Just let me get changed,â⬠she says, and then shuts the door. We walk for hours ââ¬â all around Collingswood. At first I ramble on and on about T.O., Baskett, my parents, Jake, the Asian Invasion, my wedding pictures, my mother's ultimatum actually working ââ¬â everything ââ¬â but Tiffany does not say anything in response. When I run out of words, we simply walk and walk and walk, and finally we are in front of the Websters' house and it is time to say good night. I stick my hand out and say, ââ¬Å"Thanks for listening.â⬠When it is clear that Tiffany's not going to shake, I start to walk away. ââ¬Å"Turn around, bright eyes,â⬠Tiffany says, which is a very weird thing for her to say, because my eyes are brown and very dull, but of course I turn around. ââ¬Å"I'm going to give you something that will confuse you, and maybe even make you mad. I don't want you to open it until you are in a very relaxed mood. Tonight is out of the question. Wait a few days, and when you are feeling happy, open this letter.â⬠She pulls a white business envelope out of her jacket pocket and hands it to me. ââ¬Å"Put it away in your pocket,â⬠she says, and I do as I am told, mostly because Tiffany looks so deathly serious. ââ¬Å"I will not be running with you until you give me your answer. I will leave you alone to think. Regardless of what you decide, you cannot tell anyone about what is inside of that envelope. Understand? If you tell anyone ââ¬â even your therapist ââ¬â I'll know by looking in your eyes, and I will never speak to you again. It's best if you simply fo llow my directions.â⬠My heart is pounding. What is Tiffany talking about? All I want to do is open the envelope now. ââ¬Å"You have to wait at least forty-eight hours before you open that. Make sure you are in a good mood when you read the letter. Think about it, and then give me your answer. Remember, Pat, I can be a very valuable friend to you, but you do not want me as an enemy.â⬠I remember the story Ronnie told me about how Tiffany lost her job, and I begin to feel very afraid.
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