Feel The Love of the Embrace

Today I was embraced by the Long Arm of the Texas Law.

So I found myself once again traveling to the wonderful state of Texas. I am down here for another 3 weeks...and it is already leading up to be one of the best trips yet.
After flying out of Salt Lake and landing in the great city of Oklahoma, in the state of the same name...I and my co-workers headed over to Joe's Crab Shack for some delicious seafood. I got the Rajun' Cajun Steampot. Although this particular dish is quite messy...it was most delectable.

After the meal, young Neil and I jumped in our trusty SUV, (a Nissan Armada to be exact), and drove West into the Texas Panhandle area.
Our destination was a Best Western hotel. This isn't the usual place of our lodging...because the "usual" spot was fully booked.

When we arrived, I checked in first and took my bags up to my room. I then returned to the lobby to meet up with Neil and find out which room he had been checked into.
When I arrived at the lobby, my "partner in crime" was nowhere to be found.
So I pulled out my phone and shot off a quick e-mail to find out where he was. As I was hitting send, in through the front doors came barreling 6 men wearing bulletproof vests, star badges, and most of them had cowboy hats. Guns drawn, and scanning the lobby, one of the larger men pointed (his finger) at me and said, "Watch him!"

Then all of them jumped in the elevator and headed somewhere.
A few minutes later, the same guy came back down and coming straight at me, demanded some identification.
I said, "Of course sir...here you go."
I handed him my passport.
He looked at me and asked if I had something else.
So I pulled out my driver's licenses. (I'm currently in the process of getting my motorcycle endorsement, so I have a paper "temporary" permit and then my plastic copy that has two holes punched in it).
He asked why the holes were punched in it. I told him that it was a temporary, while I was getting my motorcycle endorsement.
He demanded that I hand over my phone.
Now, at this moment, IN MY HEAD, I thought, "You know...you really need a warrant for this." But I also though, IN MY HEAD, it would be very unwise to say something like that to this large, very irritated man who happens to have a gun...and the right to detain me for 24 hours with no reason.
So I said, "Of course...here you go."
The phone was locked, so he demanded that I unlock it and show him whatever e-mail I had just sent.
Not having anything to hide, I showed him. At that point, young Neil had decided to e-mail me and let me know which room he was in. So the officer, turning the phone away from me, asked, "Who's in room ***?"
By the way...he wasn't asking any of this nicely.
Of course this was the first I had heard of this room...but I surmised that it must have been Neil, so I answered as such.
The officer seemed somewhat satiated with that answer.
But then the following conversation took place:
Officer: "Do you have a criminal record??"
Me: "No"
Officer: "Have you ever been arrested?"
Me: "No"
Officer: "Do you have any felonies or warrants?"
Me: "No"
Officer: "Have you ever had any speeding tickets?"
Me: "No"
(I wasn't going to explain that the one that I did get happened over 12 years ago and never went on my record)

The officer then took all my identifications, (that he had been holding), and wrote down everything, Passport Number, License, Phone Number, and then told me, "stay available."

And thus was my welcoming hug to the Great State of Texas.

PS - A few minutes later, the rest of the officers came down with a man in handcuffs. They escorted him out of the building and as of this writing...I haven't heard another word about it.

But I am still available.