Deputy Dell Hammond had a nice little routine going. He was a highway patrol officer and had grown to know all the sweet spots on the roads around Pancione. He knew where to put speed traps, where to check for seat belts and where people tend to park illegally. It wasn't uncommon for him to fill out his fine book once a month and he frequently didn't get repeat offenders.
Sitting in his car for years has lead to Dell growing a decent sized beer belly on his waist. It strutted forward and pushed up against the buttons of his uniform and seemed to convey a greater sense of authority. Dell grew up with bigger men in his life and always associated a bigger belly with power. Thankfully his own size seemed to inspire others to look up to him. Of course a few guys made fun of his size, but usually jokingly.
The one thing Dell was missing was hair. His idols growing up always had a chest full of hair to say the least. Most had hairy bellies and hairy shoulders as well. Big, wide, muscular shoulders with thick hair running over them and down the back. Dell has some hair on his chest, a little treasure trail of hair going from his crotch to his belly button and can not grow a proper beard.
Dell was about to start his shift so he decided to swing by a grocery store to pick up some snacks before hitting up his usual speed trap site. He parked his patrol car and headed towards the entrance.
As he got closer he saw a slim figure running out of the front door and heard," Stop! Thief!"
Dell sighed and spread his legs and held out his hand and the runner came to a stop before him.
The so called thief was a young man, probably under 25 years old, 5'9", caucasian with a slim build. Blue eyes, brown hair.
"Thank you officer!" said the grocery store manager getting closer.
"No problem," Dell said with a smile and turned towards the would be thief and said," Well, return the stolen goods."
The young man sighed and took a pack of steaks out from under his shirt and handed it to the grocery store manager.
"Will you be pressing charges?" Dell asked and crossed his fingers that he wouldn't so he wouldn't have to do the paper work.
"Umm.. no, he was stopped, but do give him a stern warning," said the grocery manager and thanked Dell and returned to the store.
By now there was a bit of a crowd of shoppers around so Dell placed his hand on the kid's shoulder and said," Let's take a walk, kid."
The young man looked at Dell's hand and quickly gave Dell a glace over and nodded.
"Show's over folks," Dell announced and lead the kid to his patrol car.
As they walked Dell lowered his arm down towards the kid's waist to see that he was pretty thin and guessed the kid must not be well off.
"You know there's other ways to get a free meal, right?" Dell asked as they approached the patrol car.
"Sorry officer, but the lines for the food bank are growing longer every day," said the kid.
"I know it's rough out kid, but you gotta be better than that," Dell said turning the kid around and getting him to sit on the hood of the car.
The kid once again did a glance over of the officer and seemed to get a puzzled look to him and asked," Have we met before officer? You look very familiar."
"I hope not kid, if you're a repeat offender then I will have to take you in," Dell said and opened his hand and asked for ID.
The kid complied and handed him his ID out of his wallet. Dell looked over the driver's license and saw that the kid looked thinner than in the photo, must have been a rough few years for him.
"Well kid, I can see that life isn't fair to you, but know how much a good deed can go," Dell said handing the ID back and then took a twenty dollar bill out of his own wallet and handed it to the kid," Go buy some food for yourself. Probably not at this store."
"Yes sir," the young man said and held Dell's hand and gave it a strange look, as if to memorize it, then took the bill and quickly gave Dell a kiss on the cheek and ran off.
Dell just watched the kid run off and wondered what that was about.
Dell thought about that encounter for days until...
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