Officer

I am teaching history
At night at a college campus
In a high school near Austin about
To head home having finished my
Second class about 10:50 pm
Loitering about in the quiet
College office talking with
The secretary when an
Alarm indicates a
Window entry
Causing the
School
Guard to
Ask me to tag
Along but our
Check of the
Dark rooms
Finds no
Intruder.
So we
Are
Walking
Back to the
Office talking
Joking when the
Officer, annoyed with
My teasing, tells me in
Jest, “Don’t make me
Shoot you.” to which
I reply, “Then don’t
Make me make
You shoot me.”
He shakes his
Head saying
He has too
Often
Thought
About just
Such a dilemma
Working with high
School students who
Were as immature as
Faculty, and then his
Smile reminded me
Officers have the
Toughest job so
I should shut
Up and nod
Agreement
As I might
Babel
Nonsense
But an officer
Cannot even in jest,
An unreasonable
Standard for a
Mere human
Being in
Blue.