Lay it on the Line : Prodigal book one

Chapter Five

Chapter 5

The three-month long course in the Academy would separate the men from the boys, or at least that is what the instructor said. JJ wasn't one for failing, but he also wasn't the type to be top of the class. He put his everything into passing, especially since it mattered to him to become a police officer. Being the class clown, JJ was often used as the test dummy.

The instructors always called on JJ for things. He was the first to feel the defensive tactics, the first to be pepper sprayed, and pretty much the first involuntarily volunteer to be used in instructing. He always just took it as the instructor saw the most potential in him, and that was why he was always picked on the most. It also didn't help that he was the biggest clown and most of the attention was on him. The laws were nothing to learn, it was all the physical stuff. The running and getting pepper sprayed and even tasered. The guys would often play a game to see who could withstand the spray the longest, and JJ being who he was, always won. A lot of the time the crazy Cajun got into situations in which he learned that being the most physical didn't pay out. The instructor always got on his case for him to learn how to think, and to think fast in situations.

The instructors would often just facepalm and shake their heads when Johnny would just be Johnny. Always laughing at things, especially serious moments. His laughter was contagious and would often cause the other in the class to laugh. Let's just say a lot of the reprimands were due to JJ's silliness.

At one point most of the instructors believed JJ wasn't cut out for the job, except for one, Sergeant Landry. One day Landry sat down and had a heart to heart talk with the young man. He helped JJ realize he needed to get his act together. The clown soon after became the best student of the class, surpassing everyone's expectations.

After the painstaking three-month course, Johnny graduated from the academy. Graduation night, JJ and a couple of his buddies went down to the local bar. His mother protested of course, but JJ was hard headed and just wanted to celebrate. The Cajun knew better than to go out to bars and stay out late drinking. Johnny, let peer pressure win, pushed his conscience aside. He went with the other men to the bar without telling his mother.

It was packed with people, young, old, bikers and regulars. The live band was jamming as the boys played pool away from the crowd.

"oh man, can you believe it? we made it through and passed." JJ leaned on his pool stick and watch the other guy take a shot.

"yeah, I bet you are happy JJ, the instructors gave you ten times of hell." the guy shooting pool said and the others laughed.

" I guess that is what happens when you are the 'funny man' as he put it." JJ shrugged and took his turn.

The Johnny's ball bounces off the velvet green table and knocked another ball into the middle of the table. JJ took a step back and walked to finish the rest of his beer.

" I gotta pee." He sat the glass down and leaned the stick against the wall.

"oh, don't quit on me now just because you are losing JJ." the guy laughed, and JJ gave him the bird as he started working his way through the crowd towards the bathroom.

JJ reached to grab the handle and pull the door open, but It was locked for some strange reason. The Cajun cursed and kicked the bottom of the door a bit.

" Hey! why don't ya take that hanky panky elsewhere huh? people gotta pee!" JJ tried to scream over the noise before pressing his ear against the door. The music and vibrations were too loud, and he couldn't hear anything. A couple more pounds and kicks of frustration were given to the beat-up door before JJ turned to walk away. He had to go to the restroom bad and knew he couldn't use it outside, public indecency and all. What would the force think if he broke the law being the one enforcing it?