Lone Star Justice (short)

Lone Star Justice:

As the sun dipped below the Houston skyline, Thomas McFreedom, a staunch patriot and seasoned police officer, cruised through downtown streets in his patrol car. Beside him sat Alejandro, his rookie partner, who eyed the cityscape with a mix of admiration and apprehension.

"Ya see, Alejandro, this great land of ours, Texas, it's more than just a state. It's a symbol of freedom, of liberty," Thomas declared, his Texan drawl accentuating his bold words. "And us patriots, we gotta protect it with all we got."Alejandro nodded, listening intently as Thomas continued his impassioned speech about American values and the importance of upholding them. Alejandro, more reserved and conservative by nature, found himself both intrigued and slightly overwhelmed by Thomas's fervor.Midway through Thomas's patriotic soliloquy, his radio crackled to life, but before he could respond, his cell phone buzzed insistently. Glancing at the caller ID, he saw it was his wife, Gabriela. With a dismissive grunt, he silenced the call and muttered, "Fussy woman can't understand a man's duty to his country."Alejandro shot him a sideways glance but wisely chose to remain silent.Their conversation was abruptly interrupted as Thomas spotted a speeding car up ahead. With a swift flick of his lights, he pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road.

Approaching the car with a confident swagger, Thomas tapped on the driver's side window. "Evenin', ma'am. Do you know why I pulled you over?"The driver, a woman with long dark hair, glanced nervously at Alejandro before handing over her ID. "I'm sorry, officer. I must've lost track of my speed."Thomas examined the ID and frowned. "Araceli, huh? That's a California accent if I ever heard one. What're ya doin' speedin' through Texas?"Araceli blinked in confusion, taken aback by the sudden hostility in Thomas's voice. "I-I'm just passing through, officer. I didn't mean to—"But Thomas cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Typical Californian, thinkin' ya can do whatever ya want in our state. Ya'll bringin' your liberal nonsense here, polluting our air with your... your avocado toast and vegan kale smoothies!"Alejandro shifted uncomfortably beside Thomas, sensing the situation escalating rapidly. "Uh, Thomas, maybe we should—"But Thomas ignored him, his voice rising with each word. "You know what, Araceli? You and your Californian cronies can take your Tesla-driving, latte-sipping selves back to the left coast where ya belong! Texas don't need ya here messin' things up!"

Araceli stared at Thomas in bewilderment, unsure how to respond to this sudden barrage of insults. It was Alejandro who stepped forward, placing a hand on Thomas's shoulder. "Hey, Thomas, maybe let's take it down a notch, alright? She's just passing through."Thomas paused, his tirade interrupted by Alejandro's calm voice. Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly backed away from the car, shooting Araceli one final glare before turning to walk back to their patrol car.As they drove away, Alejandro couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief at Thomas's outburst. "You know, Thomas, I understand your love for Texas, but maybe next time let's try a more... diplomatic approach."Thomas grunted in response, still fuming over the encounter. But deep down, he knew Alejandro was right. Maybe being a patriot didn't always mean being loud and confrontational. Maybe, just maybe, there was room for a little bit of understanding and compassion, even for those from the dreaded land of California.