library cop

His name is Carlos Gracia and he is the cop assigned to the local library and, think about this: kids, today, assume, it is assumed, that this is normal, that a police officer walks a regular beat around libraries and their grounds. Back when Officer Gracia’s grandparents visited the library, and they did, often, by the way, there was little need for an armed presence among the shelves. But, he is here, Patrolman Gracia, and, unlike the officer who regularly shoes the beat, he actually smiles at the library patrons. Perhaps he does this for a reason: To keep them off guard, or put them so, so to speak, in case they are planning something nefarious. Or perhaps he’s just a nicer guy. Patrolman Gracia – his friends call him Chooey – his duties end at 6 p.m., at which time he will head home to a dinner of Tyson honey-glazed chicken wings, Ore-Ida French fries and an evening of “Law & Order: SVU.” Now, though, he paces the spaces with a quiet fervor. He drives a ’98 Mustang he bought at auction and has a pet parrot named Job. He kinda likes his job.