A little about me...
April 29th, 2011
I was born in Charleston SC and moved to Memphis TN when I was 5 years old. I grew up in Frayser TN. That’s sort of an inside joke. You have to have been raised in Memphis to fully understand what that means. I graduated from Trezevant High School in the early 70’s and started college at Memphis State University. During this period of time I worked for Chicago Bridge and Iron which was on the end of President’s Island. I helped manufacture several nuclear reactors one of which was shipped to Japan. I do not know if this reactor is one of the reactors that have been in the news so much lately due to the earthquake and tsunami. After about a year, I was laid off as nuclear reactors were becoming politically incorrect.
I was looking for a job and soon thereafter became a police officer on the Memphis Police Department. I never would have believed it when I started but I worked there for 30+ years, retiring in late 2008 as a Lieutenant. During my stint with the MPD I worked in Homicide for 4 years. I found this particularly gratifying and mystifying at the same time. It is amazing the things people do to each other and/or to themselves. Working as a police officer had a lot of rewards involved helping people but also had a lot of aggravation in having to deal with the City and the politics of a large police department. I have been away from it long enough now to remember the happy times while the bad things have for the most part faded away from memory.
After retirement from the MPD I went to Iraq for a year, training, mentoring and working with the Iraqi Police. I was located on an army base or FOB in the desert in NW Iraq about 60 miles from the Syrian border, near the Sinjar Mountains. This was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed. The worst part of it was being away from home and family for so very long a time. The plane rides back and forth are no thrill either. The trip from Dubai to Atlanta Georgia is a 23 hour ride. While in Iraq, I became friends with an Iraqi police sergeant at one of their police academies. Overall, despite the huge cultural differences I found the Iraqis are just like us; trying to care for themselves, their families and also do their jobs.
Just before leaving for Iraq, my wife, Theresa and I had a house built nears Greer’s Ferry Lake in Arkansas. The picture at the top of this page is taken from my rear deck. It’s a beautiful place in a beautiful location. It is also in the middle of nowhere. It’s great as hardly anyone is around. Memphis is 175 miles away - far enough to see the glow in the sky when it burns to the ground one day. Did I mention it is the middle of nowhere? Nothing is close. Grocery shopping at Wal-Mart is 30 miles away. The closest Home Depot, Best Buy or Target is 50 miles away. Everything anywhere near shuts down at sunset at the latest. After dark, if you need or want something, forget it.
If you are an old friend please contact me and let’s get reacquainted. If not and just want to drop me a note please do so. Thanks, Dale