“A WAKE UP CALL”
by James L Eadline
Do you know what it is like to have a feeling of being invincible?
Here is my story.
Forty years of my life have been spent protecting people, places and things. 6 years U.S. Army, 30 years working for Pa. Bd. Probation and Parole, 18 years of which I was assigned to Graterford State Correctional Institution. During that period of time I have been threatened and nearly taken hostage during the “Camp Hill Crisis”. I saw the aftermath of a “correctional” murdered in the hallway by an inmate, and much, much more. I saw too much.
After almost being taken hostage the State Parole Board transferred me to the street in Norristown, Pa, as a State Parole agent and then supervisor in the Eastern part of Pa. My assignment as an agent was having a caseload of very serious offenders and some of the worst criminals. When I was an agent, my supervisor was shot by a parolee entering our office.
My caseload consisted of murderers, rapists, sex offenders, and child molesters, extremely assaultive individuals, dealing with D&A and alcohol problems. Myself and a female Parole Agent entered a home to arrest a fugitive and upon going up the stairs to a second floor bedroom was almost shot by a parolee standing behind the bedroom door entrance. He had a loaded rifle in his hands.
Unlike police, I had to go into some of the toughest neighborhoods by MYSELF, with only a cell phone, and finally a radio, for backup. Many a night I worked the streets late and didn’t get to see my wife and children. The straw that broke the camel’s back was when a child molester that I was supervising molested and raped 3 nephews of his after figuring out the time frame I would be off duty. Needless to say, when I found out about it, I immediately went and arrested him. The worst part was interviewing three little boys, ages 5, 7 and 8. I felt guilty in some manner, because this piece of shit got over on me. I also was a supervisor for a brief period of time.
I cried many times, but no one knew, because I learned that the best place to cry was in the shower. The tears would go down the drain and you could blame the red eyes on the soap.
I couldn’t take it anymore so I retired after 30 years with full honors.
I did nothing for a year, and then went to work with Homeland Security at a local airport. After 3 years, I realized I couldn’t take it anymore and threw in the towel with it all.
Approximately 40 years of my life were spent basically dealing with the DREDGES of society. Suicidal thoughts sometimes became my friend.
I dealt mostly with people who hated me. To them life didn’t matter. But so what? I got into the profession to help and protect people regardless of their contempt.
Did you ever look into the eyes of a man who murdered his own son? I DID!
“THE WAKE UP CALL”
On or about July 5, 2017 I got the wakeup call! I got up from bed, and realized that my voice was hoarse. No big deal. It has happened before. I went to my Doctor for her to give me some medication, and she immediately told me I need to see a specialist. I was informed that I had cancer on my vocal cord. I was told that I immediately need 30 consecutive radiation treatments, with no promises other than a high success rate. I was traumatized and frightened. My whole life flashed before my eyes. Thoughts and aspirations now jeopardized, I thought about my wife, son and daughter and all the rest. My GOD! My Grandchildren! Alex, Brielle & Alayna. I wanted to cry 1,000 tears but I knew it wouldn’t help.
I realized “YESTERDAY WAS GONE, TODAY WAS ALMOST OVER AND TOMORROW IS NOT PROMISED” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My GOD! What do I do now? I feel I will survive but I fear the worst. I faced and looked at death many times in the past, and it was my choice. “THIS TIME DEATH IS LOOKING AT ME”.
I was one of the best game players… chess, pool, etc., along with the game of life. But now I realized that once the game is over all the pieces go back into the box, including us. Sometimes in comfortable shoes, you forget you have feet.
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