THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR

Working in a 911 center, as I have eluded to before, gives us the opportunity to speak with the educationally challenged. I will at times provide examples to substantiate my claim. The following is such an example: As part of a routine, but unattended (no witnesses) death investigation, officers will inquire as to time of death using various resources. One method is to check caller ID history and answering machine messages to determine last time the victim took a phone call or messages were left indicating an effort to contact them.

On a recent such call, we arrived on scene to check on a 'suspicious odor' being reported by tenants at an apartment complex. Upon glancing in through a window, officers observed a motionless male laying on the floor and unresponsive to any effort to awaken him from the outside. Forced entry was necessary and it was determined the subject was indeed deceased and had been so for awhile.

Officers checked the answering machine and determined the prior day a friend had arrived at 3pm, peeked in through the window and left the following message via cell phone-"Hey dude, I see you laying down on the floor near the coffee table and you dont look very comfortable. It looks like you are dead. Call us when you wake up". Three hours later, another friend drops by, peeks in the window and similarly calls via cell phone and notes "Hey, get off the floor and quit your sleeping--give me a call". That's what friends are for....

Gotta luv it! Til next time....