"Look, Officer. I understand that you have a responsibility to respond when someone calls for help. I'm not asking you to ignore a complaint. I'm asking you to establish what actually happened before treating everybody here like a threat."
Officer Bole looked toward me.
For the first time since the cruisers had arrived, his expression seemed slightly less confrontational.
OFFICER BOLE:
"Sir, we have to assess the situation."
DANIEL:
"Then please assess it. Look around. You're standing in the middle of a birthday party."
OFFICER BOLE:
"I can see that."
DANIEL:
"Then you can also see that nobody is fighting, nobody is threatening anyone, and nobody is trying to escape."
Mason interrupted.
OFFICER MASON:
"STOP TRYING TO TELL US HOW TO DO OUR JOB."
DANIEL:
"I'm not trying to tell you how to do your job."
OFFICER MASON:
"THEN KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT."
The second officer shifted his position.
His Taser remained in his hand.
He glanced toward Margaret.
OFFICER BOLE:
"Ma'am, are you all right?"
My mother looked at him.
MARGARET:
"I'm frightened. I don't understand why you're here."
OFFICER BOLE:
"Just remain where you are."
MARGARET:
"This is my birthday. We were only having dinner with our family."
Her voice trembled.
OFFICER BOLE:
"Ma'am, please stay calm."
MARGARET:
"How can I stay calm when you have a gun pointed at my son?"
Nobody answered immediately.
I could see that Officer Bole had heard her.
But Mason remained focused on me.
OFFICER MASON:
"WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS MY WAY."
DANIEL:
"Nobody is trying to stop you from doing your job."
OFFICER MASON:
"THEN STOP CHALLENGING ME."
I looked directly at him.
DANIEL:
"Respectfully, asking a question isn't a threat."
Mason took another step forward.
His face was now only a few yards away.
OFFICER MASON:
"YOU NEED TO WATCH YOUR ATTITUDE."
DANIEL:
"I'm watching everything very carefully."
He stared at me.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The red and blue lights continued flashing behind him.
The sound of the police radio came from somewhere near his shoulder.
A faint voice transmitted through the speaker, but I could not understand the words.
Then Victoria spoke again.
VICTORIA:
"That's what I've been dealing with for months. He thinks he can do whatever he wants."
I turned my head slightly.
DANIEL:
"Months? Victoria, we've had a handful of conversations about ordinary neighborhood matters."
VICTORIA:
"Don't lie."
DANIEL:
"I've never threatened you. I've never entered your property. I've never interfered with your life."
VICTORIA:
"You've made this entire street uncomfortable."
DANIEL:
"Because my family cooks outside?"
VICTORIA:
"Because you don't respect the people who live here."
DANIEL:
"I've been respectful every time you've approached me."
She shook her head.
VICTORIA:
"You're impossible."
I almost laughed at the absurdity of it.
Not because the situation was funny.
But because I could hardly believe that a birthday celebration had turned into an armed police confrontation over a neighbor's personal grievances.
My mother had spent years teaching me not to judge people too quickly.
She had also taught me that patience did not mean accepting every form of mistreatment.
I was beginning to understand that the officers had received a very different description of what was happening than the scene in front of them actually justified.
And Victoria appeared determined to keep that misunderstanding alive.
Then Officer Mason raised his voice again.
OFFICER MASON:
"EVERYONE BACK UP!"
Several guests moved away from the patio.
My cousin guided my mother toward a chair.
Margaret looked at me as she moved.
MARGARET:
"Daniel, please be careful."
DANIEL:
"I will, Mom."
I kept my eyes on the officer.
Mason looked at the people behind me, then returned his attention to my face.
OFFICER MASON:
"ARE YOU GOING TO COOPERATE OR NOT?"
DANIEL:
"I have been cooperating from the moment you arrived."
OFFICER MASON:
"THEN WHY DO YOU KEEP TALKING?"
DANIEL:
"Because you keep refusing to explain what's happening."
OFFICER MASON:
"YOU'RE MAKING THIS HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE."
DANIEL:
"No, Officer. I'm asking you to listen."
He tightened his jaw.
Officer Bole glanced toward him.
OFFICER BOLE:
"Mason, let's slow this down."
Mason did not look away from me.
OFFICER MASON:
"I'VE GOT IT."
Officer Bole remained in position.
Victoria continued filming.
And I stood there, my hands still raised, surrounded by the people I had invited into my home to celebrate my mother's life.
I could feel the afternoon slipping away.
The food was getting cold.