I had heard talk by other deputies having to carry an association man around for a couple years. This task was usually done by the shift senior man or more often by the shift supervisor. One morning I was working the “Task Force”. Yes, Task Force on a day shift?  This was unheard-of. Around noon on Sunday, I was called to meet with Sheriff Lee. The last time I was called to the office by the Sheriff, was over a threatened lawsuit.

I met the Sheriff in his office where I was introduced to Otis. Otis was well dressed and quite plump and sported a fedora. By the 80’s very, very, few men wore a fedora. He was also wearing a three-piece suit and was looking like a politician or preacher. The Sheriff’s Association is an honored organization that has helped young boys and girls that have lost their parents. I believe they operated the State of Georgia’s boys home for orphans at the time. Otis was to be taken from business to business asking for donations in my assigned zone.

I gave Otis instructions on how to behave and what to do in case of emergencies while in the patrol car. He laughed and we left the office. I asked which businesses had he left off at in my zone. He said he hadn’t been on that side of the county yet. Great. Now it looks like I will be with Otis all day. We started with the stores and businesses in Winston and Dark Corners. I then proceeded down Post Road with my little friend. We started hitting all the stores in our path. I would introduce Otis to the store owner or manager, if present, and Otis would give his sales pitch. By now, Otis is really enjoying the ride. He is grinning and very talkative. He wanted to know all about the radar and siren and lights on the dash. After a few stops down in Flyblow, I decided that there are ripe pickin’s farther up 166. Otis and I headed east bound on HWY 166 towards the triangle. I had my radar on forward detecting and in moving mode. Moving mode was the setting on the radar that allowed the operator to receive speeds from oncoming and out-going vehicles while in motion. Otis was enthralled.

While heading east, a convertible corvette rounded a curve westbound at a high rate of speed. My radar’s audible hit a high pitch squeal that registered 78 mph. The faster the movement detected by the radar unit, the higher the pitch in sound. (Hang on Otis!)