Meet and Greet

A few weeks ago a received an e-mail from my AIC (Agent-In-Charge), it went something along the lines of, "On blah blah date (at the end of August) we will be attending a meet and greet session at blah blah Government run drug rehabilitation center. Be prepared with questions and to have a good time eating breakfast with folks from another agency. So, mark your calenders. We will be leaving at..."

I was a hairs breadth from pressing the delete button when I noticed something about the e-mail did not look right. After a few seconds I noted that in the "to" section it had not gone out to the entire office. So, I checked to see who all else received this e-mail. It was just myself, another agent, and a handful of Supervisors.

My heart sank. Does he really means to put me and another Agent in a room with a bunch of people that I do not know and have to talk too. For reference, I am a very practical person. I only ask question when I do not understand something, if I want to bring out a point, or if I want to annoy the person being queried.

For this particular Government run drug rehabilitation center, I have no questions. I refer my offenders to them, they go to classes, they take drug tests, I get information back about their progress. I do not care how that gets done or in what order, as long as it gets done.

So, for clarification about the e-mail, I went downstairs and spoke with the AIC. I honestly cannot remember what he said, because it was a fifteen minute answer. The basic principle was that he wanted me to get out more. He wanted me to see other parts of our job and how other agency work with us. What he really said was "I want to see how you handle this responsibility." I smile, nod, and say, "Thank you, sir." The Agent-In-Charge has spoken and I am going. Fantastic. I did not think anymore about it until today.

Another Agent (Agent T) came to my desk early this morning and asked me if I could go with him on an Extradition (a four hour one way trip in North Carolina) on the given day that I am supposed to be at the breakfast meet. I tell him that I cannot due to said prior engagement. He looks at me and can see the fact that I do not want any part of this and says, "If I can get you out of it, will you go?" Hallelujah. "I'll give you my first born if you get me out of it." "Done."

Again, I do not think anymore about it, because the AIC has spoken, surely there is no way he could get me out of this. Right?

During my lunch time, Agent T comes up to me and asks, "Were you serious about the deal?" I look up from my lunch and tell him yes. He turns and walks the way he came, when my Supervisor comes down the hallway toward him. Now, my Supervisor just so happens to be in charge of Extraditions in our office (She does all the logistical work). Agent T stops her and they speak for a few seconds. I then hear her say, "I'll get him out of it." It is a good thing that I do not have a first born child (or in any danger of having one). My Supervisor then goes back the way she came and Agent T turn and puts gives me a thumbs up. I stared at him blinking as he followed after my Supervisor.

I know that that is not proof positive that I am home free and going to randomville, NC. But, at least I have a hope and a prayer.

Semper Fi Deus
Goose