Work Text:
Elizabeth,
I have tried to teach you all I know about policing, and you have been the most diligent student any teacher could dream of. Yet my lessons have focused on the northern mountains and not on the wider world. A person can lose themselves in the city as easily as they can in the wilderness and danger can wear a smiling face. I fear that my stories of my Chicago years focused too much on laughter and not enough on learning, and it would take years to remedy that failure. Instead, I have tried, in whatever way I can, to distil some wisdom from those years. Follow these rules and, hopefully, you will avoid some painful mistakes.
- Armani is a brand of clothing.
- Bring a second hat, in case your first gets a hole in it.
- Wolves need licenses.
- Informants are more cooperative when you ignore their firearms infractions.
- Always trust your nose.
- Don’t get upset when they underestimate you. Use it to your advantage.
- The city is noisy. Closets are quiet.
- Stay out of nightclubs.
- Always count the shots.
- You can get away with anything if you blame it on the wolf.
- If you see a ghost, don’t worry. It runs in the family.
- There’s no one more foolish than a man in love.
- What seems normal in the Yukon could get you committed in Chicago.
- Senior citizens can cause a surprising amount of trouble.
- Review the manual for your vehicle prior to any road trip.
- When something is so hard that you can’t bear to do it, don’t let anyone else do it for you.
- Sometimes the best thing you can do for an old friend is to see who they’ve become.
- A man who rules through fear will be ruled by it.
- People in Chicago have the most unspeakable ideas about the uniform. Don’t give them any more.
- A dream without a plan will never come true.
- Never date a criminal.
- Especially if you arrested them.
- When in doubt, ask Ray.
With love,
Dad