03/06/2025
The cop made my 72-year-old husband lay face-down on the asphalt in 97-degree heat, his arthritic knees grinding against the burning pavement while four squad cars blocked traffic for what they called a "routine stop." Twenty-three minutes Harold spent there, his gray beard pressed to the road, hands cuffed behind his back as passing motorists slowed to gawk at the "dangerous biker" being arrested. I heard one woman tell her kids to "look at the criminal" while my husband – a Bronze Star recipient who did two tours in Vietnam – baked on the concrete like roadkill. All because his motorcycle exhaust was "too loud" – the same pipes that had passed inspection just two weeks prior. The young cop, Officer Kowalski, kept his boot near Harold's head the entire time, occasionally nudging him when he tried to shift position to relieve the agony in his knees. "Stay down, old man," he said loud enough for the gathering crowd to hear. "These old bikers think they own the roads. Time someone taught you different." When they finally let him stand, Harold's face was burned from the asphalt, his hands shaking as he tried to maintain his dignity. That's when Kowalski leaned in close, away from the dash cams, and whispered something that made my husband of 48 years crumble like I'd never seen before. When I asked him later what the cop had said, Harold just stared at the wall and replied, "He said guys like me don't belong on the roads anymore. Said it was time to hang it up before someone got hurt." That's when I decided I have to use my powers now. [Continue reading to find out who I was and what I did to those police officers]