May 8, 2019

This was my first weekday patrol in years (No!  Fridays don't count as weekday patrols)!  But already, it was going to be one of those nights.  The clasp on helmet slipped off.  This was the second time it happened so I had to fix it.  Try doing that in the dark.  The first hing I passed was an owner with a big, white dog.  It was the park so it had to be expected.  But when I looked at the sign only to find out they're doing street cleaning in this area after midnight, I knew I had to get this patrol shortened.  After all the times I've been at Dorchester, this was something that was so obvious.  STUPID ME!  I noticed this wasn't warmer than usual, probably the weekday.  There wasn't much to report in the beginning.  But there were a lot of people going home for the night, as I saw a lot of people by Ashmont station.  I did talk to a family only they had to be inside soon.  Frustrating, but understandable.  I managed to get to a Subway near Gibson & Dorchester Avenue.  The people there were great.  I grabbed an orange juice.  I thought I'd go a little longer since it was 9:30.  However, my clasp slipped off again.  So I had to cut it short.  But even with a wardrobe malfunction, unlike the mask last year, I still went to work.  The helmet being loose wasn't something thou that made me comfortable.  As I crossed an area, I heard a pop.  I looked at the area I was in.  Nothing, but a smell that looked supiscious.  I did some more investigating.  But as I went down the street, I saw a person walking towards me.  I stopped immediately, since it would be trouble for me in the sense of me looking suspicious.  But good overall investigation of the situation, just need to react to it better & be more invested & stop worrying about the damn clasp.  Also at the 7-Eleven I heard a guy yelling from afar.  I thought he was sick, hurt, or in a craze.  But it turned out it was communication.  I wished the other guy walked closer to make it better.  That guy had a cane!  Not much in time, but a very worthwhile patrol.

April 27, 2019

I was thinking of doing South Boston today after my hiatus, but I figured Downtown due to the ease. A s well, I did it earlier that usual due to an engagement & an obligation I have to do tomorrow.  That turned out to be my mistake.  Right off the bat, the clasp on my helmet went off in which I had to manually get back on.  There were police cars all around the area I wanted to cover.  I thought the Bruins were going to play at eight o'clock, but this Boston and this is the playoffs, nuff' said.  So I had to reroute.  I was going to do a patrol at the Common, but there were tents around as well, I would stick out a sore thumb, as well, as getting it chopped off, figuratively speaking. So once again, I had to reroute.  During the walk I helped some homeless with some cereal bars, helped some guys move, held the door for a lady in a kimono pushing a baby, the small things.  But this gave me a chance to covered some uncharted areas.  As I got a photo taken with one of our fine citizens.  I covered the Back Bay after a longer hiatus.  When I got nervous about it, I went to the South End, FOR THE FIRST TIME!  It was nothing spectacular.  There were some places in the South End that reminded me of why I chose to not do the Back Bay, because I felt like a freak.  For example, I noticed some people near me when I walked laughing at me, but I paid no mind.  As well, as I noticed a family not knowing where they were, as I tried to help, they pushed me off as if I was a freak.  I don't want to tell you what happened at Dunkin Donuts as I forgot my gift card I wanted to use (face palm in effect).  But it wasn't all bad, as I helped someone do some parallel parking, in which both he & the car behind him were grateful (try parking Boston & you'll know what I mean).  What really helped were two things at the end.  As I was heading back, a lady with a little girl spotted me.  They were so sweet as I talked to them & the girl gave me the warmest of smiles.  Then two guys getting ready for the Bruins game spotted me.  I explained what I was.  They asked if I could jump over a bench.  I told them by being a superhero I would have to be a role model.  They understood & we gave each other high fives & we yelled, "Go Bruins!"  Those things gives me reasons to do what I do.  I won't settle however for that in a sense that I would rest on laurels.  Like the Patriots on their quest for greatness, I have work that much harder to be at my best so I will prove my worth to the city I love.

March 29, 2019

The past is one of those things that bring a time of innocence. But left alone, uncared for, it can die.  I saw a place where I went in my teens, come dry to danger, & I decided to help this one day.  I took advantage of a free parking lot & headed over.  A car with their lights left on was outside the parking lot.  It didn't look like an official car, so I dismissed it.  All looked relatively quiet, not like what I heard.  A few tourists past me, calling me Batman, which was cool.  Some asked for my picture, but I had to be careful, one was married for.  Don't worry, I told them I was no floozy.  It was odd as I walked I almost felt totally out of place, not like Boston.  I passed. by a couple talking about the past. They asked questions about me.  I told them who I was and left.  I heard sirens soon after, so I left immediately.  I felt embarrassed.

March 17, 2019

The second part of the St. Patrick's week-end patrols went better than yesterday.  First, I decided to grab a meal early before the traffic.  I went to the local Hooters restaurant in Dedham for a bite to eat.  The ladies there were great, especially for the beautiful lady behind the bar.  The manager was also understanding.  I had a buffalo chicken sandwich (of course).  After the meal, I hit traffic (so Plan A failed).  It was however easier than yesterday.  However, I went earlier than yesterday & it showed.  There were few people.  I had to do a couple of rounds just to make up for it.  Once again, I started to feel like a celebrity.  A couple of men asked for a picture with me.  I went to the North End for the second or third time, ever!  It showed as I passed a Pizzeria Regina, there was somebody who yelled as if I was trouble.  I left immediately.  I managed to pass by Quincy Market a few times.  A couple of men saw me & asked questions about what I do & my name.  They asked if I take mugshots?  I said I wear a cup.  They were grateful.  As I went to Downtown, I saw a police presence over at Boston Common due to the recent attacks in New Zealand.   I avoided the area.  I helped the homeless with cereal bars.  It was a very sobering moment.  While everyone else is having celebrations on holidays, there are those who can't afford to celebrate.  Two of the people I helped were grateful that I was the first to acknowledge them.  One of them was a veteran who was trying to take care of very ill woodpecker.  All the more reason we should be grateful for what we have.  The kids always give me a reason to love my job.  I could only imagine if I was their age & I saw Batman for the first time.  All the more reason this is rewarding.  Also as rewarding was when I went by a club called the 2Twenty2.  The bouncer was grateful & introduced me to his fellow security & staff.  For the first time, I felt like one of the fellow protectors in Boston officially.  I even high fives someone who rode in a Lyft.  This was for me, a great reason to be alive.

March 16, 2019

Part one of my two-part St. Patrick's week-end patrol started well.  All throughout I was referred as Batman.  It started at the bars of Haymarket, as some young adults spotted me.  I managed to give some pictures.  This was the norm all throughout the patrol.  For someone not dressed in green, I certainly know how to make the holiday interesting.  It was quite the norm as I had the club hoppers looking at me rather than causing trouble.  I am starting as well to develop a keen eye at spotting what's out of the norm, which is a good thing.  I managed to give some cereal bars as well to some homeless people as well.  I had a break taking advantage of Dunkin's Iced Coffee deal as well as the restroom, in which I for got to zip my fly afterward (awkward!). I covered the Common as well as Chinatown and the Leather District.  My first run-in to duty came in as I started on South Boston.  I spotted a car with the trunk open in the Post Office parking lot.  I was concerned.  Not only for a battery life but the possibility of a disaster.  I called the police.  The windy weather didn't help with communication.  They came later on & took care of the incident, thank God!  As I passed the bars on Broadway, it was very interesting.  One lady even tried to give me her number, but I had a feeling she had a boyfriend with her.  Also a guy yelled "H**y S**t!" as he ran away.  I found out from someone in Southie that the parade tomorrow will take up until evening, which means that tonight will be the only night I will cover South Boston.  But a touching moment came when a boy spotted me, as I talked to him, it gave me new meaning & purpose why I do a job that I love.

March 10, 2019

I did my first patrol in about two months & I showed no rust.  I worked with fellow real life superhero Shadowolf.  We covered a very conservative set bas I looked all around Dorchester.  The snow made it hard to walk thru, I might think about getting a smaller cape for situations like those in the future.  As well, I covered a large amount of territory, which was for me an amazement.  We talked a little bit but at the same time looked at the patrol.  There was little going on, especially for a Sunday night, fortunately the weather wasn't a problem, as it was bad earlier.  We managed to get some acknowledgement from some people hanging around, even thou they asked for a dollar or a light.  It was quiet, but a good patrol.  Looking forward to this weekend for St. Patrick's Day.

January 11, 2019

The first patrol of 2019 was one of those patrols, however short, had its purpose of people knowing me.  It started ask I was walking out in the freezing weather.  As my chest was nice & warm, my arms felt frozen.  I remember Baby Fozzie's joke on Muppet Babies, when he saids he had rights, "The Right to 'Bear Arms.'"  (I know, awful pun.  But believe me it fit the situation.).   As I walked I ran into some people & a lady stopped me, & asked me where the bar & tavern, "The Intermission" was.  You know you feel stupid, when you maybe the protector of Boston, but you don't know where all the eateries are in the area.  The group pulled her out, but she thanked me anyways.  Yes, it was one of those nights.  As I walked, I felt like, "What part of me thought it was a good idea to patrol when not many people go out in this weather?"  But later on I think as I approached more people, gave cereal bars to homeless people, being a hero, as it was best said by "The Rock," "IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S COLD!"  As I passed Haymarket T stop two kids saw me.  You know there's a magic when children see superheroes.  That magic very much warmed my heart on that cold night.  We gave fist bumps, high fives.  I even included the mother, not to make anyone jealous.  I passed Park Street.  And I noticed on the side street where cars were blocking passages by the garage on both sides.  As I was going to question either, one of them moved.  Probably for a parking space.  I even went past Downtown Crossing.  One person spotted me, & was impressed with my uniform (he called it a costume, but why be PC, even if you are a real life superhero?). As I was going down I heard the sound of a siren as a paddy wagon pulled by.  I turned around, but it turned out they were heading for the bank nearby. Lucky me.  I passed by another area where three guys spotted me.  And for the first time, ever, I was referenced by the movie "Kick-Ass."  Another huge support.  It was a day where there wasn't much action, but huge incentive for being a real life superhero.