the Choirboys (1996) Read Online Free
Author: Joseph Wambaugh
duty pending an investigation. Yes, yes, there is some evidence of drinking. I don't know, could've dropped the gun and it went off. I just don't know yet. Been a policeman almost five years. Vietnam vet: Right. Yes, there's some evidence the officer was with friends. To level with you, Pete, there's a strong possibility some policemen bought a sixpack of beer and stopped in the park on the way home to unwind and talk. Yes, that's Conduct Unbecoming an Officer. We call it cue-bow. Choir practice? No, don't believe I know that term. Choir practice? No, never heard of it."
When the reporter hung up, Commander Moss sat back and put his feet up on his desk, which was actually two square inches larger than Chief Lynch's specially ordered desk, and said to his secretary, "I know that wasn't the first choir practice in that park. I'd love to know about some of the other ones."
Chapter FOUR
Sergeant Nick Yanov .
Actually there were dozens of choir practices in MacArthur Park attended faithfully by ten policemen who worked out of Wilshire Police Station but chose MacArthur Park as the choir practice site because it was in Rampart Station's territory. They believed that one does not shit in one's own nest.
The first choir practice in MacArthur Park took place in the early spring when the nights became warm enough. Most of the choirboys were unencumbered. That was by design of Harold Bloomguard who was really the driving force behind the inception of the MacArthur Park choir practice. Harold always maintained that they shouldn't have married men in the group because they would quite likely have to go home early, and early dropouts were the death of any good choir practice.
"The songs must go on!" was the way Harold always put it.
Of course no one ever really sang at choir practice. Their "songs" were of a different genus but served much the same purpose as rousing choral work. It was called by various names at other police departments. It was merely an off duty meeting, usually in a secluded hideaway, for policemen who, having just finished their tour of duty, were too tense or stimulated or electrified to go to a silent sleeping house and lie down like ordinary people while nerve ends sparked. One hadn't always enough money to go to a policemen's bar. Still one felt the need to uncoil and have a drink and talk with others who had been on the streets that night. To reassure oneself.
Sergeant Nick Yanov could have been a charter member during those five months when the MacArthur Park choir practices were being held. He was invited by Harold Bloomguard one evening after a 3:00 P. M. nightwatch rollcall at which the uniformed policemen had a surprise visit from Captain Stanley Drobeck. The station commander wore a silk suit with a belt in the back, and black and white patent leather shoes. When Captain Drobeck entered the assembly room he caused Lieutenant Alvin Finque, who was conducting the rollcall, to jump unconsciously to attention which embarrassed the blue uniformed patrol officers. Since police service is not nearly as GI as military service, the only time one stands at attention is during inspection or formal ceremonies.
Lieutenant Finque blushed and sat back down. He blinked and said "Hi Skipper" to Captain Drobeck.
"Whoever made the pinch on the burglar in Seven-A One's area deserves a good smoke!" the captain announced, as he threw four fifteen-cent cigars out into the audience of twenty-eight nightwatch officers and, smiling with self-satisfaction, strode out the door. His hair was freshly rinsed and was blue white that day.
Only three nightwatch officers were old enough to smoke a cigar without looking silly. One was Herbert "Spermwhale" Whalen and he had caught the burglar. He was a MacArthur Park choirboy.
Like all old veterans, Spermwhale sat in the back row and insisted on wearing his hat. Cocked to the side, of course. Spermwhale picked up one of the cigars from the floor, examined the brand, sat on it and
When the reporter hung up, Commander Moss sat back and put his feet up on his desk, which was actually two square inches larger than Chief Lynch's specially ordered desk, and said to his secretary, "I know that wasn't the first choir practice in that park. I'd love to know about some of the other ones."
Chapter FOUR
Sergeant Nick Yanov .
Actually there were dozens of choir practices in MacArthur Park attended faithfully by ten policemen who worked out of Wilshire Police Station but chose MacArthur Park as the choir practice site because it was in Rampart Station's territory. They believed that one does not shit in one's own nest.
The first choir practice in MacArthur Park took place in the early spring when the nights became warm enough. Most of the choirboys were unencumbered. That was by design of Harold Bloomguard who was really the driving force behind the inception of the MacArthur Park choir practice. Harold always maintained that they shouldn't have married men in the group because they would quite likely have to go home early, and early dropouts were the death of any good choir practice.
"The songs must go on!" was the way Harold always put it.
Of course no one ever really sang at choir practice. Their "songs" were of a different genus but served much the same purpose as rousing choral work. It was called by various names at other police departments. It was merely an off duty meeting, usually in a secluded hideaway, for policemen who, having just finished their tour of duty, were too tense or stimulated or electrified to go to a silent sleeping house and lie down like ordinary people while nerve ends sparked. One hadn't always enough money to go to a policemen's bar. Still one felt the need to uncoil and have a drink and talk with others who had been on the streets that night. To reassure oneself.
Sergeant Nick Yanov could have been a charter member during those five months when the MacArthur Park choir practices were being held. He was invited by Harold Bloomguard one evening after a 3:00 P. M. nightwatch rollcall at which the uniformed policemen had a surprise visit from Captain Stanley Drobeck. The station commander wore a silk suit with a belt in the back, and black and white patent leather shoes. When Captain Drobeck entered the assembly room he caused Lieutenant Alvin Finque, who was conducting the rollcall, to jump unconsciously to attention which embarrassed the blue uniformed patrol officers. Since police service is not nearly as GI as military service, the only time one stands at attention is during inspection or formal ceremonies.
Lieutenant Finque blushed and sat back down. He blinked and said "Hi Skipper" to Captain Drobeck.
"Whoever made the pinch on the burglar in Seven-A One's area deserves a good smoke!" the captain announced, as he threw four fifteen-cent cigars out into the audience of twenty-eight nightwatch officers and, smiling with self-satisfaction, strode out the door. His hair was freshly rinsed and was blue white that day.
Only three nightwatch officers were old enough to smoke a cigar without looking silly. One was Herbert "Spermwhale" Whalen and he had caught the burglar. He was a MacArthur Park choirboy.
Like all old veterans, Spermwhale sat in the back row and insisted on wearing his hat. Cocked to the side, of course. Spermwhale picked up one of the cigars from the floor, examined the brand, sat on it and
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