When Maria called me to schedule a singing telegram to Officer John, my first question was “will they arrest me?” She let out a hearty laugh and assured me they would not. John sent flowers on her birthday and she thought sending me out to serenade him in front of his colleagues would be the perfect way to thank him.
She arranged for a Detective Sergeant to meet and escort me to an office to wait until just after roll call. Just before going into a conference room, I met the director and other police officers. I quickly discovered that another Sergeant was the son-in-law of a bass player and knew two opera singer friends. Small world!
John, known as “The Hammer” by his colleagues, was a great sport. I made a joke about knowing I had the right to remain silent but wouldn’t be using that right today. I introduced the song as being from Maria to let him know she cares. I, then, sang the chorus of the song “Buttercup” (starting on a high C) then made a couple of jokes about disturbing the peace. I could hear raucous laughter halfway down the hall from the conference room and am sure John will be teased for several days to come.
As the same detective showed me the path out of the building, a rookie approached me and said he could hear me from the floor below with his door was closed. Resonance rules!