The Day I became myself again

I have been busting the crime scenes for five years but never had I ever felt fazed until I met Tom. He was the man who did just that to me. He was at the scene standing with the crowds behind the yellow line. He was dressed up in his frayed overcoat and cheap suit with the even cheaper cologne. His hair was unkempt and he was running his hands over it, as if in pain. It was that drew my attention towards him. I got an uniformed to pull him out of there and towards me.

"Hello, Detective. You want to have a word with me?" I had a clearer look on the man; he looked more like he missed his bed for days, and sadly in need of a new cologne.

"Your name, Sir?" I asked him while holding the pencil to my notepad. He looked at me and gave me the queer look.

"You asking me, Sir." He looked away at the crowd and then back at me. "You called me, Sir. I am honored. I was called less than that."

"Yes.....Sir." I was felt agitated to be taken on a roll by this man but he leaned over and spoke to me.

"I tell you nobody would know if its was a murder until you guys came." He laid it out plain and simple. He even imitated the sirens blaring. "You sure you needed a boost for that ego run."

"Mister, I am investigating a murder. I have no time ...." I was waylaid by his statement.

"So was him, but the murderer must had waited on him. Its past the hour at eleven now." The man replied which caused me to looked at my watch. It was possible as the victim had come in to his house at nine; probably after his evening meal outside, and got clobbered at then to ten to just now. Coroner confirmed it just now.

"How did you know?" I asked him.

"Well, I was standing here since seven and he came back at nine fifteen, and the other person left at nine thirty." The unkempt person replied.

"Sir, did you see the murderer?" I asked but he shook his head.

"I saw was a man leaving the house. I did not see the murderer. I only assumed there was murder scene here now, since you told me." The man replied. "We cannot assumed I did when I saw something else."

"Sir, you name again please?" I asked.

"I did not give you my name. But you can have it now." The man passed me his card. I took and read it.

"Special Agent Tom Walden." I was taken aback that I was talking to a Fed. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I am standing here talking to you what I saw. " Agent Walden replied. "Isn't that obvious you are not sure or are you absent minded?"

I looked at him. If he had not shown me his card, I would had arrested him for obstructing justice. He must had seen me looking as he looked back.

"What made you think the murder had taken place here?" The Agent asked. "He could had died accidentally."

"The man had his head bludgeoned. So that tells me he was killed." I replied.

"By whom? Or what? A fall could had replicated the same effect?" The Agent replied. He took me there by surprise. I looked to my notes. The blow was in the back of the head and the victim was found laying on his side. There was blood but it was a bathroom. He could had tripped and fallen on his head before rolling over.

"I ...." The agent had walked away. I went after him as he was go into the house opposite of my crime scene. I found myself in the operation room of the Feds with all the gadgets and agents there.

"You are intruding into my jurisdiction, Detective." Agent Walden told me. I apologized and was shooed off. I stood by the porch and looked back at mine.

Was it a coincidence, or was I placed into an absurd position of having to question my skills. I had been drawn so much into my scene that I assumed it was all the same when I arrived. I remembered Tom Waits words; 'I enjoyed being puzzled and arriving at my own inaccurate conclusions." Darned! I had worked too hard at my job, that I am losing myself into it. It was time to detached myself and looked at from the outside. Be with the crowd and roar with them, and then at times, be myself, all selfish to my own thoughts. I need not wait for no man to dictate my next move. Who cares if I can't solved the case. I am my own man.

I walked up the Uniformed and told him I was going back.

"You leaving so soon?" The officer asked.

"Yes, there ain't no murder that cannot wait for another day to be solved. Right now, I am just going home." I smiled. Like Agent Walden, must we conformed to the ways how others looked at us. We need not be; we are all individuals. I would be one once again.