One of the Guys

"I wanna report a murder.", a male caller almost whispers the words into the phone.

I'm hearing the words as a rookie Dispatcher at our small-town police department. This is my second week on my own. I'm the only person in the station. I'm the only female working. The four shift officers and one sergeant are on the road. It's a slow night shift in February.

A million thoughts go through my head in a millisecond. 'Oh My God!, What should I do? This isn't covered in the manual. Help! Where is everybody? Stay calm. Stay calm. Okay, God, what should I do now?'

"Go ahead.", I calmly say.

There is a stunned silence on the other end of the line. I can hear the caller breathing. Suddenly, he loses it and starts laughing. It's the sergeant from the shift, surrounded by the four officers. I have just passed the rookie initiation.

I am now "One of the Guys!"