It started with a fruitcake! Around 1991, I was a patrol officer covering the Route 29 area of Colesville, Spencerville and Burtonsville in Montgomery County Maryland. I absolutely loved the people, and as an officer working accidents you got to know your tow truck people well. George, who owned George’s Towing hated fruitcake. Every year he was given several boxes of fruitcakes. Of course, he gave them to me. I had three of them sitting on the back seat of my cruiser—old stock number 343.
I was dispatched to a call for—check the need for emergency shelter. Here it was, right near Christmas, and a violent, absolute knucklehead threatened to hurt his wife and daughters. I arrived at the Colesville 7-11 and out the mother and the two little gris into my warm cruiser. I contacted my station and emergency shelter was secured at the In Town Bethesda Motel on Wisconsin Avenue. The mother was very nice and did a great job calming the fears of her daughters. When we arrived at the IN Town Bethesda the mother was given the key to her room. I helped her and her daughters bring their bags into the room and then realized they had nothing to eat. They just looked cold and hungry, so I grabbed one of the fruitcakes and gave it to the mother. The Mom said, “look girls the nice officer gave us something to eat!” It was about this time that I could not see anymore. I was so overcome by the mothers It was just a dumb fruitcake, but it was like I gave this tired and scared family a million dollars. words that the tears filled my eyes. I believe I wept all the way back to Burtonsville.
A very hear heart began to soften that night. I could not forget the mothers’ words— “the nice officer gave us something to eat.” Not too long after this, I surrendered my life to Jesus! Yes, he used a fruitcake, a scared mother, and two terrified little girls to break through my fake outer shell and bring me to my knees. I thank Jesus for that fruitcake, a terrible situation and a call that I had to answer. It’s now 2024, why am I choking back the tears even now? Because sometimes events and circumstances change us forever. This one I will never forget.
God Bless
Victor is the current Chaplain of the Montgomery County Police Alumni Association of retired officers.