“What kind of work?”
The Old Man hesitated.
Not because the answer was secret.
Because he did not want the answer to change the interaction.
That mattered to him.
More than the Officer could possibly know.
“Administrative.”
The Officer laughed once.
“Administrative.”
“Yes.”
“You got identification for that?”
“I gave you identification.”
“Employment ID.”
The Old Man looked toward his jacket.
“Yes.”
“Get it.”
The Old Man reached slowly.
The Officer instantly stepped in.
“Hands!”
The Old Man froze.
Again.
His eyes hardened.
“You asked me to get it.”
“Tell me where it is first.”
“Inside left pocket.”
The Officer reached toward him.
The Old Man stepped back instinctively.
His knee nearly failed.
He caught the car again.
The Officer grabbed his forearm.
“Stop moving.”
The Old Man pulled his arm slightly.
“Do not reach inside my jacket.”
“Then stop acting suspicious.”
The Old Man looked straight at him.
“I have complied with every clear instruction you have given.”
“No, you haven’t.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
The Old Man took a slow breath.
Then:
“Turn on your body camera.”
The Officer’s face changed.
It was subtle.
But unmistakable.
The Old Man had guessed correctly.
The camera mounted on the uniform was dark.
The Officer touched it instinctively.
“Don’t worry about my camera.”
“I’m not worried.”
The Old Man looked at the device.
“I’m asking whether it’s recording.”
The Officer stepped closer.
“That’s none of your concern.”
“It should be.”
“You some kind of cop expert?”
“No.”
The Old Man looked at him.
“But procedures exist for a reason.”
The Officer laughed.
“You want to lecture me on procedure?”
“No.”
“I want the stop documented.”
The Officer’s voice sharpened.
“You’re making this harder than it needs to be.”
The Old Man’s answer came immediately.
“So far, I have given you my license, registration, exited the vehicle, and remained where you told me to stand.”
He glanced toward the passenger seat.
“You took away the cane I told you I needed.”
He looked back.
“You have not explained why I’m being detained outside the vehicle.”
The Officer’s face reddened.
“Because I’m conducting an investigation.”
“Of what?”
“Failure to yield.”
The Old Man looked at him.
“You need me outside the car to investigate whether I pulled over slowly?”
Silence.
The Officer took one step closer.
“You’ve got an answer for everything.”
The Old Man shook his head.
“No.”
“I have questions.”
The distinction did not help.
The Officer pointed toward the front of the sedan.
“Hands on the hood.”
The Old Man stared.
“Why?”
“Hands on the hood.”
The Old Man did not move.
The Officer stepped into him.