A REAL HERO

James Pugh had been a hero in the bloodiest battles of WWII. That torrid summer's night in the 1960's he showed that he hadn't forgotten how to do it.

I'd received a call that a certain, elusive, gent, who we had a warrant for, was partaking of liquid stupid in Rabbits Juke in McDonald's Quarters. We'd been trying to serve the warrant for months, but our prey was slicker than Willie, himself. I tried to gather up some help, but everyone was out on calls, so I headed over there alone, telling dispatch to send help as soon as possible. This was really stupid, but I was young and afflicted with that condition.

Arriving at the juke, and being in plain clothes, I thought I might be able to slip inside and mill with the sardine-packed crowd unnoticed. After all, it was after midnight, the Juke didn't waste any money on lights, and most of the patrons were addled by booze.

I spotted my man and sidled over to him. Putting a hand on his arm, I said, "You're under arrest. Come quietly. Let's get outta here."

He was too smart for that, announcing, "A city cop wants to take me to jail on some trumped-up charges. You gonna stand for that?"

You have to appreciate the times and conditions to gauge the impact of this statement. The civil rights rumblings had just begun. Many times overt friction between black people and whites was coming to the surface. This heat could cause the pot to boil over, especially in a bar full of drunks. The crowd immediately decided there wasn't any white cop gonna take any black brother to the city slammer. To insure it wasn't going to happen, they began to close in on me.

Just then a deep voice said, "This police officer is just doing his duty. And nobody is gonna stop him. If someone wants to try, they come through me first." It was James Pugh, suddenly at my side. And Sir Galahad couldn't have been more welcome.

James, although far from a young man, was still thick and powerful, not someone you wanted to trifle with. And he had the respect of the community. The crowd decided they were going to let justice take its course and, in an instant I was stuffing the arrestee in my car.

I thanked James, and he just nodded and walked off. I know he had to realize what danger was involved in standing up to a drunken mob of your brothers when you know they're wrong. But he performed his civic duty like the true hero that he was.

James has been gone a few years now but I've never forgotten him. There are few made like that.

Rest in peace, kind sir.