April 1987

Our shifts had just ended, but I was having trouble properly filling out some paperwork from a bust I had earlier in the week. I tried not to ask for help, but I guess my struggle was obvious because Mickey was kind enough to stay late to help me out.

I thanked her and she left. As I was preparing to leave myself, Jenko popped out of his office and called me over. Even though we were the only ones left in the chapel, I walked over to his office and shut the door.

"What's going on, Jenko?" I asked.

"We are having a dinner tonight with the team, you in?"

"Yeah, that sounds fun," I said. It was a little pathetic how fast I agreed to it. And I was a little offended that I was not invited earlier.

"Great. Oh, do you have everyone's phone number yet?"

"No?" I did not know that I needed them.

"Here." He tossed me a thick sheet of cardstock with everyone from Jump Streets contact information on it. "Write this down, you may need it down the road."

I took the pen and paper that he offered me and wrote down all the numbers as quickly as I could. Mine was at the very bottom of the list, but I obviously didn't need that one. I planned to put them all in my address book when I got home.

"We are going to meet that the restaurant on Park Street at six, you dig?" He sat at his desk and fiddled with one of the many brightly colored desk toys he had.

"Dig." I raised my eyebrows as Jenko stood up and walked over toward me.

"Great, I'll see you there," he said and flicked my chest. I sensed that he was kicking me out so I took my paper with the phone numbers on it and left the chapel.

When I got home, I realized that I did not have much time to get ready for dinner. I stood in front of my bathroom mirror, scrunching my nose at my outfit choice. I had no idea how to dress. Do I dress like I usually do? Or how I'm supposed to for Jump Street? I glanced at my pomade and wanted desperately to use it, but I remembered what I endured on my first day and assumed it would be better to not use it for my first outing with the team.

I changed my shirt three times before I gave up. I grabbed the slip of paper with all the numbers so I could call for help. I told myself that I needed to put them all in my address book before I lost it. I went down the list, making mental notes to myself on why I didn't want to call a particular person. Judy talks a lot so I would not be able to hang up, Doug would probably poke fun at my question and tell everyone about it, Ioki mentioned this morning that he was going to run to the store after work so he wouldn't be home to answer the phone, and I really didn't want to call Jenko. The only logical option was Mickey. I found her name, and I dialed her phone number.

The phone rang a couple times before she answered, "it's Gregg."

"It's Hanson," I told her. I had never called her before, so I hoped that she didn't think this was strange.

She almost sounded excited to hear my voice. "Tom, hey! Are you coming out with us tonight?"

"Yeah, I am," I said. "I was calling to ask what I wear?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... do I still teenage-it-up?"

She chuckled softly, "no, man. We are off the clock."

"Okey-dokey." That's all I really needed to know, but I didn't mind talking to her a little longer.

"Just be sure to use a whole bottle of pomade," she joked.

"Pomade comes in containers," I joked back. Will I ever be able to live this down?

I heard her laugh and I found myself chuckling softly into the phone. Then she asked, "do you know how to get to Royal Lemon?"

"Royal Lemon?" I repeated. I realized that Jenko never told me the name of the restaurant we were going to.

"Royal Lemon Bar and Grill."

"Well... if you come from the south... it's a... right on Maple..." I guessed.

"Left on Maple Drive," she corrected. "Then a right on Green Way. Royal Lemon is on the left at the third light."

As she was talking, I desperately scribbled her directions down on a nearby scrap of paper. I didn't want to have to ask again. From the short amount of time I have known her, I've found out that she really does not like to repeat herself. Especially at work.

As soon as I finished, I said, "great. Thank you, I'll see you there."

"Mm-hmm. Bye, Tom," she said back and we hung up.

I did not realize how hard my heart was beating until I got off the phone. I pushed an air bubble out from my lips and got back to my task. Since we were off the clock, I went back to my closet and kept my blue jeans on, but grabbed a blue button up to go over my white undershirt. I've never worried about an outfit so much in my entire life. I felt ridiculous. What has gotten into me?

I drove up to the restaurant following Mickey's directions and found it right away. I used my rear view mirror to fix my hair a little before I got out of the car. It's a little too warm for a jacket, so I tossed it in the back seat and I headed into the restaurant.

I gave the bouncer my ID and he let me in. I glanced around for a moment before I found the large table full of my coworkers and I walked over to them. I could hear Doug and Ioki talking but their voices were too soft for me to understand what they were saying.

As I walked up to the table, I noticed my heart was racing a little bit, and my stomach knotted up with my mouth falling dry. Is it just because of her?

I saw Jenko glance up when I got closer to the table and he announced, "hey, Hanson! You made it!"

Mickey had her back to me, until she turned around in her chair and I saw her face light up. I smiled back at her in a friendly greeting. I suddenly got bashful and I could not look her in the eye. She fluffed her dark hair over her shoulder and turned back to the table as I got closer. She had on a tank top that showed off her shoulders and a pair of acid wash jeans, which was different from what she was wearing earlier today. She is as pretty as a picture.

"I'd never miss to see what you kids are like outside of work," I said. I walked over toward an empty seat next to Mickey and pulled the chair out to sit beside her.

"I like your hair," Ioki pointed out.

I hate my new hair style. It drives me nuts. I ran my fingers through it and said, "it looks like I've been in a freaking car wreck."

"No, it doesn't. It makes you look hip," Judy said. She was not making me feel better.

"I think it makes me look homeless."

"What's your drink?" Doug asked me.

"Corona," I said.

"Beach lover, I presume?" Jenko asked.

"Yes, sir."

"I'm off the clock, Tom," Jenko chuckled. "Call me Jenko."

"Yes, sir— Jenko." I looked at everyone and saw that everyone had a drink already besides Mickey. I decided to be a gentleman and offer to get it for her. I asked her, "what's your drink? I can grab it while I grab mine."

"Nah-ah-ah," Jenko clicked his tongue.

Doug looked at her with big eyes. "Still?!"

"Still what?" I asked while Mickey shook her head at me.

"How long are you going to be nineteen for?" Ioki asked.

"Just a few more months," Mickey said. "I'm trying to get old as fast as I can, I promise."

"You're only nineteen?" I asked. I remember talking to Doug at one point, and I told him that I thought she was older than me... he had a few laughs from that. I knew that she was younger, and two years is not that bad. I was just a little surprised because she acts more mature than I would have assumed.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"When is your birthday?" I asked. How did she even get in here?

"Beginning of December," she said.

"Then I'll just get you a Coke?" I asked. I remembered that she likes Coke.

"Could you grab a Diet Coke, please?"

"Yeah, absolutely." I got up to head to the bar.

I asked the bartender for my beer and a Coke for her. I could not understand how she has worked at Jump Street for two years already when she's only nineteen. I thought you had to be twenty-one to be a cop. I guess they take eighteen years olds under certain circumstances, but the math still does not make sense. I decided to let it go. I gave the bartender a few bills from my pocket and I came back to the table holding the drinks in my hands. I placed the brown soda in front of Mickey and she thanked me as I sat back down.

Jenko said, "only one rule for nights out: no work talk allowed."

"Preach," Doug said, lifting his glass in cheers and we all joined in the middle.

"We work hard and we play hard here at Jump Street," Jenko said.

I started to drink my beer and the team went on different topics of discussion that I was mindlessly listening to. I kept finding that my eyes were landing on Mickey, but I tried to focus on whoever was talking. Judy informed us that she had family coming to visit her, and then Mickey mentioned that she has been searching for a book that she wants to read, Jenko apparently is going to be a dad soon, and suddenly the conversation was back on me.

"Tell us about yourself, Tom," Judy said which caught me a little off guard.

"What do you want to know?" I asked. I was not really used to talking about myself.

"Besides work, what's your favorite thing to do?" She asked.

"I love bowling," I stated. It's one of my favorite activities.

"Bowling?" Mickey asked. "I've never been bowling."

My eyes widened, I was shocked. "You've never been bowling?"

"Never."

"Our next day off, I'll take you bowling," I promised.

"Bet," she said and took a sip of her soda. I could feel the warmth of her smile.

My lips tilted up at her in a grin. Mickey's personality seems to unwind just like a ball of twine on a spool that never ends. I hope I get to see more and more of it. I can impress her with my mad-bowling skills... it's no wonder I don't have a girlfriend.

A waiter came by, and took our dinner orders. Jenko ordered fries for the table, and offered to pay for everyone's meals.

I couldn't help but gawk at everyone. It was so weird seeing them all wear normal clothes. I even said, "it's strange not to see you all in your gear."

"It's even weirder to see us all in our uniforms," Doug said and shuddered. "We all look like we have a group costume for Halloween."

"How are you all going to spend your, well deserved, weekend off?" Jenko asked.

"Mick and I are thinking of going to see a movie," Judy said.

"What movie?" Ioki asked.

"Dirty Dancing," Judy giggled. "Rumor has it that Patrick Swayze takes his shirt off."

"We are going to make sure it's not a lie," Mickey added.

"You girls," Ioki chuckled and shook his head as he ate a fry. I took a few more gulps of my sweet beer and grabbed some fries to munch on before our food came.

"What?" Judy asked. "It's not any different if you guys got together to see... Charlie's Angels."

"I thought policing would be more like Charlie's Angels," Doug said jokingly, but I really don't think he was joking.

Ioki said, "hey, Tom, how do you feel it's been going? Can't be easy if scary ol' Mick here is watching your every move."

Doug pretended to shutter and said, "scary broad. A real bitch."

"Hey!" Mickey laughed to cut them off. She was looking straight at the guys, while I was looking at her with a smile.

Judy said to me, "don't listen to them, Tom. Mickey isn't mean."

"Thank you," Mickey said.

"And she isn't scary," Judy said.

"Thank you."

I continued to smile at her softly. "I think I can manage."

"Well, it's your first day off since you started," Mickey said to me. "What are you gonna do to celebrate?"

I blew a raspberry and said, "I'll probably sleep for a good half of the day..."

"This job does wear you out." Judy nodded.

"And down," Doug added. I completely agreed with both of them.

"Hey! Me, your boss, is still here," Jenko spoke up.

"Hey, what about bowling?" I asked.

"Oh, that's right," Mickey clicked her tongue. "That's more of an evening sport, isn't it?"

I smiled at her and nodded. "It's a date."

Mickey took a sip of her soda and everyone fell silent. I didn't realize I was looking into her eyes until they widened and she darted her gaze from the left to right with her lips puckered around the straw. She swallowed and added, "you guys can come too if you want."

"Yeah." I cleared my throat as I agreed with her. It got awkward for just a second. "Little outing with the gang."

"No, thanks," Doug said as the waiter was approaching us with our dinners. "I like to spend as little amount of time with you goons as possible."

Mickey laughed at him, "oh please."

"We are your best friends," Judy said as the waiter was putting our food in front of us.

"Yeah, whatever," Doug laughed and squished his burger in his hands and took a bite.

"I am going to go for a run," Ioki said. "And maybe meet up with my lady-friend."

"Lady-friend? I gotta hear about this," Doug said.

"Nothing special," Ioki said nonchalantly. "Just a friend, who happens to be a lady."

Jenko spoke up, "if no one is gonna ask me what I'm doing tomorrow, I'll just tell ya. I have a meeting tomorrow with the mayor. He seems pretty excited about what we've been accomplishing at Jump Street. I think he's gonna start giving us some more funding. He doesn't exactly like it yet, but he wants to see what we can do."

We all exclaimed happily at the joyous news. It took a while for the mayor to approve of Jump Street when Jenko first proposed it, and I was hired right in the middle of a debate on if Jump Street should be kept or not. I was thankful that it was being kept, because I'm not sure what I would do if Jump Street shut down. I've grown to really like it here. The assignments, the chapel decor, the people...

"Are you serious?" Mickey asked.

"As the plague," Jenko said with a wink.

Doug lifted up his beer again and said, "to Jump Street."

We all grabbed our glasses and joined him in the cheers. "To Jump Street!"

I wish I could have added more Tom stuff to this but this chapter was mostly to see what he was thinking. The next one will be less repetitive! 😂💕