Many of the things that policemen have to do are unpleasant and one of them is something that you get to do during your probation….death message. Now this is quite a common task that comes to the police to do and usually a brand new probationers is selected so they can be lead through it by a more experienced officer.

Well such a task came in and being an experienced Constable I was asked to go to deliver the bad news with our latest probationer. Lets call hem john. I picked up the message and gave it to john and explained the checks that we needed to do and explained the best way to break it to them...no fluff just get straight to it and tell them.
So we get to the address and knock on the door I always feel a bit anxious at this time as you never know how the recipient is going to take the news

A lady of about 30 answered the door looking somewhat puzzled and we asked if we could come in on as soon as we were in the living room and the lady had sat down john said “ I am sorry to have to tell you this but I am afraid that your mother has passed away, the doctors said there was nothing that could be done”…

Silence and then a low grumble that increased into a loud noise that turned into a scream she screamed and sobbed we waited and the sobbing subsided I held her hand and she started to compose herself..” I am so sorry to have to bring you such news”. She said..” Its such a shock it was the last thing I expected, here I am waiting to hear if my grandmother was going to survive her stroke and my Mum dies it’s just not fair”..

A slow feeling of dread starts to fill me up and I glance at john he is looking at the message and I notice his eyes getting wider and sweat start to break out on his forehead…”Oh shit” shouts john.. “No I am sorry it is your grandmother that died not your mother.. oh shit!!...”you mean My mums ok!”...”Yes she’s fine I miss read it” says John…she grabs hold of me and shouts.. “oh thank you!!.. oh thank, you have given me my Mum back” and she did a jig in the living room ..She picked up the phone and dialled…”Bill guess what mums alive and Gran’s dead” she said it with so much …well …joy!!…

I was giving john daggers and he was looking decidedly ill…we hurried through the formalities and I have never seen anyone look so happy at the news of their grandparents demise…..back in the car john turned to me and said “are you going to tell anyone about this”…”well john” I said “I should have checked myself so I am as much to blame”…john looked relived as this sort of story can follow you your whole career with people ever making fun of you!.. When we got back the team were in the canteen..And of course I sat down and told everyone all about it,