He ran a red light, she kept her mouth shut.
He parked in a disabled bay, she looked the other way.
He most probably had body odor, she had a blocked nose.
He ignored a call out even though they were the closest to respond; she was secretly relieved.
He called her Rookie, but she preferred to be called by her name; thankfully, she only had a couple of weeks to go before completing her first year.
All this within the first hour as partners.
For the next six hours, he showed his professionalism and his experience; she learned a lot.
Now, they were in the car and heading back to the station.
He lit up a cigarette. She didn’t like it and couldn’t keep her mouth shut.
“Put that out Sarge.”
“Just roll down the window.”
She complied.
“Put it out Sarge,” she repeated, this time a little firmer.
“Relax, it helps with the stress, plus it’s my first of the day.”
“I’m serious Sarge, put the cigarette out NOW!”
He looked across at her, briefly taking his eyes off the road. All day he had seen a timid little mouse. Now he saw a lioness, fierce and ready to fight. He also saw the signs - as they say, once a detective, always a detective.
He complied then rolled down his window.
“Congratulations, boy or girl?”
“Thanks, too early to tell.”
And that is the story of how he quit smoking and later became a Godfather.