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One of the things I really despised about the Bush administration was their undermining of civil liberties. It hit me in mid February that by using magic to peek into the past or into people's houses, I'm going above and beyond the things I found to be despicable with the post 9-11 violations of privacy--as well as the protection the Constitution grants with respect to the right to not have search and seizure occur without due cause. Yes, I've managed to catch some very bad people by using magic in this capacity, but I've also turned up nothing and just intruded all over people's privacy--and rights and freedoms. I tried quitting using magic in the line of duty, but it's just too easy and too tempting. Sure I can do more good by cheating, but at what cost?
I thought about it long and hard this weekend (over three bottles of wine), and I've turned in my request for a leave of absence from the Saint Claire Police Department. It's been accepted and I'm almost finished with turning over all of my open cases--I'd been prepping the paperwork for the transfer most of February instead of taking lunches and breaks. They think I've just burned out on police work, as it does to a lot of cops--who try to see if they can eat their gun and pull the trigger twice. Fortunately that's not the case with me.... Though I suppose being a homicide detective has wearied my soul a bit. It's not easy dealing with some of the worst of humanity, and the most brutal of acts, on a daily basis and thinking that it won't have any effect on you.
It does.
For the time being, I'm going to fall back into the antique business and put my Comp Sci degree to use creating an internet storefront for Kenward's Curios in additional to the brick-and-mortar store. I can develop that source of revenue to make up for what income I'll be losing from quitting the force, and I don't feel bad about using a little magic to find and buy overlooked treasures at estate sales and finding them new homes--and turn a good profit in the process. It will also give me an excuse to pick up the occasional occult books and artifacts as I come across them.
I feel as if I'm retreating a bit from the world. And maybe I am for a little while. But I need to find my center.
I thought about it long and hard this weekend (over three bottles of wine), and I've turned in my request for a leave of absence from the Saint Claire Police Department. It's been accepted and I'm almost finished with turning over all of my open cases--I'd been prepping the paperwork for the transfer most of February instead of taking lunches and breaks. They think I've just burned out on police work, as it does to a lot of cops--who try to see if they can eat their gun and pull the trigger twice. Fortunately that's not the case with me.... Though I suppose being a homicide detective has wearied my soul a bit. It's not easy dealing with some of the worst of humanity, and the most brutal of acts, on a daily basis and thinking that it won't have any effect on you.
It does.
For the time being, I'm going to fall back into the antique business and put my Comp Sci degree to use creating an internet storefront for Kenward's Curios in additional to the brick-and-mortar store. I can develop that source of revenue to make up for what income I'll be losing from quitting the force, and I don't feel bad about using a little magic to find and buy overlooked treasures at estate sales and finding them new homes--and turn a good profit in the process. It will also give me an excuse to pick up the occasional occult books and artifacts as I come across them.
I feel as if I'm retreating a bit from the world. And maybe I am for a little while. But I need to find my center.
