Thank You, California Highway Patrol!!
My dad made two movies for the California Highway Patrol during the late 70s.
One was Red Asphalt 2, which I’m sure some of you my age saw in Driver’s Ed. He was in it. He also made a drunk driving film starring himself, my mother, a neighbor (and me and several other neighbors as “extras”) that I haven’t seen in 30 years.
When my dad died, the CHP took over a year to post an obituary (with so many cops now, it takes them that long), that listed none of his accomplishments. To add insult to injury, they misspelled his name! Basically, it said, “he’s dead.”
Anyway, I have been putting off contacting the CHP to see if they had these in their archives, thinking they were long gone, and I was still pissed. Finally yesterday, I did. I told the media guy that I was offended at the obituary, but that I wanted these films, if I could find them, so I could honor my dad in some way. I’d pay for them. In any form.
This morning, I received this response:
I have your inquiry, and will be pleased to assist you in this matter. Today when I visit Our Academy I will stop in at our Television Production Unit and make every effort to obtain the videos on your behalf. I will also contact our various internal departments to make sure that we have the proper spelling of you father's name in any future publications, along with any issues that need to be corrected.
I was pleased. He also invited me to lunch at the Academy. Haven’t done that in 30 years either! Then this afternoon, I received this message:
The Red Asphalt was relatively easy; "What Happens to Me" presented a challenge. It was originally produced on film. Fortunately it was transferred to 3/4" video tape years ago, and it has been located.
The Television Production Unit will transfer this to DVD, and both will be forwarded to you in this format. In may take until next week.
Please send me the address you would like it mailed to, and I will personally see that it is properly routed. Look forward to meeting you, along with lunch and a tour of the Academy.
I couldn’t be more thrilled.
I never knew I could miss my dad this much, and the CHP just made up for the wrongs committed when he died.
I promise another ad tomorrow, this just thrilled me too much to not talk about.
Comments
Sam
Hugs friend!
It's really cool that in these less-than-thoughtful times, that media guy is working hard to help straighten things out and to get the films for you.
I don't think that I've seen either film but hope that I get to!