As a cop’s wife, one of the first things you learn is to speak 10 code. These are the codes police departments use to relay information over their scanners.
For instance, rather than asking me where I am, Doug will often inquire, “10-3?” (Translation: “What’s your location?”)
If the kids are being particularly boisterous, you will hear him roar, “HEY! 10-5!” (Translation: “Remain silent.”)
When the phone rings, it is not uncommon to hear something along the lines of, “Eva! I’ve got a 10-6 here for ya! Tell your friends not to call during dinner!”
One of the most frequently used 10-code in our home is 10-44, which in police lingo translates gently into “mental case.”
For example, “I ran into a 44 in the grocery store today.”
Or, when the children are acting like they inhaled the contents of our sugar bowl, “Stop acting like a bunch of 44s!”
Or during those blue-moon occasions that I say something outlandish or devoid of common sense: “What are you, 44?”
Today I can officially say, “As a matter of fact, I am!”
Thank you to all my friends…the greatest bunch of 44s the world has to offer.