Tenuous, but related to my favourite Policeman ever.
My Godfather, although I referred to him as my Uncle throughout my life, was in the Welsh force, working in the Vice Squad for the Newport Police. I am sure there are a million stories that i could have wheedled out of him over a few beers if I still knew where he was by the time I was old enough to drink, but sadly I have no idea what became of him. He and his wife divorced when I was about 17 and he disappeared off with some police woman he'd been having an affair with. (Great example setting there, Godfather).

For my formative years, however, I worshipped the man, he was tough, he was brash, he had a laugh like thunder and I am sure he had a temper from hell. I never saw it, I could just tell it was there (and I certainly would never have put it to the test by telling him that to me, his name - Vyvian - was a girls name). To me he was a god, the archetypical gentle giant and I would have followed him anywhere with complete trust that no harm would come to me. But the reason, above all, that I still think of him so frequently, is that he introduced me to curry. Well, I had had 'curry' of sorts before, Vesta Meals or tinned chicken curry with plain rice. But this man introduced me to the joys of the Indian Takeaway. At 12 or 13 years old, we were all staying at his house on one of our biannial visits to The Valleys (um..excuse the alliteration there, it was unintentional). My parents would only allow me and my brother one basic dish and rice, saying anything else would be too much for us, so I watched jealously as Uncle Viv ordered what seemed to be everything on the menu. A jealously that turned to joy as later he proceeded to let me have as much as I wanted from his mountain of food as I explored the joys and tastes of things I had never had before.

To this day, whenever I order in an Indian restaurant, I still order exactly the same as he did to accompany whatever main dish I have. Shish Kebab, Keema Naan, Sag Aloo, Onion Bhaji and Mushroom Rice.

And I'll always raise a (these days non alcoholic) glass to that great policeman 'Uncle' Viv. Wherever he may be.
( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Fri 6 May 2011, 9:06, 3 replies)

Role models and food are the best combo. Nice story.

(boozehound is drinking your bar dry, Fri 6 May 2011, 9:54, closed)

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

I felt a warm glow and a sticky sensation
(spaffwrap indulged his power socket fetish on, Sat 7 May 2011, 18:16, closed)

Yeah, that's cos
You just had a wank....
(Sir Itchalot has a very self-referential signature, Sat 7 May 2011, 22:50, closed)