Tim Cotton has been a police officer for more than thirty years. The writer in him has always been drawn to the stories of the people he has met along the way. Dealing with the standard issue ne'er-do-wells as a patrol officer, homicide detective, polygraph examiner, and later as the lieutenant in charge of the criminal investigation division certainly provides an interesting backdrop--but more often he writes about the regular folks he encounters, people who need his help, or those who just want to share a joke or even a sad story. These are stories about the people, place, and things of Maine. There are sad stories, big events, and even the very mundane, all told from the perspective of a seasonded police officer and in the wry voice of a lifelone Mainer. many of the stories will leave you chuckling, some will bring tears to your eyes, but all will give you a profound sense of hope and positivity.