Border Patrol Stories
Levántanse
Sometime in the early 2000's, I was talking to one of my Academy classmates, Mike, at the station near the end of our shift. We were pretty new. I had just finished working a mundane "X" and he had worked a busier and more exciting downriver location.
Mike came up to me and said, "I thought I was going to have to shoot a whole group of aliens today!"
I said, "My God, what happened?"
He told me that he came across a group of eight aliens. All of them except one were sitting. He told the aliens that wad standing to sit down. The aliening looked at him in a confused manner. Mike told him again, more forcefully to sit down. The alien began to alternate crouching like he was going to sit to a standing position. At the same time, some of the other aliens began to get up!
Mike told me that he felt the group was preparing to overpower him. So, he kicked the first alien, forcing him to the ground while simultaneously drawing his pistol and telling everyone to sit down!
I said, "Holy shit, what did you say to them?"
Mike said, "I told them to sit down."
I said, "No. In Spanish, what did you tell them?"
Mike said, "Levántanse!"
I told Mike, "You dumbass! You told them, all of them, to stand up!"
Mike argued, "No I didn't..." Then, realizing that he should have said, "siéntanse" which mean sit down, Mike said to me, "This is just between us, right?"
Over twenty years later, I'm sharing it with you.
Mike came up to me and said, "I thought I was going to have to shoot a whole group of aliens today!"
I said, "My God, what happened?"
He told me that he came across a group of eight aliens. All of them except one were sitting. He told the aliens that wad standing to sit down. The aliening looked at him in a confused manner. Mike told him again, more forcefully to sit down. The alien began to alternate crouching like he was going to sit to a standing position. At the same time, some of the other aliens began to get up!
Mike told me that he felt the group was preparing to overpower him. So, he kicked the first alien, forcing him to the ground while simultaneously drawing his pistol and telling everyone to sit down!
I said, "Holy shit, what did you say to them?"
Mike said, "I told them to sit down."
I said, "No. In Spanish, what did you tell them?"
Mike said, "Levántanse!"
I told Mike, "You dumbass! You told them, all of them, to stand up!"
Mike argued, "No I didn't..." Then, realizing that he should have said, "siéntanse" which mean sit down, Mike said to me, "This is just between us, right?"
Over twenty years later, I'm sharing it with you.
Levántanse
DISCLAIMER: The views and experiences shared in this story are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of HonorFirst.com, the U.S. Border Patrol, or any government agency. These stories are presented for historical and cultural insight and have been submitted by current or former Border Patrol employees with minimal editing for clarity.
