McGee: My FBI 'interrogation'

There was a newspaper report that some agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation were in town a few weeks ago investigating a bank robbery.

It reminded me of the time I came face-to-face with a real, live FBI agent.

Grant McGee

I was kicking back one sunny High Plains afternoon at my bicycle shop when a customer came in. He seemed like an average Joe just browsing around.

“Where are you from?” I asked. I like to shoot the breeze with folks about where they're from. It lets my brain get away for a bit.

“Roswell,” said the customer.

“Oh hey,” I said. “I used to live in Roswell. What do you do down there?”

“I work for the federal government.”

Federal government? Roswell? Must be a Bureau of Land Management guy, I thought.

“So you work for the BLM?” I asked.

“No,” said the customer. “The FBI.”

A strange tingly sensation rolled over me. The theme from the 1960s TV show “The FBI” played in my head.

“So you guys are like lawyers with guns who have super psychoanalytical mind-reading powers, right?” I smiled.

Mr. FBI smiled, too.

He went on to say his college degree was in electrical engineering.

“Can I see your badge?” I asked. “I’ve only seen them on TV, like on that FBI TV show with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. or Mulder and Scully’s badges on ‘The X-Files.’”

Mr. FBI fished around in his pocket and produced his badge.

“Cool,” I said.

“So you ride a bike?” I asked. “So you’re like … normal.”

Mr. FBI gave me a sideways glance.

He bought some inner tubes and stuff and was on his way.

When I told a pal I had a customer who was an FBI agent he looked at me sideways.

“He was just shopping,” I said.

“Oh sure he was ‘just shopping,’” said my pal.

“Yeah,” I said.

At least I think he was just shopping.

Grant McGee is a long-time broadcaster and former truck driver who rides bicycles and likes to talk about his many adventures on the road of life. Contact him at his blog:

grantmcgeewrites.com