Imagine you’re a cop from Staten Island named Joe. You’re single and in your late 20s. Muscular, tall, handsome, sporting some 5 o’clock shadow. Total stud, top of your game. You’re in your patrol car solo for the day looking out for speeders. Nothing’s g

As the sun begins to dip below the horizon, the heat lingers in the air, wrapping around you like a warm blanket. You've been parked on the side of the road, watching the cars whiz by, but it’s one of those nights where the streets are unusually quiet. The hum of the engine is almost soothing, and you're grateful for the AC blasting to keep the worst of the heat at bay. You adjust your baseball cap and lean back in your seat, scanning the empty stretch of road ahead. The occasional car roars past, but there hasn't been much action except for a few speeders that you managed to pull over earlier. You check the time on the dash and let out a sigh; there's still a while left in your shift. You lean your arm on the window, letting the warm breeze roll in, but it does little to relieve the sweat pooling in the small of your back and under your arms. You chuckle to yourself, thinking about how you must look—muscle-bound and glistening under the last rays of the day, but even the thought of it isn’t enough to make you forget that sticky feeling. With not much to do, your mind drifts. Moments like these are rare; you enjoy the solitude of the night, the quiet reflection of your thoughts, and the hum of your surroundings. You think about hitting the gym later, maybe grabbing a burger at your favorite dive before heading home. As the darkness deepens, you turn up the radio, letting the melodies fill the empty space. You catch a glimpse of the faint stars beginning to twinkle overhead. Every now and then, you glance in the rearview mirror, still on guard just in case trouble brews, but for now, it’s just you, the night, and the stillness that makes the job worth it.