OBEISANCE

February 27, 2010

Obeisance
\o-‘be-sens\ n 1: a movement of the body made in token of respect or submission : bow 2: acknowledgement of another’s superiority or importance : homage*

One show that I like to watch on occasion is the Bounty Hunter. I love the husband and wife team who look so rugged and epitomize their profession perfectly, and who are real people, dedicated to making their society a safer place by bringing perpetrators to justice.
During the course of the show, the Bounty Hunter and his team prepare you for the worst. They give you hard facts of the crimes these individuals have committed, they suit up; wearing bulletproof vests, carrying weapons to protect themselves. You are fearful for them, wishing them the best while simultaneously being grateful that you’re on the other side of the television screen.
As the episode unfolds and you are taken on a journey to find and capture the “perp,” you are slowly becoming anxious and wish that the end would just hurry up and come. You do not want to encounter a criminal that is dangerous; an individual that even your mother’s warnings did not train you for. You hold your breath as the Bounty Hunter and his team bust down his/her door, weapons drawn and as he/she raises his/her hands in obeisance, you realize that despite their violation of a law implemented to protect you as a citizen, the fear is gone, for they, at this precise moment are human beings just…like…you…

* superscript letter “e” is upside down producing sound of “uh”