It's a Rush.

It's quite a rush when your job as a criminal defense investigator results in an innocent person getting out of jail. The most common rush I experience on the job, however, is one that involves sugar. I would love for other investigators to pipe in on this subject. For as long as I can remember, I have made a point of consuming sugar immediately before doing an important interview. A sugar rush is especially helpful when I know that someone is inclined not to talk to me, or when I have to talk to them about something particularly bizarre. Most of the time, a criminal defense investigator needs to be up emotionally for an interview.

Historically, my sugar of choice has been a 7-11 size package of nutter butters. The sugar rush lasts about the same amount of time as the duration of the interview (one hour to be exact). The burst of energy serves to keep my thinking clear and my feet quick. Until the inevitable blood sugar low sets in as I am driving away from the interview.

Here's a study that shows that reaction times actually lower after the rush is over, and that drinking caffeinated, non-sugar beverages is best for keeping energy up throughout the day. I don't do caffeine, tho, since it makes me feel on edge. So sugar is my only weapon. The study basically confirms that the sugar rush will increase energy level for about one hour - which is as long as I need it to last.

In recent years, I'm more of a health nut, so nutter butters have been replaced with Trader Joe's juices, or Luna bars. Speaking of Trader Joe's, did you know that one of the reculsive German brothers that owns the stores was himself a kidnap victim? Did you have any idea that the money you spend at Trader Joe's was going to Germany's richest brothers? The original Joe hasn't owned the company in years. He was last found here. And for all you single folks, in addition to ready-made gourmet salads, some Trader Joe's are becoming known as a good place to shop for love.

Over the weekend, I drove with another investigator to do an interview. He suggested meeting at a donut place since, well, he's an ex-cop. I got a maple bar and ate it right away. As a result, by the time we drove to the town where the interview was to take place, I was already starting to experience a blood sugar crash. Just goes to show that timing is truly everything where sugar, interviews and subpoenas are concerned.

But all this got me thinking... perhaps my professional use of sugar is the same reason that police officers have become forever linked to donut shops. Both jobs are intense at times, and often our psyches need a little help to rise to the occasion. Perhaps cops and criminal defense investigators have more in common than I'd normally like to admit. Which means that this book would make as great of a gift for Anita Witness, as it would for your local robbery/homicide detective.