21 Jump Street (Tom Hanson)

Night Out with the Team: Tom's Version

April 1987

Our shifts had just ended, but I was having trouble properly filling out some paperwork from a bust I had earlier in the week. I tried not to ask for help, but I guess my struggle was obvious because Mickey was kind enough to stay late to help me out.

I thanked her and she left. As I was preparing to leave myself, Jenko popped out of his office and called me over. Even though we were the only ones left in the chapel, I walked over to his office and shut the door.

"What's going on, Jenko?" I asked.

"We are having a dinner tonight with the team, you in?"

"Yeah, that sounds fun," I said. It was a little pathetic how fast I agreed to it. And I was a little offended that I was not invited earlier.

"Great. Oh, do you have everyone's phone number yet?"

"No?" I did not know that I needed them.

"Here." He tossed me a paper with everyone from Jump Streets contact information on it. "Write this down, you may need it down the road."

I took the pen and paper that he offered me and wrote down all the numbers as quickly as I could. Mine was at the very bottom of the list, but I obviously didn't need that one. I planned to put them all in my contact book when I got home.

"We are going to meet that the restaurant on Park Street at six, you dig?" He sat at his desk and fiddled with one of the many brightly colored desk toys he had.

"Dig." I raised my eyebrows as Jenko stood up and walked over toward me.

"Great, I'll see you there," he said and flicked my chest. I sensed that he was kicking me out so I took my paper with the phone numbers on it and left the chapel.

When I got home, I realized that I did not have much time to get ready for dinner. I stood in front of my bathroom mirror, scrunching my nose at my outfit choice. I had no idea how to dress. Do I dress like I usually do? Or how I'm supposed to for Jump Street? I glanced at my pomade and wanted desperately to use it, but I remembered what I endured on my first day and assumed it would be better to not use it for my first outing with the team.

I changed my shirt three times before I gave up. I grabbed the slip of paper with all the numbers so I could call for help. I told myself that I needed to put them all in my address book before I lost it. I went down the list, making mental notes to myself on why I didn't want to call a particular person. Judy talks a lot so I would not be able to hang up, Doug would probably poke fun at my question and tell everyone about it, Ioki mentioned this morning that he was going to run to the store after work so he wouldn't be home to answer the phone, and I really didn't want to call Jenko. The only logical option was Mickey. I found her name, and I dialed her phone number.

The phone rang a couple times before she answered, "it's Gregg."

"It's Hanson," I told her. I had never called her before, so I hoped that she didn't think this was strange.

She almost sounded excited. "Tom, hey! Are you coming out with us tonight?"

"Yeah, I am," I said, "I was calling to ask what I wear?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... do I still teenage-it-up?"

She chuckled softly, "no, man, we are off the clock."