CLANTON, Ala. (WIAT) – It’s a lunch meeting that has captured national…and even international attention, but it’s not what you might be thinking. What started as a routine traffic stop in Clanton has turned into a special and unique friendship–all over the love of french fries.
Kristen Lawrence and her three year-old son Carter were pulled over by Captain Neil Fetner at a driver’s license checkpoint, Monday evening. Lawrence says that her son was excited to see the “police man” and he was quick to tell the officer something very exciting about their evening plans.
“When I was talking to mom, he let me know real quick that he was on his way to Arby’s,” laughed Fetner. He started making conversation with Carter while Kristen found her drivers license. “I said, do you like curly fries from Arby’s? And he said, yes!” said Fetner. “I was joking and I said, you going to bring me some curly fries back?”
Fetner didn’t expect to see Carter or his mother again, but 25 minutes later they showed back up with a delivery: curly fries. “And I said, ma’am I really can’t take them,” explained Fetner, “and she said, no Carter insisted. You have got to take these.”
When Lawrence and Carter had pulled into the drive-thru, he wanted to make sure that she didn’t forget about Fetner’s request. “He said, Mama–policeman needs fries,” said Lawrence. “He needs fries. He’s hungry.”
Fetner was so touched by the gesture that he wrote about it on Facebook, asking the Clanton community to help him find the little boy and his mother. The post quickly received over 650,000 comments, shares, and likes.
On Wednesday, Fetner was reunited with Carter and his mom at the Arby’s restaurant. This time, Fetner and some of his friends in law enforcement bought lunch for the Lawrence family. They even made Carter an honorary police officer. Lawrence explained that Carter wants to be a police officer when he grows up. “He’s a good man,” Fetner told Carter’s mother. “You’re raising him right.”
