Sometimes You Do Have to Stop

Today, Sharon & I had to go over to one of the courthouses in town for something relative to one of the classes we offer. We talked to the judge and then I think to the deputy clerk. As I was talking to her, it somehow came up that I had been in that very courtroom a few years ago to fight a traffic ticket. Suddenly, it seemed, she had to go.

As I was telling Sharon this story, it became evident that maybe that clerk thought I was one of those People Who Fight Traffic Tickets. Really, I am not. Just go back with me a few years and you will see that I am not. I just had to, you know? And at the time, it seemed like something I wouldn't ever do - go to the courthouse and raise a stink, I mean.

It was 8:00 am on a dark, rainy morning. The kids were at school, and I was taking a friend of mine to the airport so she could fly to Massachusetts to visit her parents. I was driving carefully along the rain slicked road, car ahead of me, car behind me. I approached the intersection, and the light started to turn yellow. I was faced with a split second decision. Do I stop and risk being rear-ended, or do I go ahead when the light could change to red? Recall that we were headed to the airport. All of these factors exploded in my brain and resulted in an extra pump to the pedal. It looked as if we had made it through with ease. But no, down the road a cop pulled out after the cop at the intersection radioed ahead. I think it's what you would call a sting operation. Now, would you take this lying down? It seemed like I had a credible story, not to mention a witness. So to the courthouse I went to defend myself with my witness. Unfortunately, the Magistrate did not fall for my story.

Stay tuned for the story of when I got stopped for DUI.

Okay, I can't wait another day and let you think I would ever drink & drive.

One night, I was coming home at 9pm after working at the bookstore. I was thinking about something that had just happened at work when I stopped at a red light. As I was sitting there, I noticed the light changing from green to red and then I had to sit through a whole other red light. I saw a cop sitting there at the intersection and he followed me. Then the old flashing lights went on and I pulled over. I rolled down my window, and passed the coherency test not to mention I had my name tag on from the Christian bookstore. He said he was just checking. I said something or rather about being glad he was watching out.

This is still one of my favorite t-shirts of Edward's:


I long for the day!