My Life As A Criminal

If you read my last post, you know I was pulled over on my way to do some awesome Black Friday shopping. No, I wasn't speeding. I had a headlight out! I mistakenly thought that it was just a courtesy stop keeping me and the public safe. But there was more to it. I was issued a warning and instructions that I had five days to get the headlight replaced. Then I needed to find an officer to verify the repair and then send the warning in to the county courthouse, all by December 10th.

The tricky part was how am I going to find an officer? Do I hope I run into one at the gas station or a donut shoppe? If there is an officer in the median checking speeds with a radar, can I drive up to him/her and ask? If a state patrol has someone pulled over, can I simply pull up behind the state patrol and wait? Should I sneak up on the one that hides in the park in our neighborhood and knock on his window? Or do I simply try driving 90 mph down Highway 41 until I get pulled over. When the officer approaches I can say, "Thank goodness you finally caught up with me Officer! I need this warning signed!"

All of these options were swimming through my head as I drove to the city with the best professional football team in the whole wide world. I thought of it while I shopped and wasted time before the Subaru dealership opened and I thought of it while I waited outside the Subaru dealership for it to open.

The dealership got me in right away and just as expected, it took 1.5 hours to replace the bulb. When I was leaving, my check engine light, brake light and traction control light all came on and started flashing so it was back in the garage for a quick fix.

On the way home I saw that a state patrol officer had someone pulled over near the exit for my home. Should I stop? No, that's probably not the best idea. Pick up speed and see if he follows me? No, probably not the best idea either.

When I got home, my daughter was awake after taking a power nap from our last shopping adventure. We went out to get one more gift on our list. While we were out, I was trying to convince my daughter to go with me to various police stations that I thought I could locate.  She said I was getting obsessed and I was!  I couldn’t have this hanging over my head any longer! I am not a criminal!! So as we drove through the city on the way home, I saw the sign for the police station and I followed it.

Once inside the police station I told the woman behind the bullet proof glass that I had received a warning because my headlight was out but it was fixed now so I needed an officer to verify and sign my warning. She seemed to know exactly what I was talking about so I slid my warning through the little slot.

She entered some information in the computer and told us to have a seat and the next available officer would help us.  So there I sat with my teenage daughter, on the naughty bench in the middle of a police station.

We didn’t wait too long before a very nice officer came out and helped us. They don’t mess around with this! He came out to the car with us and checked both the regular and high beams.  Once satisfied that all was well, he signed my warning and I was once again on the right side of the law. My life as a fugitive from justice lasted exactly 12.5 hours.  I couldn’t take it any longer!!

Now the good news was that my teenage daughter got to experience not only a traffic stop but also got to see the inside of a police station, all on Black Friday. That's what a Mom is for, right?

Keep on smiling!