Now I pretty much just hit autopilot when I get in my truck and set off for the gym. My mind was mulling over what I would do at the gym, what I ate last night, and how many calories were in it. A quick look in my rearview mirror revealed a dark blue SUV behind me. Another quick look told me that it was a Police SUV. A third look and his blue lights were flashing. I pulled over thinking to myself, "Hmm, I wonder what I was doing wrong?"
The police officer approaches me and says,"Now I could let go that you were going 50 in a 35 and even that you were going 40 in a 25, but when you also rolled through the stop sign too, I had to pull you over. License and registration please."
As I take out my identification from the glove compartment, he asks me if I am on my way to work. I replied that I was going to the gym and then going to work because I have a two hour delay. He asked me when the last time was that I had a ticket and where I worked. I told him I worked at CRES and that I honestly couldn't remember when I had last received a ticket (Thinking back now, about five years). He proceeded to call in my name and birthdate to find out more about my driving record. As he is waiting for the response from the police station he starts asking me questions like it is the Spanish Inquisition.
"What do you do at CRES? Where is CRES? What grades are the kids in? How many students are there? How many teachers are there?" I answer all of his questions and am finally saved by the police station dispatcher calling him back saying something to the effect that there are no points off of my license.
So the officer turns to me and says, I am going to give you four choices here...
1) I wont give you the ticket for going 50 in a 35, or for going 40 in a 25, but I will give you the ticket for rolling through the stop sign and yell at you for being an idiot.
2) I wont give you the ticket for going 50 in a 35, or for rolling through the stop sign, but I will give you the ticket for going 40 in a 25 and yell at you for being an idiot.
3) I wont give you the ticket for going 40 in a 25 , or for rolling through the stop sign, but I will give you the ticket for going 50 in a 35 and yell at you for being an idiot.
At this point I started to chuckle because I am thinking to myself, "He should yell at me for being an idiot."
He says, "I'm not done yet. Choice number four is that you need to stop and buy the teachers at the school donuts and muffins today. So which choice do you want?"
I eagerly told him that I would gladly go with choice #4. He asked if someone for CRES would need to call him to prove that I had really bought the muffins and donuts. I told him I would have someone do that if he really wanted. He told me that I looked like an honest enough guy and to just be sure to slow down and come to a complete stop at all stop signs. As I drove off towards the gym I realized what a bargain he just gave me. He could have easily given me a pretty hefty ticket which would go in the Windham coffers, but instead he decided that he would indirectly do something nice for the teachers here at CRES. So, everyone, enjoy the goodies on me.
