Flashing lights in the rearview mirror

When I was in high school, I went out one night with some friends and was on my way home. I remember it being a cloudy night and I was driving my mom’s car on a back country road. Another car, probably driven by an older kid, raced past me, well over the 45 mph speed limit. I sped up too. I don’t know how fast I was driving, but I bet I was easily 15 to 20 mph over the speed limit. The next thing I knew a police car with flashing lights was right behind me.

Do the crime, pay the time

I pulled my car over to the side of the road. When were both stopped, the policeman walked up to my car and asked for my drivers license and registration. He asked if I had been racing the other car. I quickly told him no. He frowned and shook his head like he didn’t believe me.

He went back to his car to check out my license. I hit my hand on the the steering wheel. I was so angry, I didn’t have the money for a ticket. I was getting ready to go off to college soon and was trying to save every penny I had.

Plus, I had never been stopped by the police before. I wasn’t sure what I might be facing. I racked my brain trying to figure out something to say to the policeman to help my case, but nothing came. I knew I was at his mercy.

When the police officer came back, he scolded me for my “reckless driving.” I remember him telling me that I could’ve killed someone. I thought for sure a ticket was coming next. I braced myself for the worst.

Doing a kind deed

Instead of pulling out a ticket, the police officer leaned over my window, replaced the gruff scowl on his face with a genuine look of concern and asked how my father was doing.

My father had a heart attack several years earlier and had been in and out of the hospital. When he was well, it seemed like we were constantly fighting. I said he was doing better, but he would be going back into the hospital soon for another heart procedure. I didn’t say much else, but I often wonder if my face gave away my feelings.

He paused for a second, put his hands through whiskers, straightened back up, and told me that he was letting me go. I was shocked. I wasn’t expecting him to say that and blurted out “thank you.” He stopped me though to tell me that he’d “send everything my way and then some” if he caught me speeding again.

He told me one more thing: to tell my father good luck.