The gas light was NOT on when I pulled into the driveway last night. But when I turn the ignition key this morning? It is. Go figure.
“Impossible” I sputter, cursing evil fairies that siphon in the wee hours.
Busted (Yeah Me) by allie taylor
Today’s a very special day, no extra time for a fill-up. And it doesn’t help that Hudson’s moving at a snail’s pace. He knows we’re in a hurry, conveniently won’t budge. Then loads his pants, necessitating a diaper change at the last nano-second. As I heave him up into his car seat, he carries not an ounce of his thirty-nine pounds.
Now the gas light’s on. But if we stop, we’ll be too late.
“We’ll just have to make it on fumes,” I fume.
Heading north, coasting often, I nervously watch the gas gauge. Ten minutes pass, a police car blows by in the left lane, then slows abruptly in the distance. The traffic does too. I check the gas gauge, avoid pressing the gas pedal, coast along for a while. Now I’m several lengths behind the officer. I switch lanes, we ride in tandem. I coast slightly ahead.
That’s my first mistake. But I don’t realize it ‘til I glance in the rearview mirror. Really? Please not today. No time for a blue light special. But the blue lights are flashing. Busted (Yeah Me).
“May I see your license and registration m’aam?”
I fumble in the glovebox.
“Why are you stopping me?”
“Speeding.”
Movie scenes flash. I rack my gray cells for citizen’s arrest protocol. Because isn’t he the one who just flew by ME?
“Gee, Officer Krupke, now that’s a tad unfair.” (I think that anyway.)
And aloud, “Can I ask you a favor? Could you hurry please? Today’s an important day at school.”
And that’s my second mistake. Obliging, he quickly returns in two minutes flat with a $155 speeding ticket. My first ticket. Ever.
Numbly I pull back onto the highway, rueing that I watched the gas gauge and not the speedometer.
My uncooperative sack of potatoes and I finally arrive, scrambling into the school assembly room just in time.
My oldest son (his mother nearly a felon) is up on stage now, repeating his vows as the newest inductee…of the National Honor Society. (Oh the irony.)
Ok, so I told on me. You gonna tell on you? (Oh come on, confession is good for the soul.)
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Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says
Oh my gosh! At least you made it to the ceremony. My first ever speeding ticket was two years ago…the first full week of my new job. I got pulled over for speeding and cried on my way to work. Worst day ever!
Linda Jenkins says
My worst experience was a warning, not for speeding, but for noise pollution. My first husband’s car broke down in Hudson. I had to drive there to get him. I hadn’t driven 5 minutes when my muffler broke, and my car could be heard moving noisily along. Out of nowhere (where are the police when you need them) a policeman turned on his light and pulled me over. I explained my situation, he gave me a written warning, and told me to have it fixed. When I asked if I might be stopped again as I made my way to Hudson, he said I might be and if so, would be given another warning. Needless to say, I was so nervous and embarrassed. Fortunately, there were no more policemen to issue warnings, and I did get the muffler repaired the very next day. Congratulations to Jonathan; I am so proud of him.
Ginger Worrell says
Oh poor Allie, but I’m so glad you made it in time to see Jonathan inducted into the National Honor Society. I know he won’t remember us, but do give him a hearty congratulations and a handshake and tell him it is from the Worrell family. You must be so proud. From experience, don’t just pay the ticket but go to Court and calmly explain your predictament with getting the ticket……gas tank low, little guy who was not cooperative…..plead with your eyes, not your mouth. You may luck out and get a judge with children who understands completely. Wishing you the best.
Oh, just tell you, I got my King George catalog in the mail (from your earlier post) and it is very addictive. I will have to be very careful looking at it or I”ll have a kitchen full of “I wants” instead of “I needs”!!
Love y’all. ginger & gang
Ginger Worrell says
Allied, I left out the most important part of my comment, TAKE HUDSON WITH YOU. Who can resist this sweet child. The judge will have to see your side!
Tracy says
Not a fun ride. So glad you made it in time! I also had to coast on that same road on empty! So stressful! I’ve been stopped maybe twice and was able to avoid a ticket. Just rambled and got out of it. One time I was able to save Dave from getting a speeding ticket too!
Mike says
This cracks me up. What a great story.
Susie says
Not that speeding is a good thing, but I always wonder why the officers of the law don’t pull the person who made the illegal (and unsafe) left-hand turn right in front of the “NO LEFT-HAND TURN” sign?!!! That’s my vent for the day. 🙂 I will never forget our trip to NYC…we were in a rental car and had just breezed through NJ and several gas stations, (me) thinking that we had enough gas to get into the city, when we hit rush hour in the Lincoln Tunnel. As we’re watching the gas gauge, we happened to notice the “gentleman” behind us hitting his steering wheel, the roof of his car (whatever was within arm’s distance), yelling and screaming. What was he going to do about the traffic?! Then we started to wonder, “What was he going to do to US if we ran out of gas right in front of him?!” Thankfully, the Lord got us to a gas station and out of his arm’s reach!!
Aunt pinkie says
Oh, Allie-what a bunch of mixed emotions-frustration, fear, mortification, and pride over Jonathan’s induction into the National Honor Society!
I love the idea of taking Hudson with you when you face the judge! My first ticket which
I fortunately avoided was when I was in Deerfield, MA, driving a school car, going home late at night. There was a blinking light at the crossroad, I slowed but didn’t fully stop, seeing a car away down on the main road-well, of course, that was a police car. When they pulled me over, I was almost home, I was frantic-I needed to be able to drive as I would take boys to appointments, and at that moment, was desperate to go to he bathroom! When the two officers came to the car door, I blurted out, ‘am so sorry, officer, but I HAVE to go to the bathroom!’ They looked at each other then said, ‘well, er, OK’-and I could barely pull into the driveway and get inside to do just that! Whew!
Allie says
Laughing so hard I am CRYING! Why oh why didn’t I think of that? “But officer, I have to go to the bathroom! Bad!”
Laura Cook says
What a wonderful but oh-so-relatable story, Allie! AND, love Aunt Pinkie & her responses even though we have never met!
Jon says
It was my senior year in high school, and I was on the way to visit my girlfriend in RI. Really wanted to get down there to see her…so…I was going 76 in a 55 when I drove by a police car hiding behind an overpass. I pulled over to the right and slowed down, but didn’t see him at first until I looked up again and he was right behind me. It was apparent when he walked up that he was very angry. He was also very large. He wrote me a $231 speeding ticket. The worst part was that I had just won the NH Operation Driver Excellence competition and was getting ready to fly to Indianapolis for the nationals. Except that my speeding ticket disqualified me. Ouch. Then I had to tell my driving instructor. Anyway, my girlfriend later became Mrs. Through Her Looking Glass, who never had a speeding ticket until…