Friday, February 19, 2010

"Well, hello there officer"

So I'm singing "In Christ alone" crusing down the street on my way to good ol' Kohls... just like any other normal day. Ava is happily singing with me in the backseat all strapped in looking like an overstuffed yellow marshmallow, of course. What a good day. Good weather, good tunes, good destination.

We pass a State Patrol car, so I turn to smile at him - that is what good citizens do, am I right? Then I look in the rear view mirror... "oh, the patrol car pulled into my lane", interesting. In my mind I'm thinking, "oh I bet that guy behind me was speeding, ouch!". I notice as the patrol car passes "that guy" and then speeds up behind me - lights turn on... {gulp}. In my mind I'm thinking something is hanging off of my car - its super snowy and chunks everywhere...maybe my headlight is out (er...its daytime...can't be that) or perhaps a tire is in bad shape and I don't know it. I was 5 under the speed limit and have no idea why I'm getting pulled over.

The officer approaches my car and of course my window is broken so I have to open the door. HUMILIATING! "Ma'am, today is safety (something er other) day and I noticed you didn't have your seat belt on, {note: at this point in time I DID have it on... seeing the officer reminded me those few minutes prior} are you in the habit of not wearing your seat belt?" And so we chatted back and forth, me being honest and even confessing that as soon as I saw him I buckled up because he reminded me. (yes, I do confess things when I'm nervous) He took my info and walked back to his car. Lovely. And on pay day too... I've never gotten a ticket.

5 Minutes later he returned and let me know it was going to be a warning, but... "wear your seatbelt". I thanked him profusely and drove away. Inside my head I'm thinking, "Oh thank you Lord that I buckled Ava in FULLY today". Her seat has a ton of clips and buckles and sometimes we skimp on one of them... I know, I know... horrible mother award. But, I've learned my lesson and I'm pretty sure I would be sitting in Jail had I not taken the time to do that this morning!

6 comments:

jingalls said...

I know it's not that nice to laugh at other people's misfortune, but it is funny that you of all poeple would get pulled over. Glad you got off with a warning.

Amy@My Front Porch said...

I, too, confess things when I'm nervous. And police officers make me nervou, even if I HAVEN'T really done anything wrong!

Glad it was just a warning!!

Tiffany said...

Oh my! I would have freaked! And I am absolutely strict about seat belts. Everything has to be perfectly fastened and clipped on every body in the car! My mom was that way too. Jim never wore his seat belt when we were dating, and since we have been married until probably about two years ago I would have to remind him to wear it. It's a pretty standard thing here. So standard that Cadi started telling daddy "I love you. Drive safely. Wear your seat belt." before he left for work each morning. whoops!

Tiffany said...

PS Your blog looks great! LOVE the new header!

TheMillers said...

Yeah for warnings!
And I like your new blog look too! Cute picture! It is no longer "ugly"! :)

Sally Winn-Bauer said...

Mandi - "Buckle up for safety" is used frequently when I'm driving. In 1991 I was involved in a fatal accident. I was wearing my seat belt which prevented me from being ejected through the windshield and ran over by my own car. In the other car was a young mother of two sons (they were in the car) who had not buckled up and was killed. Please take the time to buckle up before you put the car in gear. (And no more shortcuts with Miss Ava - we love watching her grow on Facebook.)

Best wishes!
Sally Winn-Bauer