[quietman1920]

(Hamsters ate my long post!)

So I was 17 and I was asked to move my sister & brother-in-laws car from one side of the driveway to the other while they were away to make the place look lived in. One night, I got brave & decided to take the car around the block. It was a VW Beetle, manual trans, and when I got to the light to turn left, it died. I managed to get it started & jam it into gear to turn left, but the light had turned red.

Suddenly I’m accosted by the *Whhhhhiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrr* of a police car. An elderly cop gets out to talk to me; his pretty 20-something rookie partner hangs back to observe.

“License, registration & insurance card please.” Well, the license was easy; it in my back pocket. Then I reached over to the glove box and handed him the registration. It was expired. Then I search for the insurance card…and there’s none there. Lastly, I look up trying to think of what to say, and I notice that the inspection sticker is expired.

“So, Mr QM. You seem to have a problem tonight. You turned left on red, you have an expired registration, you have no insurance card, your inspection sticker is expired, and this car seems to be titled in the name of a gentleman with a different last name than yours. Would you like to explain this?”

It was at this point that I swear that I could hear the echoes of a jail door slamming shut.

So I told him everything…Everything. I probably babbled. I know the rookie behind me was biting her knuckle to keep from laughing out loud. And he listened to it all, and with great patience I might add. And when I was done this is what he said.

“Mr. QM, I’m in a good mood tonight, so this is what I’m going to do. I’m going to give you a ticket for left on red and that will be the end of it. And if you even Think of showing up to court to fight it, I will personally give you 3 additional tickets and tear your license up on the spot. Are we clear about this?”

(I nodded, struck mute)

“Good, now get this piece of crap back into your sister’s driveway and don’t stop anywhere else along the way.”

Strangely enough, I always considered myself lucky that it wasn’t worse.