my run-in with the law

I haven't had too many experiences with law enforcement. If I remember correctly, I've gotten two tickets since I've had my driver's license: one for speeding and one for not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign. I was brought up to believe that law enforcement is for our protection and that we need to respect officers. I have had a conversation with one person who "hates" law enforcement officers because of a previous bad experience, so I know that opinion is out there as well.

A couple of nights ago my sister said she didn't have any gas in her 4Runner. I offered to go and fill it up. I have driven this vehicle once before, and I didn't mind driving it again. It's got a cool gps system that keeps me occupied while I'm driving (think cat looking at a laser dot - I know, unsafe). Anyway, I get to the gas station and try unsuccessfully to open the gas tank door thingie. I try to figure out how to open it for a few minutes and finally swallow my pride and call my sister. I have an early recollection of me trying unsuccessfully to turn on a lawnmower at my uncle's house. I had to get him to help me and his words have stuck with me ever since: "You have to be smarter than the machine." I wasn't smarter than the 4Runner this evening.

I get the gas tank full and start for home. I get to a stoplight and turn left. I notice the cop car in front of me waiting for cars to go by. I check to make sure I'm going at an appropriate speed and I realize I don't have the lights of the 4Runner on. I frantically try to figure out where they are (I did have them on on the way to the gas station), but once again the 4Runner is smarter than I am and I don't figure out the lights until after I pass the policeman. By that time he is behind me with his lights on.

I don't want to stop on the road - there really is no shoulder - so it takes a while for me to come to a place where I can turn in. At this point, I'm thinking the officer is going to be mad because I didn't stop right away. I pull into the first parking space I find which happens to be a handicapped spot. At this point, my mind goes back to 20 minutes before when I thought to myself that I should get my wallet from my truck, but decide not to because I'm just going to the gas station a few blocks away and my sister has given me her credit card to pay with. So, I park the vehicle and to be polite or because of some other unknown reason open the door of the 4Runner. If you don't know, you're not supposed to do that. The officer was yelling at me to not come out of the car and to stay where I was. I think I instinctively put my hands in the air (insert crude racial joke here). The officer comes to the now open door, introduces himself, and says he needs to see my license and registration. I reply, "I'm sorry - I don't have it with me. This is my sister's car and I just went to fill it up with gas. My wallet is in my truck." The officer then asks me for my sister's name, and I give it to him. He tells me to wait in the 4Runner.

As he's walking away, I begin to shake my head because I realize I gave him my sister's maiden name and not her married name. Thoughts of me spending the night in jail begin forming in my head. A few minutes pass and the officer comes back to where I am. He asks, "What did you say your sister's name was?" I correct my mistake and tell him that she recently married. He then says, "That's better." He tells me to never get out of the vehicle when I'm being stopped because it freaks officers out. He then asks me if I have the lights figured out. I say yes. And then he asks how far I have to go to be home. I tell him a couple of blocks. He lets me go.

He never asked my name. There's really no moral to this story or reason for me to tell it other than I was really lucky and I still thinks cops are pretty good people.

Thanks for reading.