Have you ever had one those awful, climatic points in your life where it feels like you are being roasted alive on a stick? Yesterday was my moment. What a roast.
- This is how it all began...
I took the opportunity to try out the 'shorter' way home for Easter. It would have been shorter. It probably would have been faster. I probably would have had a nice relaxing drive home, signed the Vulcan guest book etc etc... BUT I GOT PULLED OVER!
I noticed a lot of cops out, so I made sure to watch my speed. I came up over a hill however, and saw two cop cars with someone else they had pulled over in between them. I slowed down... and as the image began to fade away in my rear-view mirror, I saw a flash of lights. I pulled over. Out comes this swanky cop. I honestly had no idea why he had stopped me. He asks for my license and insurance and gives my a short blurb... I look up and ask, "what did you say?!" Basically he told me I had been going 80 past a flashing emergency vehicle. The speed is supposed to be 60. I said, 'What?! I didn't know that!"
He came back, handed my the stupid yellow speeding ticket. I looked at it: "$280!!! Where is this law? Is it in the driving manual? I didn't know about this law." He told me it was this new law made up in Fall 2005. He told me I could argue it in court. His face was stone cold.
Of all things, he walks away and what do I say? 'Thank you.' You know, I was one of those stupid people who say thank you to a cop for giving them a ticket. I am too freakin' polite.
I didn't cry then right then. However, it certainly built up to be my emotional release of the month. I cried in my car for the next hour home. My mom would have told me to pull over and cry. It wasn't just the ticket. It was life. One of those awful moments where you feel like all you've been doing is trying your hardest. Things finally come unraveled. These are the most painful moments. You invest so much into life, and then it all seems to ca-puts. It might sound overly dramatic, but I am ok with that.
- Revelation on Pain and Suffering
Sometimes we joke about being too emotional- but if we can show all of our joy, w
hy not show all of our pain? Pain just shows that we feel. We have felt and lived life. It is the Easter Holiday- and as we remember Christ on the cross- we see God our Father, who loves us beyond reason. His deepest expression of love was in his deepest experience of pain.- Picture
I was looking through a friend's album on facebook once. She had just arrived in a foreign country for the next month. She took a picture of herself crying. It stuck with me. I had my camera handy, so I took a picture of myself. The tears had ceased for the moment. The picture says a thousand words, or at least a couple hundred...
- Happy Easter!
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6 comments:
Aww, that is a sad story Melanie. Your sad photo makes it that much more sad!
If you have a clean driving record, and have never had a speeding ticket before, I would suggest you show up in court and tell them that, and say you hadn't heard of the new law. The worst they will say is you have to pay the ticket, but they may just be lenient and let you off the hook. It's always worth asking! Definitely do not just pay it - he sounded like a mean cop who should have been more lenient. I can't believe he wouldn't be lenient with YOU of all people. You are so innocent and non-threatening.
I was pulled over in Red Bluff, California last week for what the cop thought was a DUI. I was swerving all over the place cause I was Driving While Tired. He made me do a breathalyzer and followed his finger with my eyes and stuff, but he let me go. He told me to get to a hotel immediately and not drive, but I didn't get a ticket or anything. Cops are usually nice.
I know about that new law, probably cause I watch the news religiously, but I know tons of people who don't know about it and I've had to correct them while being a passenger in their cars - so you aren't alone. I slow down to 40-ish when passing any cop/ambulance/firetruck just to be safe.
Sorry to hear about your sad easter :(
Go fight your case in court!
--Dave
I'm sorry about your emotional encounter with the law. I agree with Dave that you should a least show up for your court date. They often take pity on students and will reduce the fine. I was not aware of this law myself, interesting.
I'm sorry things seem a little heavy for you right now. I admire that you don't ignore your emotion, but you embrace it.
Mel I may have laughed in your kitchen corner upon reading your blog…however I do hope you remember how sad and sympathetic the laugh was. It was coming from some one who as also experienced the long arm of the law…the radar of the law that is. While you may have beaten me with your ticket $ you also have beaten me at many other things. Like take 2 and Dutch blitz.
I appreciate your ability to bear you heart down to the soul in that picture. Not just anyone can capture a moment like that on film. Even if you could not have verbalized your feeling at the moment the look does say it all.
I am glad Cody is alive.
Thanks for leaving your mark on my blog. I have decided not to think about missing you yet but at some point I will...basically I am just waringing you that you will be talking on the phone with me when you leave the city...so get mentally perpaired for that! Ok? It was swell to see you running around and around and around tonight. I was wishing I could call you in for a sub. I'm going to eat food now.
haha... the sad picture actually worked! I have to say that I was skeptical (and I was expecting more puffiness), but your blog did a radtastic job of summarizing the sad story! esp. the part about pain and love!! I'm reading the book you gave me for Christmas Mel, and it is FANTASTIC! It is all about God as LOVE, and to be like children as He wants us, we DO have to feel all sides of our emotions- it's all about being dependant like a child, becuase that childlike vulnerability is necessary for our hearts to actually fully receive His Love! (which is think is sooo cool, becuase this is like being our REAL selves, not afraid to show our flaws and our positives!) anyway- i'll stop blabbing- butttt- know that I love YOU!
t
that's the good thing about Lethbridge -- the wind is always at your back.
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