One block from home, nearly 2pm. I’ve hit my pre-naptime wall of energy and ability to carry on conversation – ready for Ali to go to sleep and me to not have to say a word for a few hours and recoup, all while getting work done, of course.
Not that Ali’s been any trouble – but it’s just that my body has adapted to getting a break every day at naptime, and so it starts shutting down a few minutes before it should. Doesn’t yours?
That’s what I thought
One block from home. I slow down for the stop sign, then keep going.
I look out of the corner of my eye. Something is to the right that has never been there before.
A police car.
Arghhh.
I might as well go ahead and pull off. I know what he’s doing there. Sure enough, I see the full array of primary colored flashing lights heading my way.
One block from home.
I pull over to the side of the road.
“Mommy! What are you doing?!?”
“There’s a police car behind me. He wants me to stop.”
“I don’t want you to stop! I want you to stay on the road!”
”I have to obey the police man.”
I wrestle my license out of the stupidly difficult sleeve in my wallet, and am all ready. He’s still in his car, taking his sweet time.
Ali continually repeats that she wants me to stay on the road.
Mr. Police is still showing no sign of getting out of his car – I’m assuming he’s running my tag. How long of a criminal record do I have?!
Ali continues to question my decisions, and I remember how every time I slow down quickly, she asks me if I’m slowing down because a policeman is behind me, and start hoping that she doesn’t say something to that effect to Mr. Police, if he ever decides to get out of his car.
“Mommy! I want to go home!!!”
“I know baby – so do I – but the police man wanted us to stop. We have to wait on him.”
Wait, wait, wait some more. I feel myself aging from the stress and the agonizing wait – somewhat akin to being a kid and waiting in my room for my Mom to come spank me.
Seriously – how long can this take? Is he calling backup to help with my seriously dangerous self and my oh-so-threatening three-year-old?
I start reminiscing about my first speeding ticket, right after I turned 17. I was gifted with it in no-man’s-land Alabama on my way home from a family camping trip. To prevent my insurance from going up, I went back to no-man’s-land Alabama for my court date, dressed in my nicest suit and with my Dad in tow.
Everyone else in court that day was bafflingly inappropriate, such as the guy who was there on DUI charges that showed up wearing house slippers and a t-shirt that said “DUI – Dean of the University of Intoxication”.
Anyway, the judge let me off without a word of defense, most presumably because I didn’t come in wearing a t-shirt mocking his justice system.
I’m jolted back to my current situation…“Mommy! Please quit stopping! I want to go home!”
I look in my rearview mirror. He’s still sitting in his car – he’s – what? He pulls back onto the road.
He pulls up next to me – I roll down my window.
He says quickly as he keeps driving,“I’ve got to go answer a call. Be sure to stop next time!”
“I will – umm….thanks!”
I thank God (and the criminal that needed chasing down worse than I did) several times under my breath and start driving.
“But Mommy, he said to STOP!!!!! I want you to stop!! Why are you driving?”
“NEXT time – he said to stop NEXT TIME.”
“Ooooh…next time. Be sure to stop next time, Mommy. I wanna go home.”
Ohhhh my word….i'm horrible about that…i'm really happy that you got off easy! I've heard the fine for that is whoppin! lol
Whew! Close one.
Oh man. Although, in your defense, if he has ever had a three year old on the verge of missing naptime, he might've understood.
That's awesome…I got one once when I was trying to get home because 3 yr old Emilee HAD TO GO. Not only did I get a ticket, I was absolutely furious because even though I told him why I was speeding, he took so long that she had an accident in the carseat. I was NOT AMUSED!
That's great that he let you go!
I bet you really enjoyed your "nap time" today!
So glad you didn't get the ticket. What is the naptime you keep speaking of? I don't know that I ever had such at my house. LOL…no, really….
Wow! Busted and reprieved all in one fell swoop! Nice!
I am religious about nap time and totally know about that mind turning off a few minutes before it's been trained to. Yay for getting out of a ticket!
Awww, that was a close one! I got a speeding ticket not too long ago in my hubby's homestate of Arkansas. I guess in AR they drive SLLLLOOOOOW, even on highways. I was going 65 on a highway (a normal speed for a Cali highway) and apparently the limit was 45. Did I mention this was a highway? Anyway, I just paid the ticket. It cost me $115. Ahhhhh.
Rachel that is so funny! Sometimes it is good to have questioning kids in the car.
We got pulled over one Sunday night on the way to church. The cop comes to the window..Ryan was speeding..that was obvious..we were running late as usual. Gracie is in the back going "why is the policeman here, what did you do daddy, does he know we are going to church, am I going to be late for church?" The cop heard it all and tried not to crack up..I was silently praying and he let us go with a warning. woo hoo!!
Girl, you got lucky! And thank goodness for Ali always letting you know what's up!
Lucky mommy!
Lucky duck!!!
And may I ask what happened to the DUI guy wearing that shirt?
Lucky one! The only ticket I've ever received was when I was 16 on my way back from Nashville. I was going 89 in a 70 (oops :)) The cop DID NOT let me off nicely. A $200 fine PLUS my license revoked for three months(since I was still 16 I guess)…not to mention my birthday was included in those three months. I've never gotten one since!
I'm with Lianne. If he knows what it's like when a little one is ready for a nap- he would have felt so sorry for you he'd let you go for sure!
Just being in a closed in car with a talkative three year old should be enough for a 'get out of jail free card'!
You completely lucked out! I never get lucky like that.
Yikes! Glad you didn't get a ticket! I got one my first one ever when K was a few months old. No fun!
I'm so glad you didn't get a ticket. Ali would have had a field day with that! She is the cutest kiddo EVER.