When I woke up this morning I had no idea I would be arguing with a police officer to GIVE me a ticket! I couldn’t make this day up if I tried. 😉
It all began with my monthly trip to visit Fr. O’Malley at Holy Name Retreat Center in the Memorial area of Houston. I had a wonderful visit with Fr. O’Malley and ended with absolution in reconciliation. When I left Holy Name I saw that Neal had called so I called him back. As I ended the call I had turned onto Echo Lane where I knew there was a school zone and slowed down. Now granted, I might not have slowed down right when it was the school zone, but I thought I had realized it in enough time. Sure enough I saw the police car sitting in the bushes. I was already going the speed limit so I didn’t feel any concern. In fact, the only concern I had was because I still had my earphones in from being on the phone and I didn’t want the cop to think I was on the phone.
He pulled out into the street behind me but didn’t turn on his lights. Still feeling calm when I normally would be panicking at this point I drove to get on to the highway. Just as I was about to turn right and enter onto the highway the lights flashed on the police car. 🙁 I had to turn the corner because I didn’t want to stop right there and have him be in danger of getting hit and when I turned the corner he made his siren blare. “I know, I know,” I said to myself and turned into the gas station on the corner where we were off the road.
I rolled down my window and the police officer came up and introduced himself. (Now, I’ll admit this now because if I tell you this at the end you’ll only think I thought this because of the end result but he was good-looking and I need to say this because you need to picture a good-looking cop not some worn out old man who had been fighting the good fight too long.)
“I’m Officer Roye. How are you today?” he asked. Really? I thought. I wanted to say Well, I was good but I guess now I’m not looking to be doing so well. Instead I said, “Fine. Did I do something wrong?”
“Yes, you were going 31mph in a school zone,” he said matter-of-fact.
I couldn’t quite deny that…because I wasn’t for sure if I was or wasn’t but I just couldn’t help but ask, “Where was I doing 31mph?”
“About 300 yards before you saw me,” he said.
Resolved to the fact that I was busted I retrieved my insurance and drivers license without a word. “Thank you,” he said. “Hold tight.”
While we had been having this exchange my phone was vibrating so I looked at who called. It was a friend of mine that needed some advice so I texted her instead to let her know I was getting a ticket and I would call her later. I sat there for a moment and took in the situation. I hadn’t received a ticket since maybe the first year I was married, almost 16 years ago. I knew I could take defensive driving so I felt very much at peace. I checked my emails on my phone and waited on the officer to come back.
He handed me my license and insurance. “Do you work?” He asked. I’m sure I looked at him funny because this would be the most awkward time to say what I do. I answered, “Yes but not for money. I own a non-profit ministry.” I turned away and put my insurance back in the glove compartment.
He asked for my number and wrote it on the ticket then proceeded to tell me that my record was clean and I could take defensive driving and bring the proof of that to the court-house on the date specified etc. He handed me the ticket to sign and as I was writing the “S” in my signature he asked, “What is your non-profit about?”
I’ve blogged about this before. There is no easy way to tell people what I do. “I’m a rape survivor and I speak all over to those who have suffered and I try to offer them hope,” I responded.
“Okay,” he said, and reached for the ticket. “You are not getting a ticket.”
Shocked I held onto the ticket pad. “No, officer. You can’t do that. You said I was speeding so I need the ticket.”
“No, here,” he said, “give it to me.”
“No sir. I just came from confession and I can’t imagine not accepting the consequences of what I did wrong.”
“Miss,” he said and took the book from me and wrote VOID on the ticket. “We put those people away. You have a clean record. I’m not going to do that to you today.”
Now my throat clenched up and the tears threatened to change me into a babbling fool. “Please let me at least give you my card so you know I’m not lying,” I said and reached in my purse for my card. “I don’t want you to think I played you.”
“I’ll put the card with the ticket,” he said.
“Wait,” I said one last time. “What is your name?”
“Officer Roye,” he offered. “Now have a good day and drive carefully.”
I dutifully pulled out of the gas station parking lot and made my way onto the freeway as the tears rolled down my cheeks. Did that really just happen, I thought. Once I got control of myself I plugged my headphones back in and called my friend.
“Did you get a warning?” she asked right away.
I laughed and told her everything that happened. “I knew it!” she exclaimed. “I was praying he would be easy on you.”
A part of me still feels like I deserved that ticket. I mean I wasn’t truly certain that I had slowed down right when I needed to be and I don’t want to feel as if justice wasn’t served but I will say this, in many ways Officer Roye validated me as a survivor with that brief gesture ‘we put those people away’ and after those years of fighting the courts and feeling as if no one was trying to put anyone away I know that there ARE those that stand for their call to ‘protect and serve’.
Thank you Officer Roye. 🙂
Blessings
Shannon