>>Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in
>>a 55
>>zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so
>>often?
>>
>>When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over, but
>>only
>>partially. Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard.
>>Maybe
>>some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was
>>stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand. Bob? Bob from Church?
>>Jack
>>sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming
>>ticket. A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who
>>happened to
>>be a little eager to get home after a long day at the office. A guy
>>he
>>was about to play golf with tomorrow.
>>
>>Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a
>>man
>>he'd never seen in uniform.
>>
>>"Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."
>>
>>"Hello, Jack." No smile.
>>
>>"Gu! ess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and
>>kids."
>>
>>"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.
>>
>>"I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid I bent
>>the
>>rules a bit -just this once."
>>
>>Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. "Diane said something about
>>roast
>>beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?"
>>
>>"I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in
>>our
>>precinct ." Ouch. This was not going in the right direction. Time
>>to
>>change tactics.
>>
>>"What'd you clock me at?"
>>
>>"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?"
>>
>>"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as saw you. I was
>>barely
>>nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.
>>
>>"Please, Jack, in the car."
>>
>>Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door.
>>Slamming it
>>shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the
>>window.
>>
>>The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away! on the pad.
>>
>>Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?
>>
>>Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack
>>ever sat
>>near this cop again. A tap on the door jerked his head to the left.
>>There was Bob, a folded paper in hand Jack rolled down the window a
>>mere
>>two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.
>>
>>"Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.
>>
>>Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his
>>retreat
>>in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this
>>one
>>going to cost?
>>
>>Wait a minute. What was this? Some kind of joke?
>>
>>Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:
>>
>>"Dear Jack,
>>
>>Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a
>>car. You
>>guessed it-a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and
>>the
>>man was free. Free to hug his daughters All three of them. I only
>>had
>>one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heav! en before I can ever
>>hug
>>her again.
>>
>>A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I
>>thought I had. Maybe I did, but need to do it again, even now. Pray
>>for
>>me. And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left."
>>
>>"Bob"
>>
>>Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down
>>the
>>road.. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later,
>>he
>>too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and
>>hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.
>>
>>Life is precious. Handle with care. This is an important message;
>>please
>>pass it along to your friends. Drive safely and carefully.
>>Remember,
>>cars are not the only things recalled by their maker.
>>
>>Funny how you can send a thousand jokes' through e-mail
>>and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages
>>regarding the sanctity of life, people think twice about sharing.
>>
>>Funny how when you go to forward this messag! e, you will
>>not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure
>>what
>>they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to
>>them.
>>Pass this on, you may save a life. Maybe not, but we'll never know
>>if we
>>don't try.
>>
>>May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that
>>you are exactly where you are meant to be. "I believe that friends
>>are
>>quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble
>>remembering how to fly."

Man, that makes you think, uh?

Ahh dangit. Now I gotta drive slow and leave early for work. Why you gotta bring me down.
LOL good story man.
M4ck

Great post BiXLL,

People think the police are only out to write tickets to meet a "quota" or to pay their salary. If you take a good lookk around when you drive to and from work, you will see that there are a large percentage of people who are not paying attention to what they are doing. Maybe writing a ticket will get them to think about what they are doing.

Just about 3 months ago I was at a traffic accident where the driver ran off the road and struck a telaphone pole. He was killed instantly. He was still clutching his cell phone. Maybe if he had not been talking on it he would be alive today. I'm just glad that he did not hurt or kill anyone else!

Please drive safe and PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD. And remember, the next time a police officer writes you a ticket, he/she may have saved your life or the life of another.

The ironic part of this story is that about a month and a half ago, at about 5:00 am I was coming home from work. I was about 3 miles from the house on a 4 lane that was turning into a 2 lane before entering town. This 4 lane went from a 55 zone down to a 40 zone for the last mile of it being 4 lane. I look in my mirror, and here come the blue and red lights. I was extremely fatigued from work, paying absolutely no attention to what I was doing, all I was thinking was "almost bed time. The cop was a young kid, local force, the the GI shaved head. I figured "****, here we go". Turns out he clocked me at 62 in a 40, and that was probably generous. Even driving professionally, I have not had a ticket in over 20 years. I sat there trying to figure out what this ticket was going to cost me while he was back in his car with my license. To my surprise, he walked back up to the truck, handed me my license along with a "warning ticket". He tells me what the ticket for the offense would have cost me, and that he was not interested in costing me money, or a hassle with my CDL, all he wanted to do is make me think about what I was doing, and to pay attention, even at 5:00 am, when tired and almost home! I couldn't believe it, I had never been issued a "warning ticket"! It had its affect though, as I don't think I have sped through that area since, and don't put it on auto pilot after getting out of my "big" truck into my little truck to comer homeany more! That young "gung hoe" lookin cop actually taught this old dog a life lesson!

I have no idea why I just rambled on through that story like that! I guess I am just trying to give you guys the same reminder that young cop gave me! As busy as we get in our lives, and no matter how experienced we may be driving, we need to remember we are pushing a loaded gun up and down the highway that could affect many more lives then our own if we don't do it safety concious, and with respect to others. OK, I am done now, Nest weeks sermon will be on.......

Thanks BiXLL, we all need a reality check every now and then. Speaking from experience, I can say that losing a child changes how you view the world around you. I try to take fewer things for granted and I have become more patient. I don’t know if this particular story is true, but the tolerance and courage that officer displayed with his message was his way of honoring and remembering his daughter. Today is Friday. No matter how crappy a day you all may have had, try to drive safer and smarter on your way home to your family. If someone wants to cut in front of you, give them space. It may take a few more minutes but your time is not nearly as precious as the lives around you. And when you get to your neighborhood, drive the way you would want others to drive while your kids are outside playing.