Writer's Workshop "Tell About a Time When You Were Wrongly Wronged..."

Well, I think I was wrongly wronged...does that count?

Ask anyone who knows me, I have a lead foot. Being taught to drive by a race car driver and then driving said race car, didn't lend itself to my "speed sensibility" and I have been known, just at time or two,to let the the needle on the speedometer creep past the designated speed.

Years back, I was driving on a back country road, heading back from seeing a guy that I was not supposed to be seeing, stereo cranked up, singing along at the top of my lungs, totally oblivious to anything going on around me...blissfully unaware that my speed was fast approaching the "illegal" limit.

I had the music up so loud and was so wrapped up singing whatever it was that I didn't notice the cop behind me at first. I honestly don't know how long he was behind me before I actually had that "oh crap" moment and pulled over. Because I wasn't wresteled to the ground by Mr. Officer (although he was hot so it would have been ok...maybe) I assume that he hadn't been following me that long.

I opened my door because my window didn't roll down. Did you know that the cops don't want you to open your door..."Ma'm...you need to remain in your vehicle" he shouted at me.

Then it happened, my mouth it started on it's own..."Who pissed in your cherrios this morning?" As soon as I uttered those words I knew I was getting a ticket...for what I didn't know just yet.

As he glared at me, he pulled out his little ticket book and asked me if I knew why he had pulled me over. "Nope, maybe you had nothing better to do, I mean it is the end of the month" Darn it, there went my mouth, again...I have seriously got to learn to control it better.

I could sense he was getting slightly irratated with me so I shut my mouth and waited for Mr. Officer to tell me what exactly I had done to have the pleasure of being pulled over by him.

"You were going 55 in a 35" he said a little sternly as he started to reach for my license and registration in my hand. I was speechless (for the first time like ever) I looked up, my car has 1/2 way past the speed limit sign designating this stretch of road a 55mph zone.

"Excuse me, can you even read?" I said, knowing full and well that I was setting myself up to get into more trouble then I was already in, but there was no way I was going 55 in a 35, especially if there was a sign right in front his eyes stating it was a 55mph hour zone.

He took a deep breath and began to explain to me how I was speeding up before the sign blah blah blah.

I was impatient, I was supposed to be home in 15 minutes and still had a 30 minute drive ahead of me. Being home on time was the only way my dad wouldn't figure out what I had been doing.

"Obviously you can't read and are just in a foul mood, so give me my ticket and we both can go our seperate ways.." Wrong answer, Melissa.

Mr. Officer decided that I was being beligerent and made me sit on the side of the road while he searched my car "For drugs or firearms". I almost had to laugh..firearms? I told him he wouldn't find any drugs or firearms in the car, but because it was so messy, I was sure there was a pocket of chinesse in there who hadn't heard that the war was over. I laughed...he didn't, apparently dealing with a mouthy 18 year old was last on his list of things to do that day.

After what seemed like forever, he wrote me my ticket for speeding, gave me a lecture about being more respectful to law enforcement. I told him this ticket was B.S and he snickered and said see ya in court.

I went to court, I didn't deserve that ticket, I was already in a 55mph zone when he pulled me over...I could win this. I walked smugly into the court room.

The judge called my name, I walked up next to Officer Friendly. I plead my case. He said his piece...

I got a fine AND court costs..

Seems he had been following me with his lights on...

For a mile.

Add to that my attitude and the judge decided to make "me an example for all the other mouthy teens in the room"

You try explaining a $75.00 ticket from a cop in a town you weren't supposed to be in to your dad...

I think I am still grounded.

thanks to Mama Kat for the inspiration!!!