Call A Cop

I was nailed and I knew it.

I'd been doing nearly 60 in a 45 zone, late getting back to work and frantic at the thought. By the time I saw the two motorcycle cops on either side of the road, it was way too late for anything except to pull over and pray for mercy. The flashing blue lights were, I realized with a sinking feeling, for me. It was my first speeding ticket and I was shattered.
Casually leaning on the driver's side door, the uniformed officer first introduced himself and smiled. I handed over my license and registration before he could even ask, stunned at this turn of events and completely ashamed of my own carelessness. Looking over his sunglasses, he scolded me, made me promise to be more careful and never do it again, then wrote me out the ticket. He was courteous, professional, and friendly and still made me feel like a 5 year old with her hand caught in the cookie jar. It started me thinking in a couple of different directions.

First, I wondered how often we do the right thing out of fear of being caught as opposed to the right thing being the thing to do. Where's the harm in running a red light at a deserted intersection at 3am and who will notice if you slip into the handicapped space for a quick trip to the grocery store or don't give back the extra change the cashier gave you by mistake. It's easy to ignore the telephone and then claim you weren't home or mail that check a little late and blame the post office. Little white lies are harmless in the grand scheme of things and small temptations are everywhere you look. I think most of us avoid them out of basic decency and habit but I'm not altogether sure.

Second, I was raised with the belief that policemen are friends and protectors, a notion I held onto until the 60's and 70's, didn't give much thought to in the 80's and totally discarded in the 90's in light of police corruption and scandal all over the country. Despite the brutality and appalling behavior of some police in some cities, I now think that most are still the friends from my childhood and there to keep me safe - even if they're hiding on a motorcycle with a radar gun.

Sometimes, it's best to own up and just pay the fine.