When Mercy Seasons Justice

It happened on a hazy Sunday afternoon in June. Sunday afternoons are an opportune time for naps, but I wasn't tired on this particular Sunday afternoon. I was inspired. Inspired to solve a puzzle and locate a cache in the Village of Yesteryear. Nevermind that the cache hadn't been found since January - I was going to find it.

I grab my newly assembled geocaching bag and head southeast. I'm driving through the Austin Road/Grove Avenue/Havana Road intersection as the Matt Wertz song, Everything's Right, drifts over the airwaves. Yeah, I think, everything's right. I turn up the volume as I notice a squad car approaching. I glance at my spedometer. Hm, 33 or 34 MPH. I slow down. I've met squad cars before while going a few MPHs over the speed limit with no incident. But, as I glance in my rearview mirror, I can see there will be an incident today.

As the squad car makes a U-turn, my stomach sinks. When the lights begin to flash, I know there's no escaping my fate. I had never been pulled over before, but I determine to play it cool. I turn down the volume as the officer approaches. We're both employed by the City of O-, but, thankfully, I don't recognize him.

"Good evening, M'am. Do you have any idea why I'm pulling you over today?"

"Uhhh, I think I was going a little over the speed limit." I know.

"And how fast do you think you were going?"

"33 or 34 MPHs," I answer, unwaveringly.

"I have you clocked at 37."

"Really?" I honestly didn't realize...

"I also noticed as you were pulling over that your right brake light is out."

"I didn't know."

"Most people don't."

He asks for my license and proof of insurance, which, to my chagrin, is an old card. Apparently I hadn't replaced them, since April.

That's three strikes against me. He says he'll have me on my way in a few minutes. I wait as he checks my license, wondering how much 37 in a 30 is going to cost me. Not to mention the brake light, and is there a charge for not having up-to-date proof of insurance?

I wait as traffic passes me by. Yep, I broke the law. I am an offender. And everyone can plainly see.

Finally, the officer reappears.

"Well, I'm going to let you go today."

Are you serious?

"I'm just going to ask you to replace your insurance card, replace the brake light and slow down."

Oh? That's it?

As he headed to his squad car, he turned back, smiled, and added, "Have a nice night!"

And, despite the fact that I didn't find the geocache I was seeking, I did.