Well, I finally got what I deserved...

Okay, so I win the "Irony Award of the day!"

If you follow my blog, you may remember my posts about how recently I'd pass cops all the time, while usually going a bit too fast, yet, no one ever pulled me over. There were three or more times in Huntsville within two or three weeks where this happened...usually driving over Governor's.

Well, today, I finally got pulled over.

But here's the kicker...read on...

So, I'm trying to get out the door for the final day of The Orange Conference, here in Atlanta. I'd like to be out the door by 8:15. Jack and Lucy are both awake, and I've made them breakfast, which has put me a little behind schedule, but no big deal. What really delayed me was that Jack kept toddling over to me, nudging his truck and tractor book at me to read to him. And so I stopped and read to him because of course I can make a few minutes to point at some tractors with him. But of course it wasn't just two or three minutes.

But I finally get out the door, I'm five or so minutes down the street and realize I've forgotten my badge, which I have to have and will cost me $15 to replace. So I turn around, go back home, retrieve my badge, but I'm now REALLY late.

And logically, figuring since I'm already late, I'll just stop really quickly by the Starbucks and grab a vanilla latte, because that would greatly increase my happiness level this morning. And like I said, I'm already late as it is...compeletely makes sense, right? ;-)

Just so happens that the cops are doing a fundraiser for their "cop group" or whatever at the Starbucks. So I grab my coffee, and drop some money into their bucket.

And then it just so happens that not even two miles down the road from there, I get pulled over for speeding. Speeding to a Christian conference where I'm going to learn about how to be a better leader in children's ministry! After just donating to the cops, I get pulled over by a cop. UGH!!!!!!!!

Super, really brilliant, really convenient. Retexted Jennifer, "Well, I'll be even later than the "late" I was already going to be...getting a speeding ticket."

And if you're wondering, I was only going 60 in a 45...not that fast considering we're in Atlanta! But, Jesus would have taken what was due and humbly changed his behavior (well, you know, if cars and stuff were around then, which of course they weren't, but you know what I mean ;-), so that's what I did. I did ask the cop if he was with the group that I had just donated to, but he wasn't. He was "Duluth" and apparently, I had donated to the "John's Creek" cops' department.

Of course...

So, fast forward like ten hours forward. After meeting a friend for dinner, I'm driving back home, and the same group of cops are still at the Starbucks. I drive past, thinking, "huh, wow, they're still out there..." and then I think, "Hey! I should totally stop by and tell them what happened to me this morning. At worst, they'll just empathize with me, but at best, maybe, just maybe they'll pull some strings and get my ticket to disappear!" (Notice how fast my notion of taking my punishment humbly vanished! ;-)

So I turned around and went back to the Starbucks - told the cops my story, but nope, didn't get anywhere. Boohoo. But, they were very nice and said, "Oh, was it us Duluth?" I told them Duluth and they said, "Oh, 'cause we'd feel really bad if had been us."

Darn, why couldn't it have been these cops that pulled me over!?!

So, then the cop says something really interesting, sort of chuckling "What, were you going 58 in a 55?" (which leads me to believe the Duluth cops must be real sticklers - really unlucky for me!)

I told him I was going 60 in a 45, and he says - with a scoff mind you- "Well, that's not even that fast!"

"I KNOW!" I repeated (thinking, yes! so take away my ticket!!!! BIG CHARMING SMILE BEAMS FROM MY FACE!)

But alas, I will just have to deal humbly with my ticket (of which I haven't yet looked up what the fine will be - sorry Jason! ;-) and definitely drive slower!

Oh yeah, so when I finally get to the conference and meet up with my group, Brian, who is a lawyer in Huntsville, says, "Well, if it was local and we were home, I could get you off..." Another boo hoo...

No, no, must deal with punishment...disciplining oneself IS good ;-)

well, being forced to discipline oneself is good... ;-)

It may take me five hours to get back home Sunday, but I will NOT be speeding ;-)