Fright--no strike that--PANIC--not detailed enough--TERROR--that's what I felt when I got pulled over today in Borger. I finally got pulled onto the highway from a busy stop sign and saw a policeman pull after me with his lights flashing. I rolled my eyes and began to rehash what I had just done--wondering what in the world I had done to deserve this. Suddenly, I see Anna put on her seatbelt. *sighs with a pretty close idea of why I was getting stopped* I finally got out of the road construction and pulled to the shoulder. He followed me. I threw the car into park and prepared to surrender myself, my lisence, and our car registration to his mercy. I was also trying to figure out what I would say to Mom when she discovered I had received a ticket. Funny part was, the policeman walked to Anna's window. I will attempt to reconstruct our conversation with Deputy_____ --I was so scared I cannot remember his name.

Deputy (to Anna) : Hello ma'am. Can I ask how old you are?
Me: Her--oh she's 15.
Deputy (to Anna) : Do you have any ID?
Me: No she doesn't. But I do. I'm the driver.
Deupty--smiling: I can see you're driving. *he takes my lisence and begins taking infro from it*
Deputy (to Anna): Do you have a reason for not wearing a seatbelt at the stop sign back there.
Anna: Yes.
Deputy: What is it?
Anna: I forgot.
Deputy(to Anna) : What's your last name?
Anna: Leathers
Deputy: What's your first name?
Anna: Anna
Deputy: Do you have a middle name?
Anna: Louise.. *and then they discuss the spelling*
Deputy (to me this time) : so are you just picking her up from school?
Me: (Shaking, quaking, and nearly ready to wet my pants) No--we are just going home from a Financial Peace class from our church. * Sounded dumb but doctors will tell you that giving so much unneccessary info. is a sign of fear.*
Deputy: I will go to my car and bring this right back to you. *he walks off with my lisence*

At this point I lean my head agains the steering wheel and groan repeatedly--a sure sign of my dread and anger.

Anna: are you ever going to speak to me again?
Me: Oh sure.
Anna: What is this going to do to Mom and Dad.
Me: (besides giving them a simultaneous heart attacks?) Well, we'll have to pay for the ticket and their insurance will probably go up.
Anna: Oh.
During this spare time I pray that he will be gracious and just give us a warning.

Deputy returns--not carrying paper--which is a good sign.

Deputy (to Anna) : Well I'll tell ya what I am going to do. You know this "Click it or Ticket" thing we are doing--I'm sure you've seen the commercials...
Anna: No sir, I don't watch much TV. *surely by now he knows this is the first time I have been stopped--and now he knows we are just abnormal.*
Deputy: Well, anyway, I am going to get yelled at by my chief, but I am going to let you go this time. You are eligible for a citation, but I am just going to let you go this time. Remember to buckle up after this. I am going to get yelled at by my superiors for this.
Me: Well, if it's any consolation to ya, she's going to get yelled at when we get home. My mom's going to have a cow when she hears this. *thanks chatterbox--you can shut up now*
Deputy: Well y'all have a good day.
Anna: Thank you sir. *She shakes his hand and rolls up her window--then slumps in her seat*

I grip the steering wheel and hope that I can pull out of this parking lot correctly so that I don't get a ticket. All the way home Anna wondered what Mom was going to say. I was just grateful that I did not have an accident right then and there.

The good side of this--I can't think of any. I suppose that Anna will remember her seat belt from now on. You know, the funny part was, he really did not seem to care whether the car was ours or not. I could have been driving a stolen vehicle and all he would have seen was that Anna was not buckled. Anna says that from the way I was acting he probably thought I was high on something. I was ...adrenaline, fear, and the need to kill someone--younger than me and unbuckled.

FROM ANNA: Hey guys this is the bum in jail attire. thanks for reading this blog and i hope that you got a nice laugh at my expense!! LOVE YOU ALL!! Anna


Anna had to cancel her XANGA site. We are going to "reintroduce" her to cyber space when we find a blog place that she can use that Mom and Dad feel better about.

I hope you had a good laugh! We are laughing about it---NOW.

Till later,
God's Gal Sarah