As I was driving on a snowy night back home from Target, with the entire stretch of what usually busy street entirely to myself, I suddenly saw flashing lights from behind when I glanced at the rearview mirror. Wait, I thought, is this for me? I darted at a quick look at my speedometer, no, it couldn't be - I was far from speeding. Then I remembered turning on a No Right Turn On Red intersection a few meters back and got startled when a police car with no lights on suddenly moved from what was usually an isolated corner parking lot adjacent to it.

I believe in Karma. I believe in people eventually paying back for all the bad stuff they do. That's the reason why I am pretty much straitlaced. Not because I am morally good but because I am scared of dangerous consequences. That why I usually follow the rules, driving included. I don't speed, I use my turn signals, I stop at Stop signs. Almost everything except for the occasional No Right Turn On Red signs at two familliar intersections on an often taken route. I figured as long as I just make sure it was safe and no police cars were in sight, I could get away with it. And I did for the 4 1/2 years I've been driving until that fateful night last week. 

As I waited for the police officer to approach, all I could think of was wishing I could take back the last 3 minutes of my life and not make that mistake. What should I do? What should I do? I started to reach for my purse beside me when I remembered what Rhebs wrote in her blog. Remain still on your seat with hands on the steering wheel. So that's how the police office found me. He was young, and seemed to be a filipino-american, in fact he reminded me of someone I know. He was also very calm, nice and polite. "Ma'am, I stopped you (I am not sure if these were his exacts words) because you turned right on a red signal." "Yes," I nodded. He asked for my driver's license and car insurance card and went back to his vehicle.

I thought about pleading with him to let me off but I have a lot of pride, I couldn't myself do it knowing completely that I was in the wrong. Plus, with all the corruption I've heard from Philippine police I could just not let this young officer do what was his duty and what was correct. And also, there was another officer with him. What were the chances of the other guy playing along?

He came back with an apologetic look in his face, "ma'am I am sorry but I had to write you a ticket. We've had a lot of accidents in this area. We have your driver's license and will mail it back to you as soon as you bring this back to us," indicating the envelope and 2 receiptlike papers he was handing to me. "And I just lost my job too," were the only words I could manage. "Oh, I am sorry" was all he said but looking like he meant it.

When I told my husband about getting a ticket, he wasn't annoyed as he should be especially under my jobless circumstances. We will paying for something that was totally avoidable. But as I have mentioned a couple of times before, when it comes to his wife he is extraordinarily patient. "Well, they put a sign there for a reason," was his only comment. When I moaned about wasting money he asked,"it couldn't be that much?" "I don't know, I am too scared to even read it, " I replied.

Turned out it was $75. That could have been 75 songs purchased on iTunes. There is an option of paying $115 and going to traffic school to avoid having the violation on your driving reacord. The only bright spot is I can just mail the envelope and not go there in person like what I had thought.

Click to read more about how to avoid getting a ticket and how it could affect you if you do. So if you happen to be in the Chicago area and there is a car in front doesn't go over 1 mile over the limit, that could be me.

Terrific Tom

Tom got this pin a couple years ago as an appreciation for his 20 years of service in the federal government. When he saw me Photoshopping this he didn't even remember what it was..

I learned a few days ago that my hardworking husband's performance at work last year was evaluated as "outstanding" (their words not ours). Great job Hon as always!

Currently listening to: Marley and Me podcast
Currently reading: computer books
Currently watching: Sherry Baby (Maggie Gyllenhal)