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February 5, 2005
Pull-over
Last night, I am on the cellphone with a friend, driving north on Dixie Highway across from Oakland Park Boulevard. I have just finished a delicious Veal Parmesana from Bona's Italian Restaurant in Five Points with a group of friends, and was on my way home. Now there are blue lights suddenly behind me. I pull across two lanes to find a nice easy spot on Dixie, next to the railroad tracks, and pull out my license and registration, rolling down my window.
Although I'm curious about being stopped, I didn't think I'd been driving too fast, nor did I believe I'd done anything stupid. Seeing as I'd had to end my cellphone call quickly, I haven't had time to realize the cost or implications of receiving a traffic ticket. I roll down my window and the light shines in. The police officer is an attractive, albeit miniscule young man in dark blue/black uniform, not the white-and green markings of BSO I've only just seen a Florida Highway Patrol interrupt the intersection at Five Points, but their uniforms are beige. It is a Wilton Manors police officer.
“I didn't think I was going that fast.”
“You weren't. 42 in a 35 mile an hour zone. When was the last time you had a ticket?”
“2000.” I forget my out-of-state infraction in 2002 and tell him 2000.
“Where are you coming from?”
“Bona's Italian Restaurant.”
“Where are you going?”
“Home.” Not the most exciting bit of news.
He smiles. “Have you ever been arrested?”
Would it make a difference if I had? “No.”
“Thank you Sir, you're free to go.”
It's not until after he walks back to his car that I realize that he has a “K-9” emblem on his uniform. This is the second time I've been stopped by a Wilton Manors K-9 cop—the previous time the dog was all over my truck without finding a thing. This time, I don't even get to see the dog.
All I can say is that it's a great day to be clean. If I'd been using drugs, or even drinking, there would be some kind of problem with this officer. Instead, I'm just a routine stop and I get to go along my way.
Was there any particular reason he singled my truck out? Maybe the rainbow flag on my back windshield—or my “State of the Arts” license plate, common among gay people down here? All I can say, is that it doesn't matter why I got stopped. I left without even a traffic ticket, and I arrived safely home, thankful that I am living a sober life.
Posted by Bastique at February 5, 2005 11:56 AM
Comments
Congrats! No ticket...lol...feels pretty good not to have to worry about alcahol on the breath,or drugs,huh? I know the feeling....cept' if I don't get this friggin ticket paid....well....we both know what that comes to.Heck,I can't stay out of the hospital long enough to get anything done(or paid,should I say).lol
I've been searched several times...ppl say it's cuz of my tinted windows and rims....I say it's my criminal record.But I've had to stand out in the freakin' rain while their under the hood,taking out my speaker box and everything else taken out of my car......it's been a while,I guess since I stopped being in certain areas too.Ohhhh I don't miss all that crap!!I'm surprised I never had a K-9 unit turn a dog loose though,ya know?
Posted by: tammi at February 7, 2005 10:16 AM