Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down:
73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a
guy get caught so often?
When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled
over, but only partially. Let the cop worry about the potential
traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his
backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big
pad in hand. Bob? Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his
trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket.
A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who
happened to be a little eager to get home after a
long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with
tomorrow.
Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every
Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.
"Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."
"Hello, Jack." No smile.
"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids."
"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.
"I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid
I bent the rules a bit , just this once." Jack toed at a pebble
on the pavement "Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean"
"I know what you mean. I also know that you have a
reputation in our precinct." Ouch. This was not going in the right
direction. Time to change tactics.
"What did you clock me at,"
"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?"
"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as I saw
you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with
every ticket.
"Please, Jack, in the car"
Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the
still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the
dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window. The minutes ticked
by.
Bob scribbled away on the pad. Why hadn't he asked for a
driver's license?
Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before
Jack ever sat near this cop again. A tap on the door jerked his
head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand Jack
rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob
to pass him the slip.
"Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.
Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his
retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How
much was this one going to cost? Wait a minute. What was this?
Some kind of joke? Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:
"Dear Jack,
Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed
by a car. You guessed it a speeding driver. A fine and three
months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters
All three of them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to
wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again. A
thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I
thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now.
Pray for me.
And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left"
"Bob"
Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull
away and head down the road. Jack watched until it
disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove
slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife
and kids when he arrived.
73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a
guy get caught so often?
When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled
over, but only partially. Let the cop worry about the potential
traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his
backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big
pad in hand. Bob? Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his
trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket.
A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who
happened to be a little eager to get home after a
long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with
tomorrow.
Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every
Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.
"Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."
"Hello, Jack." No smile.
"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids."
"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.
"I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid
I bent the rules a bit , just this once." Jack toed at a pebble
on the pavement "Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean"
"I know what you mean. I also know that you have a
reputation in our precinct." Ouch. This was not going in the right
direction. Time to change tactics.
"What did you clock me at,"
"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?"
"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as I saw
you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with
every ticket.
"Please, Jack, in the car"
Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the
still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the
dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window. The minutes ticked
by.
Bob scribbled away on the pad. Why hadn't he asked for a
driver's license?
Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before
Jack ever sat near this cop again. A tap on the door jerked his
head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand Jack
rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob
to pass him the slip.
"Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.
Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his
retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How
much was this one going to cost? Wait a minute. What was this?
Some kind of joke? Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:
"Dear Jack,
Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed
by a car. You guessed it a speeding driver. A fine and three
months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters
All three of them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to
wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again. A
thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I
thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now.
Pray for me.
And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left"
"Bob"
Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull
away and head down the road. Jack watched until it
disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove
slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife
and kids when he arrived.
