Johnny Law...

Wake up calls can come in many forms.

Usually a "shot across the bow" is enough to get my attention and remind me to re-focus and re-load. 

Johnny Law fired a couple of warning shots my way last night.

I got you - Law Dawg. 

I read you Loud and Clear. 

At approximately 19:52 Central Standard Time, the Chisago County Sherrif's Deputy activated his emergency lights and pulled me over on Main Street in Rush City - his reasoning was not coming to a complete stop in a residential area. My "California Stop" gave him due cause to investigate further. I acknowledged that "it had to have been back on Harte Avenue by Mr. Schlagel's house" and then explained to him that "it had been a long night of Parent/Teacher conferences and that I was looking forward to being home with my wife and kids."

I handed him ID and proof of insurance and he asked where and what I teach. Being that he was staked a block from the elementary school, I thought maybe he could deduce some of that on his own. Not wanting to insult the young officer, I stuck with the facts. In no time the officer ran my plates and ID and sent me on my merry way with a verbal warning.

I was happy to be back on the road again but knew that I was lucky to have escaped the long arm of the law. I was guilty as the day I was born...guilty of trying to get my mind off of work and in to some 93X rock music for the ride home. I rolled through the stop sign - everyone does it. This time I was thankful to receive only a slap on the wrist. 

Ten miles down the road, another set of emergency lights shone in my rear view mirror. This time the Pine County Sheriffs Deputy witnessed my hairbrained attempt to turn the stoplight at Hillside Avenue and Highway 361 in to a stop sign. Ya see, I didn't blow through it. I actually stopped AND THEN drove right through the red light above my head and in to oncoming traffic from the west. I knew it the second it happened. I gave an embarrassed wave to the white pickup truck who luckily was attentive enough not to rearrange my front end. Although a bit late, I slowed and moved to the right to yield and clear the intersection. It was seconds later that the bright, flashing, colorful lights appeared. 

This time I decided to pull over in to the large parking lot just up the road. I hoped the officer would appreciate that I led him off of the road where knuckleheads like me were just trying to get home. 

Mr. Pine City Cop approached with a little more caution and was markedly more alert to current events and the endless possibilities of mindless idiots behind the steering wheels in today's society. He immediately asked about the presence of any weapons. I assured him he might find some bowhunting stuff in the back but there were no firearms aboard. He asked if I knew why he stopped me. I interrupted him mid-sentence to accept full responsibility and then I divulged my unfortunate encounter with the neighboring county law enforcement just minutes before. My bad ride home hadn't gotten better. 

A blown stoplight at a relatively busy intersection was a major step up from rolling through the stop sign by Bob's house. It nearly caused an accident and the officer's stern tone reminded me of that. As Mr. Pine City cop returned to his squad to process my info, a second deputy approached my passenger side with flashlight in hand. I rolled down my window and offered up conversation. I think my truthful openness and obvious embarrassment made my case more easy to dismiss. For the second time in one evening, I escaped a fine - tucked my tail and rolled home. 

My post from a few days ago eluded to the fact that it's the time of year that we become Ricochet Rabbit and bounce, bounce, bounce from one thing to the next....after last night's run ins with the LAW, I'm ready to take a few steps back.