Summer of 2002, I was 16 years old. It was about 11:55 pm and my curfew was midnight. I had no reason for driving so fast as my parents were usually flexible with my curfew. After driving WAY too fast down river des peres, I see the cherries in my rear view mirror. I was busted, I pulled over and expected to receive my first speeding ticket. When that officer walked up to my window, he was furious! He laid into me so hard for driving so recklessly. He told me I could have killed myself or someone else. He sat me in the passenger seat of his car, told me to call my mother and he wanted to talk to her. After the two of them spoke, they decided that my parents would come pick me up and take me home. I sat in this police officers car and saw something I never expected to see. While waiting for my parents to come pick me up, he stopped yelling and began telling stories from his years as a police officer. Stories about pulling dead bodies from cars. Seeing kids just like myself dead from driving the way I was driving. As he was speaking to me, I could see the smallest bit of water in his eyes. He kept his composure, but let enough emotion through that I could see he was upset. He told me he doesnt want to see another kid like me dead from driving like a jackass. When my parents arrived I exited the officers car. I shook his hand and told him I was sorry for what I did. He told me I was going to be in enough trouble with my parents and decided not to issue any tickets. I will remember that experience I had with that police officer for ever. He seemed genuine and worried for my safty. He wanted to teach me a lesson and he was successful at that. He had the opportunity to write me every ticket in the book. He decided not to do that. I think the short time I spent with this police officer was way more valuable than any lesson a traffic ticket could teach a 16 year old kid who thought he was invincible. #LEAD
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 21:10:06 +0000
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