Just Foreign Policy Iraqi Death Estimator    

Saturday, November 26, 2005

75 in a 55 Zone

> READ THIS AND YOU WILL THINK TWICE NEXT TIME YOU DRIVE!
>
> 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'd 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 mi! 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.
>
> Life is precious. Handle with care. This is an
> important message; please pass it along to your
> friends. Drive safely and carefully. Remember, cars
> are not the only things recalled by their maker.
>
> Funny how you can send a thousand jokes' through
> e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you
> start sending messages regarding the sanctity of
> life, people think twice about sharing.
>
> Funny how when you go to forward this message, you
> will not send it to many on your address list
> because you're not sure what they believe, or what
> they will think of you for sending it to them. Pass
> this on, you may save a life. Maybe not, but we'll
> never know if we don't try.
>
>

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