I finally landed in Albany around 10 pm. I realize this doesn't sound bad to most normal people, but it feels ridiculously late when you wake up at 3 o'clock in the frickin' morning like I do. Needless to say, it had been a long day and I was pretty much worn to a frazzle.
It takes about 45 minutes to drive from the airport to my apartment, so I cranked up the music and the cold air and set off.
A bit of pertinent information: I got my first ticket ever a few months ago (speeding--76 in a 65)(I've done much worse) and it sucked. $145. Ludicrous. Don't get me started, but I learned my lesson and have been very speed-conscious ever since. (Apparently a ticket was an immediate cure for my leadfootitis...)
Also, I've been driving around with a burnt-out headlight for about two months.
Perhaps you can see where this is going. Yes, dear readers, on my journey home, the ominous flashing lights came up behind me.
Fully convinced I'd been speeding without realizing it (I was tired, dang it!) and completely forgetting about the headlight, I pulled over, immediately began sweating, and dug out my license and registration. The cop sidled up to my window and I gave him my info and promptly burst into tears. It wasn't a "feel-sorry-for-me-I'm-a-sensitive-gal" act--I was just in a particularly vulnerable state, I promise. The poor guy kept asking me questions, trying to carry on a normal conversation and save me from my downward spiral into blithering idiocy, but to no avail--I morphed into a blubbering fool.
Of course, I hadn't been speeding at all--the headlight was the culprit. Honestly, I've been waiting, expecting to get pulled over for that stupid thing as long as it's been out. It just so happened that I got caught at my most tired, most emotional point. Bad timing, indeed.
Ultimately, he told me to get my headlight fixed and "keep my chin up" (I kid you not) and let me go with a warning.
I'm pretty embarrassed by my inability to control my tear ducts, but I guess being a blubbering fool can have its advantages.
I got this here toasted coconut donut as a tribute to the nice policeman. I ate it, and I ate it good.
Awww, you poor thing. I've been there!!! And what a nice policeman. I think your donut is a fitting tribute.
ReplyDeleteThat stinks!!! Love the photo of the donut going going gone!!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about beets that you feel about malted milk!!! LOL
Suffering from the inability to control my tear ducts myself, I can totally understand your situation. At least you didn't get another ticket, think of all the kitchen gadgets you can buy with the money you saved! :)
ReplyDeleteaww......what a sucky day. like you, i find that sucky days are soothed by donuts. delicious, beautiful donuts. now i want a donut. i'm glad you caught a break with a decent cop. sounds like you deserved it!
ReplyDeleteAlbany, NY eh? What's Schenectady like? I just like saying Schenectady!
ReplyDeleteOh man! What bad luck that you should be stopped. Now go and get that light fixed!!!
ReplyDeletethe cop was a gentleman no doubt about it. don't be embarressed sweetie,being tired and stressed is not a good combination and that cop understood that. i had a member of the waitstaff (a young girl going to college and working two jobs) that came to work one day and just starting crying uncontrollably. she kept saying to me i don't know why i'm crying, and i told her your stressed and tired honey, she agreed. so try to take it easy for awhile, relax, i know sometimes that's better said then done.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, I have been there...
ReplyDeleteAt sixteen, when I sideswiped a cab, thinking my parents are going to be sooo mad at me!
At thirty-something, when I sideswiped a city bus, coming from the doctor’s office after I was informed I was preggo again. Hormones, anyone?
By the way, those are the only two tickets I have ever had—I know you all are thinking—GET HER OFF THE ROAD!
I've always wondered if cops get nervous sending weeping, emotional women back on the road. "keep your chin up" is classic. So is a little donut therapy.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're off the hook!
Oh that's hilarious but the thought of a ticket is enought o make you cry. Mine speeder in California was $370...that hurt...I'm driving like a granny now!
ReplyDeleteleadfootitis stinks, it's a very expensive condition. my last ticket was 350.00 dollars. plus the beauty of two cops going around my car with flashlights like I had meth-herion-coke in bundles in the back.around here they don't hang around the doughnut shop, they hang around starbucks! beautiful doughnut by the way.
ReplyDelete"I ate it, and I ate it good." This is going to be my new catch-phrase. No matter what the situation I'm just going to say, "I ate it, and I ate it good."
ReplyDeleteLove it. Sorry you got pulled over, but at least you didn't get one of those stupid fix-it tickets. But now I want a donut!!
ReplyDeletei have tried the tears before, but the policemen aren't ever so nice to me - you lucked out! and that donut looks might comforting :)
ReplyDeleteOh you poor dear! Well I'm glad that everything's fine; donut therapy is the way to go!
ReplyDeleteI did smile reading this post, half of me was thinking poor Grace! The other half was giggling at how you wrote the story between your pics of demolishing the doughnut!
ReplyDeleteOn a positive note... at least you got to eat that delicious coconut doughnut. :-D
Donuts make everything better, don't they?
ReplyDeleteThat was a bad bad day and I hope it never repeats itself! You should take more care of yourself...or that's what my mom always tells me to...and she's right. Doughnut therapy is a good way to start :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I love your doughnut post! What a wonderfully hysterical use of food and photos in telling a story. Thanks for making me smile!
ReplyDeleteI'm with the crowd, the donut was the perfect animation to make this story come alive. Just hearing about all the stress sort of made me want a donut too :)
ReplyDeleteGrace, poor thing! But a bad day always followed by a really good one.
ReplyDeleteCheer up!
You were not coming back from Vegas were you? My brother got stuck in Vegas overnight and could not get out at all. Finally got home last yesterday afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me ummm...yeah my rear tail light is out and well I am well known by the cops and my insurance agent as the guy who can't keep it close to the speed limit.
I suppose in that circumstance only a coconut donut (wow, never seen these!) can only save the day!
ReplyDeleteWhen policeman are nice to you it's only appropriate to get a donut. Or two. With coffee. Maybe three donuts. A half dozen would be a great tribute.
ReplyDeleteGrace..
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting on my ugly Bird...Brining is the key! Makes it super moist
Is "I ate it, and I ate it good" a reference to The Sandlot? hehe.
ReplyDeletePoor you! What a stressful day.
you done right by that donut.
ReplyDeletelol--glad this story had a happy ending! My last speeding ticket was from a damn air plane. They're serious about their money grabs down here--they have a plane timing how long it takes cars to pass over two lines and about 10 cops on the ground writing tickets. :o
ReplyDeleteDoncha just hate it when you are reduced to tears like that? As far as the ticket goes, a cop scared the heck out of me with one of those radar guns once, and when he got to my car without thinking I yelled that I thought he was going to shoot me. I didn't even get a warning. He probably thought I was nuts. Great story! Donuts always help.
ReplyDeleteI would've done the same thing...and I would've cried all the way home! I'm so dramatic, it's silly, really.
ReplyDeletePolice cars remind me of big cockroaches, they're always hiding in dark corners waiting to scare you! I bet that donut helped put a smile back on your face, though. Yummy! Donuts have got to be one of my top 5 fav comfort foods. I think it's hilarious how you photographed the donut while you were eating it - too cute, fits the story perfectly :D.
So glad for a good ending. Nothing like a donut to make things alright. To deter speeders in a small town in Colorado, they have a police car with a police dummy in the front seat. A box of dunkin donuts on the dashboard to make it real. They say it works!
ReplyDeleteThe donut progress made me laugh out loud--I see it didn't make you lose your sense of humor :-)
ReplyDeleteIs that a DD coconut?
ReplyDelete"I ate it, and I ate it GOOD" - love it. Love how you gave that donut the business. So glad you didn't get a ticket, how that would've sucked. There was a full moon last night - and wow - you hit it big time. :)
ReplyDeleteBless your heart, honey, we have ALL been there! Let me tell you, that poor policeman probably didn't know WHAT to do! At least you were able to get on home and get some rest, without an expensive ticket to deal with. I like your donut tribute to the officer!
ReplyDeleteHaving a sister who's a cop, I know that sometimes they can dig and find their humanity. They also know when you're putting it on and when you're really at the end of your rope. It happens to all of us - it's that one last thing to send us over the edge.
ReplyDeleteBTW - I send all my cakes to the police department - they're graduating from donuts to wilton roses :)
what a cute post!
ReplyDeletei love the disappearing donut!
Great story and awesome looking donut!
ReplyDeleteAw. :( Well good that he was so nice to you though! And what a yummy looking donut. I love how you did the photos of it being eaten.
ReplyDeleteYou're too funny. Sometimes you just have to eat a donut. Nice tribute to the friendly policeman!
ReplyDeleteRelated story... hubby got a ticket as we were headed to my In-Law's house on Mother's Day ($168). Of course we were late and I kept telling him to slow down and everything... but can you believe the policeman gave us a ticket (speeding) on MOTHER'S Day??? With a cake sitting in my lap and the whole bit. It sucked. And I'm even more of a sucker because I'm doing his online traffic school for him!!! You were lucky to be let go for a warning. I'm assuming you did the traffic school thing for your previous ticket?
I loved the donut tribute! Especially how the donut was disappearing. Just loved it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a story! You poor thing! You really deserved that doughnut.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to say that I suffer from leadfootitis too. To me, speed limits are just a suggestion. Luckily, my husband knows most of the cops so I've only gotten 1 ticket ever. But, I've been known to shed a few tears myself when pressed. ;)