My Run-in With the Law

It was a hot summer night. Granddaughter and I decided to drive up to Sonic for ice cream sundaes. We live in a small town so everything is less than 5 minutes away. The time was close to midnight and there were no other cars there, though we could see someone inside. We parked in one space and noticed a sign that said, Not in Service. Hmmm.... maybe they are closed and in the process of cleaning up. We pulled out and noticed that all the spaces said not in service.

We pulled around to the side of the kitchen and motioned for someone to step outside. A young woman came out and told us the Not in Service sign was for credit cards and yes, they were open. We parked and placed our order.

We decided to go on back home after we got our order so when the waitress brought our sundaes, I paid and tipped her and put the car in reverse. Glancing out the side-view mirror, I saw we were blocked in by a police car. I put my foot on the brake and waited. I think he could have been there for some time.

He then pulled up along side of us and the carhop went over to his window. I looked over at him and he gave me such a big smile that my mouth automatically curled up into a smile too. He had just warmed my heart in spite of the fact that I was very upset over the fact that these people had called the police because Granddaughter and I could not tell whether or not they were open for business.

I have a police scanner at home, like nearly everyone else in town, so I know my license number had been called in to dispatch and my name had been pulled up and announced over the air along with the alleged violation. Crazy woman at Sonic asking if they are open?? Luckily no priors or those would have been announced too. So damn disturbing when I had not really done anything at all. It still pisses me off some.

I have not been back to Sonic since, and don't plan to go back ever, but whenever I try to be mad about it, the officer's smiling face flashes in front of my eyes and my mouth just curls up into a smile and this is one year and a few months later. He really put a kind face on an otherwise humiliating experience.