Good reminder David.  Thanks for sharing.

Vicki


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Stahl" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 10:05 PM
Subject: speeding ticket


> Read
> This Slowly
>
> 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 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 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.