Blue Light Special

I really have to post this story because it's absolutely ridiculous. It's long but stick with me.

I think that there is something on the old Toyota truck (that's pretty old and beat up) that said, "PLEASE pull me over." For starters, it was my first real time driving a stick out on the open road. I had briefly attempted to maneuver the 5 speed diesel a few months back and did okay. However, last night, I was feeling incredibly gutsy and determined to learn to drive a stick that Jon let me at it out on the open road! LOL, I didn't get off to a good start as I made my first turn out into the traffic. And bless those hearts who were behind me when I couldn't get it into gear. I have to say that I did VERY well and only botched it up badly 3 times, one being the first 2 minutes I was in a car. The adventures in driving a 5-speed for the first time included, at night, out on the open road, reversing UP a hill (now that's good sport), starting in first UP a hill, and traveling on the interstate. Like I said, it was bold of me but hey, I got it down! Now, I wouldn't just up and decide to take the truck to the store by myself just yet, I still feel I need Jon in there with just in case I can't find third or I get myself into a sticky situation where I flip out, give up and motion for all the cars to go around. Got that image? Yeah, pretty funny, huh?

Now with all that said, here's my story referencing to the post title. The first time I drove was on the way home from my mom's house where Wendy (my sister) had dropped me and the kids off because they were spending the night. Jon was close by so he met me there with the truck and since we didn't have our kids with us to put at risk or have as a distraction (they wouldn't fit anyway!) I assumed it would be the perfect time to learn. Boy was I wrong! Everything went find on the way home, perhaps it was because there was still a good bit of traffic out. However, when we left the house around 10:45 pm to take some clothes to my mom for the kids, not even 3 miles down the road at a red light, 2 cops get behind me!! Are you flipping kidding me?! So of course I got nervous, failed to put the clutch ALL the way in and just sat there, spinning. Jon, calmly said, "it's okay, calm down, put the clutch in". By the time I got into first and was on my way, the 2 cops passed me up and I was all, okay good, they are just being the good public servants they are and making sure we are okay and not breaking down. Well, 30 feet down the road those blue lights flash on. So maybe they think I'm drunk. No problem. So the conversation goes a little like this:

Cop: Is everything okay?
Me: Yes, it's my first time driving a stick.
Cop: It happens, no problem (very nicely WITH a smile I might add). Then he continues with, did you know that your tag light is out?
Me: "Well, no, but thank you, we'll take care of it. "
Cop: Let me just get your license and then I'll have you out of here as quickly as possible.

As we leave I jokingly said, well let's see I can I get us pulled over again for a record. I should have found some wood to knock on very quickly after saying that because I totally jinxed myself!

Everything was fine the rest of the way to my mom's, but leaving my mom's and on the way to pick up the car where my sister and I had left it earlier that afternoon, lo and behold, more blue lights. I said, "you've got to be crapping me!" Of course I was just about to turn on the interstate when he flipped the lights on, so I had to pull an evasive manuever to get into the left lane. I thought, great, he's going to add that to my list of "no, no's". I had to find a convenient place to stop which took me down the road a piece. I guess he thought I was going to run or something because he briefly flipped on the siren. At this point I was getting a little flustered, trying to find a spot, OFF OF THE ROAD, to pull over while trying to remember what to do with a stick. Poor Jon, he was such a good sport about all of it and patient with me, reassuring me I was okay and doing good. Officer 'I'm all that' didn't start out too nice but towards the end gave us a smile and said be safe. The conversation with cop #2.

Cop: (all macho) Uh, you got a tag light and a break light that's out. (Didn't he cut to the chase? My thoughts, 'Thanks officer were fine. Good of you to ask')
Jon: A break light? That one's new on me. We just got pulled over not too long ago for the tag light so we're aware of it. Thank you officer.
Cop: *getting our license* Phew, that diesel is rough. (We'll if you didn't pull us over you wouldn't have to inhale it!) Okay, let me document this and I'll be right back.
Me: (while he is "documenting it") Great, document it! What the heck for? It's just a flippin light!Why did he have to pull us over? Can't I just learn to drive a stick in peace? Complain, complain, complain....
Cop: (returning our license) Just try to get that fixed as soon as possible. It might just have come loose; with old cars that vibrate and shake a lot, that can happen. (well, duh. Thanks for continuing to diss on our truck and for stating the obvious).

Off we go again and I have to turn around to make my 2nd attempt to get on the interstate. Let me fast forward to on our way home, this time JON is in the truck and I am in the car. We get off on our exit and guess who would be sitting at the light we stop at. You got it, a cop! I thought to myself, this is just not our night. And what is up with all the cops? It's not flipping New Year's Eve! And we saw more that didn't pull us over, thank goodness!

So thinking quick, Jon pulls up behind the cop car in the right lane and I stay close behind Jon so that the officer can't get behind him. Well, being all sneaky the cop slows down just a bit and gets into the left lane. In order to stay behind him, Jon slows down a bit too (we were going the speed limit and who DOESN'T want to stay behind a cop?) but I guess this threw up a red flag to him. Sneaky thing #2 and this might get a little confusing, the cop pulls off the road into a turning lane and I thought, good, we're off the hook. However, I look in my rear view mirror and here he comes!!! What the?! Okay, so I'm staying behind Jon the whole time as the cop comes up beside us. But just as he does, Jon moves into the right turning lane and I proceed in the right lane so the cop in the left lane can't get behind Jon or see that there is a broken tag/break light. Then at the last minute I take the right turn to go home and the cop has no choice but to go left. Hahaha, sucker! So we end the night, fighting off another cop, but were succesful in not recieving another "blue light special". Needless to say we were glad to be home!

THE END!