whathappenedincourtwasevenmoreunbelievable!

What happened in court was even more unbelievable!

I had to go to court over this whole ordeal, because reckless driving is criminal offense.  Has you have seen, I am no criminal.  I love children, pay my taxes, I don't steal, I would never ever intentionally cause harm to anyone.  Speaking of taxes, I am a bit late....

It's a chilly autumn morning when I leave Puyallup for Othello Municipal Court that morning.  Having learned my lesson before, I proceeded to a lot about three good hours to get there.  I grabbed a friend who had nothing better to do that day, and we set sail for the open road.  We arrived in Othello in a little over two hours (I had to pee) and pulled up to the court house.  Arriving early, my friend and I hung out and chatted a bit as we got some breakfast from the local Qwik E Mart.

Due to the fact that we couldn't speak spanish, purchasing a cherry squishy, and a couple hot dogs took a lot longer than expected.  So, much later on, upon our entrance to the courtroom, I was surprised to find out that we were a minority, and we were eyed heavily for it.  Especially my female friend.  So we sat down next to a well dressed lady who had a large folder in her hand.  After sitting there for about 30 minutes, I decided to open my mouth.  Striking up casual conversation I asked "courts starting a little late today huh?"  She then (honest to god on this part) says the drunk hag is probably still trying to start her tractor.  I almost fell out of my chair!  So, we continued to have good conversation for about the next 45 minutes joking about hicks, and such.  We found that she was also from the "West Side" of Washington, and in fact almost a neighbor being from Federal Way.  We also found out that she hated it there.  So why was she here?  She had just passed her bar, and took the first job she could to start earning experience.  I at the time thought she was a defense attorney.

She just happened to be,  no, Yes, no way...

Yes

It was the PROSECUTOR!

At this time, I was called over to see my defending attorney.  I say to him "listen, I was only going 80 when he finally turned his lights on.  How was I to know he was following me.  He was so far behind me!"  He said to me, "don't worry it's all in his report."  What?  an honest COP?  I was sure I was going down, and now this?  I figured it must have been good Carma repaying me for all the times I have let people turn in front of me, and the time that Dan set me up for HEAP of the WEEK in my high school paper!   "Do you think I have a chance to fight it?" I replied.  "Don't push your luck!"  "So what’s going to happen?"  I say.  "Were going to amend it to a Neg 2, and you will probably have to pay a very large fine based on your speed." was the final reply of the well dressed other educated male in the room. 

When my turn had finally come up,   I was very polite to the little old lady  who had to be propped up in her chair by three or four phonebooks to see over the bench.  She was concerned about the facts of the case.  I was speeding.  Speeding is dangerous.  I could have hit a horse, or Cow, and at that speed, a cow would be like a concrete wall.  I then began to wonder if, as you approached the speed of light, cows somehow stretch and become super strong.  When she asked the prosecuting attorney how fast I was going, she prompted her with 10, 20, 30.  the Prosecutor simply said "yeah."  (This is why you should get off the computer, and socialize a bit.  It's a skill that can come in very handy!)  I didn't get it though?  Was it that the judge couldn't read the report?  What was this?  I was going DOUBLE the speed limit.  The Judge basically said that I'd have to pay a fine of $100 and pick up the garbage.

Seriously, I drove out there all that way to find out I wasn't even going to have to try and come up with something clever.  The whole thing was like Alices Restuarant for speeders!  (three part harmony included!) except I wasn't selected inspected injected detected and resurected.

The trip home took almost 5 hours.  I was done pushing my luck for quite a while.

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