Welcome and goodbye

I was parked at one of my local duck ponds just minding my own business. At this particular duck pond I typically stop drivers for speeding, no seat belt, cell phones and just about anything else I might see which is a violation.

I was stopped at the side of the road after releasing a driver for speeding. I make it a habit while I write my notes on the back of my copy of the ticket to face the on coming traffic. Over the years I've actually gotten used to looking where I place my pen and begin to write. Once I'm writing I'll look at the oncoming cars to see who is not wearing their seat belt or jabbering away on their cellular phone.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think most drivers when they approach a cop who is on a car stop will continue not to wear their seat belt or continue to talk on their cellular phones knowing that the particular Officer is currently tied up.

So there I stand looking at oncoming traffic as I write my notes and sure enough here comes this red Isuzu Rodeo and the driver's not wearing her seat belt. After the Isuzu passed my location, I put my ticket book in the saddle bag of my police motor, fire it up and I'm up and running after that Isuzu.

I turn on the pretty flashing lights and the driver pulls over into a parking lot. Even after stopping her and walking up to her driver door, she's still not wearing her seat belt. I get the usual license, registration and insurance card and tell the driver why I stopped her.

She agrees and tells me she had just come from a U-Haul store and bought some boxes for packing. I always tell a driver before I walk back to my police motor that I will be issuing a ticket for the violation. This way there's no surprise when I walk back up with my ticket book in hand.

So after writing the ticket and walking back up to explain the ticket to the driver, I get her signature and while I'm tearing her copy from the original ticket she tells me, "I remember you Officer 2WT." I finished removing her copy and look at the driver as she didn't look familiar to me during my first contact.

I apologized and told her that I meet so many people during the year that I didn't remember her. She told me that back in 2004 when she was moving into the "Town" where I previously was a motor cop, I had stopped and given her a ticket for speeding.

She mentioned how apropos this ticket was as she was now moving out of the "Town". I asked her where she was moving to. She told me "Georgia", and then added, "I hope your not moving there too." I assured her I wasn't and told her to have a safe trip.