January 25, 2011

The first time I got pulled over for speeding, at the tender age of fifteen, I immediately burst into tears and began apologizing to the police officer. I still got a ticket. The second time I got pulled over for speeding, probably not long after the first, I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest it was beating so hard, but I remained polite and refrained from offering an excuse. I still got a ticket. Over the years I have received more speeding tickets than I am proud to admit; in fact, when I got pulled over this evening it was simply second nature for me to calmly pull over, turn off my radio, have my license and insurance ready, and generally just accept my fate. No "sudden punch to the stomach" feeling, no dread, and no skyrocketing heart rate. With my ever-lengthening "rap sheet," I doubt I will ever get a warning for speeding. Then again, with my propensity for speeding, perhaps I'm just the kind of person who should not get a warning.