The old gray mare ain't what she used to be

Well, its been settled. I have to take defensive driving in the next 80 days to erase the ticket from my record.

I have always prided myself on my uncanny ability to get out of tickets. This has come in handy on many occasions. I have been pulled over quite a bit in my life as I, like Tom Cruise, feel the need for speed. Why get somewhere in 15 minutes when you can get there in 7 minutes?

I was pulled over and ticketed twice in one week when I was 17. I think I perfected the act then because it was 7 years before I got another one. The act went as follows: I was speeding and was pulled over. Before the officer got out of the car, I smoothed out my hair, put on some lipstick, and did my best Scarlett O'Hara impression. It worked like a charm! The jewel in my crown was the time in college when I was driving 40 in a 20, in a school zone, no driver's license, and no seat belt. I walked away from that with a warning! Man, I was good.

This all came crashing down when I was 24 and early pregnant with Matthew. I was pulled over for going 55 in a 40 and no amount of sweet talking was going to stop the officer from writing me a ticket. Honestly, I was devastated! Not because of the ticket per se, just that I had lost my touch.

Fast forward 5 years to the present. I was ticketed for going 80 in a 55. Like anyone in their right minds would go 55 on I-35! It was a work zone and the officer felt he was being generous for not charging me double. Thanks a lot pal.

Oh, well. I guess I just need to look back fondly on my earlier years, accept that I am getting older, and maybe slow down. A little.