My how times have changed. Long story but funny. ( I think)
The last time I was pulled over in Tx. was a little over 20 years ago.
Was visiting Dad in Dallas, went up to Greenville on a Sat. night for some drinkin and grab assin. Met a new friend and "drove her home" . We had twisted one up on the road and she left a bit on my dash. Enough for one more. Not a lot, but not exactly invisible either.
Nevertheless, it was extremely late before she kicked me out and I had to get back to Dad's so armed with slightly cryptic directions I head back.
I'll never know if I made a bad turn or was going the way I was told to but here I am, 5:00 a.m. barrel-assin down Belt Line. The road goes to a 2 lane and I barely catch it. Two wheels go off for a second or two.
As if placed there by the Hand of God was a squad off the shoulder. He lights me up, I pull over. Officer approaches the truck, asks me if I'm o.k. I tell him my story(minus one or two details) and ask him if he could point me towards Dallas after he was done writing the ticket.
He takes my license, shines the interior of the truck and stops the beam on the dashboard. I follow to where the light's shining and there it is, right there for all the world to admire. He asks me to step out of the truck and if I have registration. I tell him I do and if he wants I can get it. While we're talking he's inside the cab looking around with the flashlight, I see him reach over and pop open the glove box.
I had forgotten about the pistol laying inside. Out it comes, lands on the floor, he picks it up, gets out and looks it over. Asks if I have any docs for the gun and of course, I don't.
He waves his partner out and he comes walking up. They exchange a few words and I see the flashlight go inside the truck, to my custom dash ornament. The second officer asks me my story again, then asks if there's any more surprises. I hadn't forgotten about a slightly customized winchester in the toolbox so since they hadn't overreacted, and I was already pretty much cooked, I told him figuring it would turn up eventually anyhow.
He looks me in the eye, shakes his head and says "So what part of Dallas you need to get to?"
It took a second for me to respond, he writes a few turns I need to make on the back of a business card and walks me over to the front of the truck.
He then says "go clean that S^%& off the dash and bring it here.
I do as asked and he says "now dump it on the ground." I hesitate for a moment, it was all I had and it was a decent hike home and told him so. He laughs and asks if I would rather just take a ride with them. I tell him no and comply. He smiles, tells me to be more careful, asks if I can get back o.k. then leaves.
I won't name the town but if you know the area, you might figure it out.
And that's why I don't gamble, I figure I used a lifetime's worth of luck that one night.
They really were a different breed back then weren't they?
