About 30 years ago, I was stopped by a local cop on my way home. When I left work, I discovered that I had a headlight out (old halogen sealed beam type). On the way home, I stopped and bought a replacement. I intended to replace it in my garage, where I could see (it was dark). The cop stopped me less than a half mile from home.
He told me that he stopped me for the light being out. I showed him the new headlight and receipt. I said that I would install it that same evening. This putz didn't care. He wrote the ticket anyway. I was more than annoyed. This was simple harassment. It was starting to rain, as a big storm was rolling in.
On the back of the ticket, it stated that if I repaired the equipment problem within 24 hours, any police officer could sign off on the ticket, making it null and void. I need only mail it in.
I changed the headlight and aligned it. By now, the sky had opened up, raining like hell, with strong winds.
I spent the next 15 minutes tracking down the cop who wrote the ticket. I found him parked behind the railroad station. I drove up within two feet of his door. I rolled down the window and said, "it's repaired. Please check it and sign off the ticket."
"It's pouring, can't it wait?"
"No, I won't see another officer before tomorrow night."
Mumbling some choice words below his breath, he takes a plastic hat cover and stretches it onto his hat. Slowly, he gets out and walks to the front of my car. I turn 'em off, on and flash the high beams. He walks back, asks for the ticket and climbs into his car, dripping wet. He hands me back the ticket. I check to make sure he hasn't tried some other stunt. It looks properly filled out and signed. I said "thank you", and drove home.
About a week later, I see our usual sector car parked at the firehouse. I stopped and went into the dispatcher shack. Standing there sipping coffee was Marty, who was one of the three cops who rotated shifts in the sector car. Marty had worked that beat for 20 years, lived in town and was a volunteer fireman. Everyone knew Marty. I related what had happened. Marty said, "that guy was filling in for Paul last week, while he was on vacation. He's a jerk. Glad you made him stand in the rain. When I see him, I'll ask him if he enjoyed the shower."
Marty retired after 30 years. He still live in town, and has been elected Fire Chief 5 or 6 times.
