Dobrindts Dot Com

I forgot to tell you I got pulled over yesterday. I was on my way to Hartford, from Boston, at 6 in the morning. I was about 10 miles from 84 when I passed a state trooper sitting in the median. When I passed him, he had already started to pull out. I had taken my wife's car, a black mini-van, and was doing 71 in the middle lane, where the speed limit was 65. I have no idea why I was doing 71, I usually drive like I'm in a race. So I drove along and the state trooper passed me in the left lane, slowed down, got behind me, and put on his lights. Usually I would be nervous in that situation because I don't want to get a ticket but am usually guilty of speeding, but if this guy wanted to give me a ticket for going 6 miles an hour over the speed limit when people in the left lane were passing me like I was sitting at a green light, then so be it.

So this guy, bald, heavy, walks up and asks for my license and registration. I grab a huge wad of papers from the glove box, looked at him, and said I hope it's in there. I started leafing through it and he saw it before I did. He took it and asked why I thought he stopped me.

"Because you don't like my tie?"

"You know I'm a Yankee fan?"

"To make fun of me driving a mini-van?"

"You need an ego boost so early in the morning?"

"Want to borrow my phone?"

I couldn't really think of why so I said no.

He said that the sticker on my license plate indicated my registration was due in April. He then turned the registration so it was facing me, showed it to me, and said that the registration says that it's up to date. How dare I go on to his highway without a proper sticker on my tag.

He said he would check to make sure it was ok.

So I sat in my car for 10 minutes while he looked things up. Patti is always on top of things like that so I knew that the registration was not overdue.

The police officer came back and said that the car was fine but I need to put the sticker on. He told me he could give me a ticket for 35 dollars, although he didn't sound so sure about that, but was going to give me a written warning instead. He gave me an official written warning, kind of like a reprimand, and explained that I want to put the sticker on because if it were 2 in the morning and he pulled me over to check and the RMV systems were down he would have to tow my car. He also said that if I were out with my wife at dinner and had a glass a wine I don't need an excuse for FIVE-OH to pull me over. Weaving in and out of traffic notwithstanding.

So I thanked him, told him I would get the sticker, which unknown to me was in an envelope in the visor, and got back on my way.

To serve and protect, which was done yesterday, and the highways of Massachusetts are a safer place.