Pieces of the Puzzle

Got a call from my buddy Ums. When I saw his caller ID, I knew he had heard. Shucks! He was calling to discuss my court hearing which is scheduled for next month. Sadistically he laughed "Ho ho ho! You criminal! How could you do that? Compared to you, I’m just a petty thief -Ha ha!" Ums and I have a history of getting into trouble. So we exchange notes to figure out who is better off. To my credit, I have been caught only(?) thrice and been sent to appeal in front of the judge every single time. Ums has gotten away with fines, well, a zillion times!

By now, me and judgy were on first-name basis. Only if my parents knew, their dear daughter was caught in court-kuchery! Family name mingled in mud and stuff! Brrr… I shudder to imagine.

This time the cop had been very brutal. He told me my crime was close to murder!!! MURDER!??!!

Story unfolds- Early morning, I drove out of my parking lot feeling slightly out-of-it (like every early morning). There, in front of me was a school bus, yellow and bright. It didn’t register. Popping out of the school bus were stop signs, 2 of them. Red and brighter. It didn’t register. Behind the bus, was a cop car obeying rules. It didn’t register. What the heck is this dumb cop doing in the middle of the road stopping like this? Passed the car. Passed the bus. In oblivion.

Zapped out of my reverie. Instantly I knew, I had made a mistake. That too right under his nose! Too late! Vaoooown- Vaooown !! Vaooown -Vaooown (Repeat)!! Blue and red lights whirling. I knew it! I had read it in the book. Loading school bus- no overtaking! It all came to me.. maybe even the page number.

He had no mercy. Slapped a 250 buck(!) ticket, took my license and told me to go to traffic court. All this in front of 40 school kids jeering.

"What the heck is wrong with school children in this country? Cant they cross the road with cars moving by -like we did in India? What’s this gotto do with murder, you moronic officer? I didn’t intend on running over on them? There wasn’t a kid in sight when I passed! Isn't 250 a lot, u thief??!"

I said none of this. Didn’t even show a finger at the annoying kids. Just took the ticket and drove to office wondering how they gave me the license in the first place.