When Life Hands You Lemons, You Make A Blog Post
You know what’s so great about blogging? Being able to write about an unpleasant situation, laugh at yourself and blog about it the next day. It’s like I can’t believe this crap is happening to me, but it sure would make a great blog post. You almost want something ridiculous to happen so you can blog about it, or is that just me?
Like imagine the story I would have been able to post had I actually choked my co-worker. I would have even posted the pictures of [their] bruised neck had they not been considered evidence. I was having that kind of week, but I manage to control my emotions by being reminded of a time when I didn’t and in front of a judge.
I was on my way to work driving down a narrow street and on my left was a parked, empty school bus. There were three cars ahead of me and because there was no stop sign from the school bus, we drove past it and stopped at the light.
A few seconds later, a male cop motions for all of us to pull over to the side of the road and wait for another officer.
When the female officer arrived, she was instructed to write all of us a ticket for failing to yield to a school bus (the other officer claimed the yellow lights were flashing), I can’t remember the exact citation, but we had to appear in court.
When I arrived in court, the prosecutor was ready to play let’s make a deal = you pay the court fine and I’ll reduce your charges to no points, deal? I wasn’t ready to admit to something I did not do, so after speaking with the prosecutor, I spoke with the female officer.
She said saw ME drive on the other side of the street (the narrow road with the parked school bus; apparently being last in line, I also went around the cars in front of me) to sit at a red light. I said you weren’t even there, how would you know? Well that was her story and she was sticking to it. Fine, I’ll go before the judge and ask for a new hearing with my attorney.
She was clearly lying, but in a “he said-she said” situation the person in uniform usually wins. By the time I got in front of the judge I was incensed, and it showed, but I agreed to the plea deal because I wanted it to be over.
When it came time for me to sign a sheet of paper saying I accepted the plea, I scribbled my signature with a wave of my hand and then the judge got mad! He said I could not sign my name like that because that was not my signature! Two hot heads. I was held in contempt, never made it to cell, but had to pay a fine for that public display in addition to my other charges.
So as I’m walking out of the court room, I say something to another person who was also pulled over and the judge said I was being disrespectful for talking in court and for rolling my eyes at him. I admit I was trying to burn a hole in his dress with my eyes and may have shown some disgust when it didn’t work. I guess he let his emotions get the best of him too because he reversed all my charges and said to come back next week and to bring my attorney.
*&^%!
Just so happened I worked, and still do, at a law firm. When I got to work, I had a few minutes to calm down and realized my plan to show up dressed as a nun at my next court appearance was probably not a good idea. After being assigned an attorney to represent me, I faxed a letter of apology to the judge and the prosecutor for my behavior earlier and agreed to apologize in court.
Several days later when I arrived in court with my attorney in tow, I was calm and made sure I didn’t make eye contact with the judge. When my case was up, he called my attorney into chambers and I assume they were talking about me.
Turned out the judge was good friends with the female partner at my job and I had the wrong attorney. Standing before the court, I said some stuff I meant and the rest of it was hogwash! I felt like putting on an Emmy worthy performance, but instead, I paid the fine and quickly left before I got into any more trouble.
While I can look back at this situation with a slight grin, I will never trust a cop and I’m afraid of school buses. I still dream of revenge but now when life hands me lemons, I make a blog post.
Photo of Lemons by Shaunb.blogs.com
Photo of Gavel by by Lubbock
Photo of Flame by Rotten Tomatoes
Wow. I can’t believe a cop would lie in court over a TRAFFIC incident. What a bitch! And although I’m sure that most cops are good people, I don’t trust them either. I’ve had bad experiences with dishonest ones as well.
Corrinas last blog post..Friend Fun and Booty Free
You know…there are times when violence is not only acceptable, but also the answer.
TOPolks last blog post..A Pleasant Distraction
Hi Natural,
Have you thought of forwarding this post to your “friends” in the system, with a note of thanks (for the inspiration for a blog post)?
Barbara Swaffords last blog post..No Comment
Good grief! Yeah, there are indeed times when discretion is the better part of valour … but I’m afraid with my stubborn, pig-headed, stick-to-the-absolute-truth attitude to life I’d have been just like you!
The nearest I got to a court appearance was over a prang in a mult-story car park. The guy backed into me, apologised, exchanged insurance details and then told his insurer that I drove into him. Mine asked me if I was prepared to go to court and I said ‘You’re damn right I am!’ already mentally rolling up my sleeves.
See? If you and I ever went out together and got into it, we’d be the ones sitting in the cell saying ‘Wow, that was quite a ride, huh?’
Corrina, I could not believe it myself and that she showed up in court to defend herself. She wasn’t even there. How about you (cop) go catch a criminal!
TOPolk, violence is not a good thing to me, but there are times when it seems like the only answer or at least it will make you feel better. Of course, it’s not just me that I have to think about, so I try to ’stand down’ and channel my feelings elsewhere.
Barbara, I still feel like writing letters and taking action because I didn’t do anything, but it’s over. For days after this happened and I saw the female cop I wanted to run her over. I don’t have to go that way anymore, so I’ll just let this go.
Being discreet probably saved me from a lot of trouble in the past but Jay I have a fear one day someone is going to catch me at the wrong time and…bang zoom! I try to keep quiet because meekness is not weakness, but power under control.
“meekness is not weakness, but power under control.”
I like that!
quite healthy blogging but your story is still a nightmare to me
sandy kesslers last blog post..Exercise Time Down 2, 3, - Up 2, 3 - down
Natural, you’re definitely not the only one who hopes for weird things to happen just so you can blog about them!
Your experience would’ve terrified me. I’m so nervous around authority figures–even LYING ones–that I would’ve done whatever I had to just to get outta there.
Glad everything turned out OK.
JD at I Do Thingss last blog post..I Cried When David Cook Won American Idol so you don’t have to
reminds me of a discussion or two with soemD.O.T. officers over the years…sometimes they are goign to get you not matter what the situation was..
It isn’t just you. I think we all want that platform to write/tell about the happenings in our life. Whether that situation be moving, thoughtful, or ridiculous.
I’m with you on the cop thing. Glad a bad situation made a good blog post.
Urban Thoughts last blog post..They Have Arrived
Wow… I hate when crap like that happens. I’m just stubborn enough to NEVER apologize, too.
Jillians last blog post..I Didn’t Land on “King of Rock”, “King of Rock” Landed on Me
Jay I love that quote, it’s so true.
Sandy it was a nightmare for me. Unfortunately, I re-live it every time I see a cop or a school bus
JD, that’s good to know. Everything I write doesn’t see the light of day, but it feels good to write about it. I’m guessing the male cop and female cop had a relationship going on and he was doing her a “favor”.
Robert well they got me and a few other people. Even with us banning together against their story didn’t work, nobody wanted to “hear” us.
Urban I almost wrote about someone that was bothering me and I’m glad I didn’t cause that person just happen to read my blog and they would have been upset seeing it in print. I’ll look for the ridiculous.
Cops!
Jillian, I don’t mind apologizing, but at least let me be wrong. I only apologized for my behavior, that was wrong, and all that other crap was just lies. How many innocent people have confessed to crimes they didn’t do or are sitting in jail?
Naturals last blog post..How to Get Out and Stay Out of Debt Book Giveaway
When I was 19 (23 years ago), I was clocked at 130 in a 55. After successfully outrunning the officer, I discovered I couldn’t outrun the radio and was stopped at a roadblock. After the cop searched me and the car for drugs, I was handcuffed in front of my girlfriend and taken off to jail for speeding, reckless driving, reckless endangerment of life, reckless endangerment of property, and attempted evasion of a police officer, I was booked and had to post bail.
When the time came to go to court, I dressed in a suit. The judge thought I was my attorney and asked why I was dressed in a suit. I told her that I was willing to admit my guilt and wanted to show respect for the court by wearing my best clothes. She fell for it and all charges except speeding were dropped. It also helped that I was booked on those charges without being Mirandized!
I just make sure I always address judges and police officers with as much respect as possible. They can make you have a really, really bad day and when they’re in the public eye, too many people fail to respect them. I stand out like a beacon by addressing them properly and using as much respect as possible.
It looks like it worked for you, too!
As is customary in our Orwellian world, “justice” is anything but. I never trust cops, anyway. Check out http://www.badcopnews.com
Lanas last blog post..A Recent Dream
Ron that’s a scary story. I don’t break the law like that…I don’t speed, well in a 25, I might do 40, it happens. I have a closet full of suits that I wear all the time, I don’t think dressing nice would have helped my situation…glad it worked for you. I’m always respectful no matter who you are, from kids to the elderly, but it’s just kind of hard to maintain your composure when people are lying and ripping apart your reputation. I was wrong in the way I reacted. Respect seems to be a one way street with some authority figures, you give it to them and that’s it. They are so full of pride that they don’t even know when people sucking up to them. The ordeal you went through with your speeding ticket sounds like the children’s game, Mother May I….asking if it was okay every time you wanted moved. It was very smart on your part though, I give you credit for playing to the cops ego.
Naturals last blog post..How to Get Out and Stay Out of Debt Book Giveaway
You almost want something ridiculous to happen so you can blog about it, or is that just me?
I SO DO THAT ALL THE TIME…. ha ha ha ha
some days I just wait around looking /wanting for something ‘blog worthy’ to happen….
meleah rebeccahs last blog post..Crushing News – AFTER - The 3rd Date.
I will never trust a cop and I’m afraid of school buses
yeah, um…I cant blame you for feeling like that!
meleah rebeccahs last blog post..Crushing News – AFTER - The 3rd Date.
Sorry Lana, your comment was in spam. True statement..they have their own agenda I think. They so flaunt themselves around and hold up traffic talking about lunch because they can. Urks me…I better leave this alone. Grrrrr.
Meleah Rebeccah, glad to know. heheh. Sometimes you wonder where you next blog post is going to come from and well I’m pretty boring, at times, so I got nothing. Blog posts should fall out the sky!
Yep, that incident is always in my mind. I saw two cop cars and I went another way rather than pass them.
I am about a million years late, but I came across your entry in a search. I definitely know the feeling of having something terrible/annoying/embarrassing/funny happen to you, and just wanted to let out how you feel, either via blog, or in person. What an ordeal you went through!.
Check out my entry on life’s lemons @ http://sowhatiff.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/when-life-hands-you-lemonssuck-on-em/
Tis okay if you’re late….bless you and the search engine you rode in on.
Will check out your post.