Broke in Louisiana

It was in 1969 long before most bloggers were even born. HarleyDad was going to graduate school in Red Stick, La. Brokerbelle was in Heartland, Texas visiting her family. So HarleyDad having finished an evening class decides to drive to Texas and surprise Brokerbelle. After all it is only 8 or 9 hours away.

There is something wonderful about driving in the evening. It is quiet. You can generally drive fairly fast on Louisiana backroads. Sometimes you put down your windows and feel the fresh air and smell the trees and the night air. Also, at night you can pick up all kinds of interesting radio stations, including supertransmitters from as far away as Quito, Ecuador.

About 2 a.m. in the morning, HarleyDad is blowing through some backwoods Louisiana town when all of a sudden a red light starts revolving on the black and white following him. Well, you know the drill. Evidently HarleyDad had not come to a full stop at a stop sign at 2 a.m. in the morning.

The local gendarme wearing the Smokey Hat explains that HarleyDad has committed this very serious traffic offense, and will need to go to jail in order to await the judge when he comes in on Monday.

Now HarleyDad gives this some thought, and offers to plead guilty and prepay his fine. The gendarme gives this some thought and says that it might be OK. HarleyDad then asks what the fine will be. The Louisiana Gendarme asks how much money HarleyDad has in his wallet.
HarleyDad says $40. Well, you guessed it, as chance would have it the fine was exactly $40.

HarleyDad was broke in Louisiana.

HarleyDad gives the fine to the Gendarme and is allowed to proceed on his merry way to see Brokerbelle.

Thank goodness HarleyDad did not tell him that he had a gasoline credit card in his wallet, or he might have had to fill up a couple of personal cars belonging to the Gendarme.

Justice sometimes is a peculiar thing. HarleyDad had committed a traffic infraction. But HarleyDad did not have to go to jail and got to the Heartland sans $40.

The Gendarme, I suspect, got some tax free money to supplement his modest salary and taught a college kid to be more careful in his driving.

Well, who says there is no justice in today's world.

HarleyDad