The Speed Limit is a Suggestion

Don't you agree?

No?

Well, let me tell you why I think so....

To begin with, please pray for my dad. He needs surgery for a birth defect. It seems he was born with a lead foot. It has not hindered him as one might expect. He can leap a 6 foot corral panel, no problem. He can outrun a mad mama cow who's about to show some revenge for the injustice done to her precious baby bull....

However, it has lead him into trouble. Trouble with the law y'all.

I remember we were driving through New Mexico when I was 15. I had just gotten my learner's permit. Dad decided it was a good time to have me drive. There is one problem with this. My dad and I are alike in many ways. We are both in a hurry. He felt I needed to pass a car I was following. "You can go faster than this," he said. Well, the problem was, that even though I've been driving since before my feet could touch the pedals, I had never passed anyone in my life. I took a big gulp of courage and began to pass the car. As soon as my nose was around the car, I turned back into the right hand lane. I nearly ran the poor people off of the road. I didn't realize I needed to have the entire car in front before I pulled in front of them. Poor people. I wonder if they still have flashbacks today of a Ford Taurus nearly running them off the side of a mountain the summer of 1991?

So, as you can see, "you can go faster than this," was ingrained in me by my father since the beginning of time.

I had my license for an entire 2 weeks before I got stopped the first time. I was so nervous when I got pulled over. The police officer took one look at my license and said, "Are you any relation to...." Okay, at that moment I nearly blacked out in terror. My brother was not exactly an angel in his growing up years (still isn't) and I had a cousin who was a bit of a terror and had made himself known to the local law enforcement also. I was bracing myself to be stripped searched and hauled off to jail for guilt by genetic association....

"Wayne?" he finished.

I almost collapsed with relief. Of course he knew my dad! "Yes!" I replied with enthusiasm.

"Well, you didn't stand a chance did you? I have to pull your dad over all of the time to remind him to slow down. Try to slow down, honey. I'm letting you off with a warning this time."

And I gave him my most winning, sparkling smile, thanked him profusely and continued on my way.

Thus began a long career of speeding, getting pulled over, and answering questions about how my dad was doing, and what about hunting on our prairie dog town, and "please slow down, I'm letting you off with a warning this time."

And that, Dear Reader, is all for today. I just realized this post is going to be entirely too long for one day, even for steadfast readers who are used to my endless ramblings...Please tune in tomorrow for another installment!