Grounded!

Under the category of "best of times, worst of times", we had a van donated to us, which was handy as both our vehicles had crapped out at once.

Yay!

But we knew we would not be able to afford to register it till the first of October.

Still, by very carefully riding about in the car with the faulty tranny and no brakes, we got pretty far through the month. And then, we were grounded, as we only had the donated - and unregistered - van.

Still, life goes on, and while I could cancel rides and errands and find rides or use a bicycle or reschedule, my life is pretty busy, and inevitably, a food pick up appointment came that could not be dismissed or rescheduled.

Yeah, you see this coming.

Got pulled over. Mercifully, by a State Trooper, thank heavens.

Why was that good? Because in the hierarchy of law enforcement, the more power they have, the more professional and courteous they are.

Campus police are the worst. Having the least authority they demand the most respect. Local police are scarcely better.

County deputies are much better, they've more legitmate authority and so don't need to demand respect, as they play by the old fashioned rules and just earn it.

And State Troopers are even better, having greater authority and taking our respect for granted. By the time you get to the FBI, it's not even an issue, they're polite as it would not occur to them that anyone would not respect them. And they're right.

(And if you are thinking of a local police officer exception, then you are thinking of an officer who is confident enough in his own competence not to rudely demand an unearned respect. A rarity, but such do exist.)

So I explained to the Trooper why I had no license plate, no registration, no insurance or papers, no proof that it was my vehicle at all.

For "evidence" I had a church bulletin, USDA food I was hauling for a local food agency to aid in feeding the poor, and whatever worth the winning smile of a fifty year old fat man is!

(I suspect that last was probably not worth much!)

I was rather eloquent, and did have on my side that I was telling the truth. Though finally at one point I did say, "Okay, I got nothing."

He asked if he could search the van, and libertarian anarchist that I am, I immediately said, "You bet!" and opened all the doors. He gave a look at the stacks of rice and dried beans, the church pamphlets, my food receipts. It really was the only reason I was driving it.

Of course, besides being courteous, he was also professional. He did verify my story. And he could not let me drive the vehicle any more.

But he left me in peace to call roadside assistance to have it towed back to my house. We've free towing through a remarkably cheap insurance through our cell phones of all things.

Of course, the downside is that now I can't drive that van till it's registered. Only those with a heart as somewhat semi-pure as mine was are going to catch even one break, not even Mother Theresa would catch a second one!

So if you or someone you know has $150 to donate to a good cause, let me know! Otherwise, you know where I'll be till the 1st! Sitting patiently next to the van, grounded!

(Oh, and for any who might be outraged at me getting too good a break, he did give me a ticket. The break was that it was "a" ticket, readily affordable, and not the half dozen budget busting ones he could have tossed out.)