When Is Something Over?

Standing in front of my mailbox, I’m flipping through the usual junk mail looking for something of value or least interest.

Huh? what’s this? I pull out an official looking envelope. I wonder what this is. Holding one end in my teeth, I slide my finger along the glued down flap to tear it open. A second later, I'm pulling out the contents. A ticket? In the mail? What's up with that? I haven't had a ticket in 9 years.

Worry replaces my typical optimism. I was just reaching the point where I actually felt proud of my driving record. It took years for me to shift my self consumed, devil may care attitude from the type of thinking that had me believing traffic laws were meant for others to honestly trying to obey the rules of the road and be a driver who's considerate of his fellow motorists.

I stand in front of my mailbox looking down at the ticket in disbelief. I hadn’t gotten a ticket in eight or nine years. I lost track of the number of tickets I had once they got into the double digits, but I never got one by mail before. When did they start mailing people tickets?

Approximately 25 years ago, a few years after my crash, a major insurance company whose name could mean the entire state told me that it would cost me $5,000 for six months of insurance. Obviously I couldn't afford their rates. I couldn't afford full coverage on anybody's rate, not even on the old car I drove.

But now, with no tickets or accidents for 9 years, I'm actually a preffered insurance risk. I can afford a nicer car and full coverage insurance. Until seeing this ticket in the mail, I was happy with and proud of my driving record. Now what's gonna happen?

Going in and talking to the magistrate won't take it off my record, but I can't just pay it. There's gotta be something I can do. My heart is heavy as I check the box to speak to the magistrate and drop the ticket in the mailbox.

Walking back to my condo, I'm arguing with myself. Why didn't I just pay it? I'm guilty. They even have a photograph. Yeah, but something might happen. It's not over till it's over.