Jack took a long look at his speedometer before
slowing down: 73
in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could
a guy get caught so often?
When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack
pulled over, but only partially. Let the cop worry
about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other
car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was
stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand
Bob? Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his
trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A
cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who
happened to be a little eager to get home after a long
day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf
with tomorrow.
out of the car, he approached a man he saw
every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.
"Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."
"Hello, Jack." No smile.
"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my
wife and kids."
"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.
"I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm
afraid I bent the rules a bit -just this once."
Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. "Diane said
something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know
what I mean?" "I know what you mean. I also know that
you have a reputation in our precinct ." Ouch. This
was not going in the right direction. Time to change
tactics.
"What'd you clock me at?"
"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?"
"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as saw
you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come
easier with every ticket.
"Please, Jack, in the car"
Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open
door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He
was in no rush to open the window.
The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad.
Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?
Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays
before Jack ever sat near this cop again. A tap on the
door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a
folded paper in hand Jack rolled down the window a
mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him
the slip.
"Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of
his voice.
Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack
watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the
sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost?
Wait a minute. What was this? Some kind of joke?
Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:
"Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was
six when killed by a car. You guessed it- a speeding
driver. A fine and three months in jail, and the man
was free. Free to hug his daughters, all three of
them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait
until Heaven before I can ever hug her again.
A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A
thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I
need to do it again. Even now. Pray for me. And be
careful, Jack, my son is all I have left.
"Bob"
Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away
and head down the road. Jack watched until it
disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled
away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness
and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.
Life is precious. Handle with care. This is an
important message; please pass it along to your
friends. Drive safely and carefully. Remember, cars
are not the only things recalled by their maker.
Funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail
and they spread like wildfire, but when you start
sending messages regarding the sanctity of life,
people think twice about sharing.
Funny how when you go to forward this message, you
will not send it to many on your address list because
you're not sure what they believe, or what they will
think of you for sending it to them.
Pass this on, you may save a life. Maybe not, but
we'll never know if we don't try.
May today there be peace within you. May you trust God
that you are exactly where you are meant to be. "I
believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to
our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how
to
fly."
