Overheard at Chipperfield's ... Part XXX ...

"So you're back from your trip?" asked J--, as another regular sat down at the table with him.

"Yeah," the regular answered as he pulled up the chair.

"Good time out west," asked J--, taking a drink of his coffee.

"Absolutely," answered the regular, "but it's good to get home."

"Ain't that the truth," replied J--, "So, anything momentous happen while you were gone?"

"Well, I had a funny run in with the RCMP in Saskatchewan," answered the regular.

"That so?" asked J--, intrigued, "I don't know if I could call a run in with the RCMP funny. So, what happened?"

"Well, you know those big signs as you drive down the highway that say 'When passing highway workers and police, Maximum 60km/hr'?" asked the regular.

J-- nodded in agreement.

"Well, they really mean it," said the regular as he picked up his coffee and took a sip before continuing, "I was sailing down the highway at about 110 or so. The cruise control was set and the stereo was playing. It was sunny and I was just chillin ..."

"I hear bad news coming," said J-- with a laugh.

"Got that right," answered the regular as he continued, holding his coffee mug in his hand, "So, I'm cruisin' down Hwy 1, and didn't even realize I was passing a police cruiser that had another car pulled over ... about a minute later there are flashing lights behind me and the RCMP cruiser is on my bumper."

"Oh oh," said J-- with a smirk.

"So I pull over, but as I do I look down and think - 'I'm getting pulled over for doing 115 in a 110 zone ?? What's up with that??' - but I pull over and the Officer gets out of the car and there is steam pouring out of his ears. This guy is steamed."

Other regulars have begun listening in, J-- is smiling broadly in anticipation of the story's outcome.

"He comes up to the window and I say "Hi Officer ..." and he lets go a blast of out rage: 'Do you see the signs on the highway that say when passing emergency workers you are to do 60 kms/hr ?? Do you know what that means?? Do you realize how dangerous it is for me standing on the side of the highway when clowns like you sail by at 120 kms an hour?? ...' and on and on he went ... My jaw was hanging down. I didn't even realize I had done it. So I said, "Officer, you are right, and I am really sorry." 'Sorry,' he says, 'Sorry won't get me to the supper table when I get creamed by a car on the highway. Sorry won't give my kids a dad or my wife a husband ...' I tried again, "you're right officer. I understand completely. I was being careless and I should get the ticket. My dad was a police officer who died on duty, I know exactly where you're coming from ...""

He paused to take a sip of his coffee.

"So, then what happened?" asked J-- still smiling like the Cheshire cat.

"Well," the regular continued, "the officer stood there for a moment without saying anything, then he asked me which Police Service my dad served with, when he died and how and so on ... The wind kind of went out of his sails. Then the officer said - 'well, I think you learned your lesson didn't you?' I nodded saying nothing more as he went on, 'I won't give you the 350 dollar ticket you deserve because you know how important obeying traffic laws are, especially when passing police officers.' I ventured a quiet "yes sir," and a "thanks" as he went back to the car."

"So no ticket?" laughed J--.

"No ticket," answered the regular, "though I damned well deserved it."

"You are so lucky," commented J-- laughing.

"That's what my wife says too," replied the regular as he picked up his coffee and took a sip, "but you know that cop had a point. I wouldn't want to be standing on the side of highway with idiots flying by at 120 kms/hr."

"Me either," answered J--, "I don't like driving the Harley down the highway alongside those kind of idiots either ..."

"Thank God for the men and women in blue who are doing their jobs everyday though," stated the regular quietly, "especially with a long weekend coming up."

"Ain't that the truth," agreed J--.

The two men sipped their coffees and in the background the jukebox warbled Steppenwolfe singing "Get your motor running ... Get out on the highway ... Looking for adventure ..."