Police Encounter

23rd March 2006

This is an excerpt from my book, I haven’t thought of a title yet, I think I’ll let the stories guide me.

Back from my travels once again, this time it was a little further away in Mildura. I had a great time with the group. Wonderful folk.

Travel on Monday was interesting. I’ve mentioned previously that I’m making a documentary and I stop often, so having a full day to return home was a luxury. I went through Barmera to visit Lake Bonney and shoot footage of the trees, wildlife and the stark environment and then drove down to Swan Reach to the ferry, down past Sedan and I was sailing along very nicely.

ABC radio was entertaining me. The GPS set to keep the speed in check, my cruise control set at 108 kms per hour, just below the speed limit.

I was listening to the Stain Guru. a lady who answers questions on how to remove stains. The announcer  introduced a woman on the phone who had a question.

“how do you get boys water out of your shoe”?

“boys water. you mean urine, how did it get in your shoe?” hesitantly the person on the line just said.“Well lets say my grandson  was in time out in my bedroom and took his revenge”.

I was laughing so much that I almost failed to see the Policeman on his bike coming towards me. Suddenly he put his hand out, turned on his flashing lights and signalled me to pull over.

“Help” I thought. And I looked at my speed. No problem, well maybe he wants directions.

As he pulled up behind me I wound down my window. He approached the car. (I wasn’t going to get out, I watch CI and this was a deserted road right out in the countryside)

“What’s the problem” I asked him.“Do you need directions”   (what a stupid thing to say to a policeman Pamela)

“Do you realize you were speeding”? he said, I opened my eyes wide. I knew I was within the limit. Unfortunately it seems it was the wrong limit. It had changed to100 kms at the last corner.

Whoops. So I produced my license and he looked at the GPS and said that he didn’t realise that it showed  the speed.

“Sure I said and it beeps if I go over the set speed.” So we began to talk about the GPS.  I mentioned I use it in the USA and Britain.

“Wow what sort of a job do you do to travel so much” –  a little silence and then I said “I teach Quilting” He looked at me as if I was pulling his leg.

Quilting. “Oh yes he said I see your number plate.”  My number plate was Quilt3

OK so I had to tell him all about Quilting. There we stood on the side of the road he kept that darn blue light flashing. So I kept smiling so that the people going past didn’t think I was being pulled over.

He mentioned he was going to England and might need to take a GPS for his hire car.

“Good idea” I said with authority. He said he was going there on his honeymoon.  I told him he would love England and some of the places I had traveled to.

Then he said sadly, “Yes, but I have to leave my children with my  ex, or the time I’m away, that’s going to be hard”   Gees too much information I thought.

“Have you got children he said?”.

Well,  that began another conversation. I said we have 13 and he almost dropped his bike.  The blue light was still flashing.

“OK now tell me about this quilting you do.  You must be good if you get to travel so much”

I tried to explain Quilting to him, but he didn’t understand so I said, let me show you a quilt. I opened the trunk and we had show and tell right on the road side, Drowning Bear draped across his bike and the sun shining against the brightest blue sky.

The blue light was still flashing.

He gave me a  warning and a blue slip which I told him I would put in my diary for posterity, but we had a great chat and he got to learn  about quilting and quilters.  I have his number because I think he deserves a card for his wedding in 2 weeks time.

My families just about died when I told them of my adventure.

“Mum, you didn’t really drape your quilts over the police bike”

Moral of the story…. You never develop character by never making a mistake.