July 2, 2013
I was the
only white girl in the courthouse room, awaiting my plea with the Hearing
Officer. Two tickets and a Ramsey
County Court envelope in-hand, along with two
photos of my license plates proving lack of obscured month and year stickers that
grace the bottom corners as well as a grime smile of obvious distress. A grim
story of accidents and chain of horrid events ran through my brain as I slid
across to the only empty seat sandwiched between a larger-than-life woman with
gaudy pink extended fingernails, lime green handbag that sagged with enough to
get through a week on the streets and a man whose pants must have been eeked-on
while lying down, a sleepy-look hitched by his mouth. Although I had spent a
few precious moments clashing with the “P” meter on the street, I won out and
made it to the Courthouse early for my appointment. My clunky black boot, aimed
to draw on the officer’s sympathy, felt hot and itchy on my leg. Felt lugging
along the cane would be a bit too dramatic so she sat waiting by the front door
at home. My name was called the second I
relaxed into the well-used chair so I popped-up and lurched towards the man.
His hair swept across his glaring bald patch lying tenderly on top of his
slumping shoulders. He appeared ragged and overworked yet had a twisted smirk
that implied I was welcomed to sit.
“So, it looks
like you are here with two tickets today?” I gulped and agreed. Ready to lunge
into my dog and pony show, he typed away on his desktop and ignored my amenable
smacking lips. “Do you have pictures of the plates to show me?” I leaned in
with a wide smile to demonstrate the removal of the plate frames. He typed some
more and looked at me long and determined. “Well, it appears you took care of
the problem. It is my opinion you did your part and I will erase these tickets
from your record. You are free to go!” If I could have skipped, I would have,
all the way down the hall, out the door, and onto the busy street. Too bad I
don’t have jail time experiences to share with ya’ll. Maybe next time.
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