Here is a letter that a very thoughtful person sent me. EVERYBODY who loves to speed should read this.
THIS IS AN AWESOME STORY AND THOUGHT YOU WOULD
ENJOY READING THIS ONE.
KEEP SMILING, GOD BLESS........
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT - - -
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 Christian
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.
Jumping 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-one. Would you sit back in your car, please?"
"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon
as I saw you. I
was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come
easier
with very 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 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. 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 thing
recalled by their maker.