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. 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 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. 
 
 

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