The white lines on the highway began to dull me to sleep as I drove back home. Damn holidays. I thought. But it was family. What was I supposed to do? Stay home? They would have had my head.
I turned the music up. The thumping bass should keep me up, at least until I get to the next rest stop. On the three-lane road, I was the only one driving that I could see in both directions. I decided to hit the gas, maybe cut my time by a little. I looked down at the speedometer... 85, 90, 95, 100mph. I decided to hold it there.
If one of the state troopers came along. I should have enough time to back it down. I felt a little more awake as I sped along. Then I saw it. The sign for the rest stop was only fifteen miles ahead. I backed it down to eight-five as I saw the lights for the rest stop just ahead.
I pulled in and headed straight for the gas station. I slid my card into the slot, punched in my information, and then pumped the gas. I had almost two more hours of driving before I got home.
Shaking my head to try and clear my mind. I looked around at the other people on the road at this time of the morning. Looking down at my watch, it was almost two in the morning.
I knew I should have said my goodbyes a bit earlier. At least I had the next week off. I looked over at the other side of the station and saw a great view.
This was one of the many reasons I loved living in the south. A nice thick pair of legs, with cowboy boots, leading up to a couple of daisy duke shorts, bent over a truck bed. She was cleaning what looked like thick red mud out of the back of the truck.
"Hey, that guy is checking out your wife's ass!" someone shouted.
Goddammit, I said to myself. Another thing I forgot about the south. Rednecks, I turned in time for one of them to come barreling down at me.
"Hey boy!" he said as he came running at me. "You checking out my wife's ass?" he said. With his flannel shirt open and his hairy chest open for everyone to see.
"Nope, I Was looking at the truck. Your wife was just in the way," I replied.
My reaction stopped him dead in his tracks.
"What ya got a lift kit on it?" I asked.
Looking down at the view from where I stood. He could see his truck and his wife was in the way.
"Yup," he said with a huge smile. "Darla!" he shouted.
"What?" she screamed back at him.
"Move!" he shouted.
He then spouted off all the custom things he did to it. I nodded and added a few things I had heard of in the past. We shook hands, and he went on his way.
"Dumb ass," I said as I got into my car. I beeped the horn at his wife as I passed her on the way to the coffee shop. She put up her middle finger at me.
"Large coffee, strong please," I said.
"Long drive?" the man asked.
"Yeah, another two hours to go. Just need a little pick me up," I smiled and nodded. I sat down at one of the tables and began to drink.
"You were not checking out his truck," a female voice said. I looked behind me. There was a state trooper sitting behind me.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"You heard me," she said, lowering her newspaper.
"How would you know?" I asked. She came and sat on the opposite side of me.
"I know," she said with a smile. She was a tall lady around 5'8 or 5'9, a tad taller than myself. But she was built, not like a bodybuilder, but well-built for a female.
"Where you checking her out too?" I asked.
The coffee was kicking in, and I was beginning to feel like myself again.
"No, I was checking something else out," she said, eyeing me. I chuckled.
"Really. Like what?" I asked.
"Your car!" she said. This time her smile had gone. "You passed me doing over one hundred, by the time, I turned around, you were already at the gas station."
"Oh," I replied. "You going to give me a speeding ticket?" I asked.
"No, I can't. It could have been any Camaro. If you fought the ticket, I would lose," she said. "But I just wanted to let you know that I saw you." she said as she stood up. "Have a nice night." she said as she walked away.
I looked back at her. For a trooper, she had a nice ass. I waited a while longer to make sure she was gone before getting back in my car.
I started back on the highway and was glad to see more cars on the road. A few lights behind me and a few red lights ahead. I began to punch the gas slightly, pushing me over the speed limit until I caught up to the cars in front of me, then backed it off.
Slowly but surely, the other cars started to exit. I looked behind me. There were no cars back there either. Again, I was by myself.
I had easily another hour of driving. I gave another quick look around and gunned it. I began to see the mile markers zip by me. This would take some time away from my drive as I got into the zone. Then I saw blue and red lights coming up behind me fast.
I looked at the speedometer. It was well over the one hundred range, nearly hitting the hundred-twenty mark.
"Dammit!" I said. As I slowly pulled over. I waited for what seemed like forever before the trooper came out.
"License, Registration and Insurance," the female voice said. It was her again.
"Here you go officer." I said.
"Didn't I just warn you?" she asked. I nodded. She shook her head and walked back to her patrol car. I shook my head.
"Dumb ass!" I said.
The wait took forever, and I knew she was doing this on purpose. Finally, I saw her coming back to the car.
"Would you get out of the car sir?" she said.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"Can you please get out of the car sir?" she said as she backed away from the car. Placing one hand on her gun. I slowly got out of the vehicle.
"Hands on the top of your car please," she said.
"Sure, but..." I said as I put my hands on top of the car as she took one hand, then the other and cuffed me.
"You have a warrant sir," she said. "Speeding in a school zone."
"Fuck!" I said, slamming my head against the top of the car. I had forgotten to pay the ticket. She flipped me around.
"Do you have anything on you?" she said as she began to pat me down.
"No," I said angrily.
I wasn't angry at her. She was doing her job. But I was furious at myself, how could I have forgotten to pay that ticket.
"So, what happens now?" I asked.
"Well, I take you in, you should get a hearing tomorrow. If you have the money and can pay the fine. You're free to go," she said as she patted me down again. This time she grabbed my crotch. "Sorry, I called for a male trooper, but they are busy with a crash."
"No need to apologize," I said. "What about the car?" I asked as she began to walk me back to the patrol car.
"Do you have the money for the ticket?" she asked as we got to the car.
"Yes, in my bank account," I replied.