Friday, October 14, 2005

Long Live the BBB!!!

I figured the last line of my last post would incite a lot of questions. I had originally planned on writing Been Water-skiing, but thought that Been Pulled Over for Drag Racing might get more of a response as to wanting the rest of the story.

Now for the Rest of the Story...




In the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Richland, Pasco) there were(are still?) 5 L.D.S. Stakes. Every two weeks there would be a youth dance held at one of the stake centers in each of the cities. Kennewick-2, Richland-2(I think?), and Pasco-1, rotating throughout the year.

It was a warm summer night back when I was in High School. I was driving my 1980 Baby Blue Bobcat(BBB) hatchback. (Mercury's equivalent to a Ford Pinto). In the passenger seat was my best friend, Michael, (Proud Mum you know him) and in the back seat was my brother. (And possibly another friend. Kevin if you ever read this you'll have to remind me if you were there or not, for the life of me I can't remember.)

We were on our way to a church dance. Since it was summer and the BBB didn't have air conditioning, we had the windows down and the music blaring. We pulled up to a stoplight right before crossing the bridge over the Columbia River to go to Pasco. (You cannot go anywhere without crossing a river in the Tri-Cities. Seriously!) As we were sitting there singing along to the music a car pulled up next to us.

I looked over and it was a Yellow VW Bug. Driving was a friend of mine, Jennie(6 months older than me, but 1 grade ahead), in the passenger was another friend Sariah(3 months older, 1 grade ahead) and in the backseat was Sariah's younger brother David. (6 months younger, and 1 grade behind). Jennie and Sariah were dropping off David at the dance before going to some school band function. We recognized each other immediately and Jennie and I started revving our motors.

When the light turned green we both floored it! We started racing each other across the bridge into Pasco. Turned left immediately after crossing the bridge and continued racing down this long stretch of road without any stoplights. I was winning! Michael and my brother are laughing like crazy, and joking that the squirrels running on the wheel that IS my engine are doing a great job but are sure going to be tired. I slow down to turn right onto another street when suddenly a police car comes squealing around the corner to my left and cuts me off.

The policeman saw Jennie and I racing and immediately pulled us both over. Since I had won our little race I was in front so he came to my window first. As he approached my window I was scared to death. He asked me where I was going in such a hurry. I told him a church dance. He then asked me for my license and registration and then went to Jennie's car. I rolled up my window and with my hands clenching the steering wheel said quietly, "I can't get a ticket. If he gives me a ticket I'm going to cry." Quickly in response Michael who knew me so well said "If he DOESN'T give you a ticket you're going to cry." I made them both promise that they couldn't tell anyone when we got to the dance what had happened. They made that solemn promise, but reminded me that David in the other car was known for blabbing.

What seemed like forever later the officer came back to my window. Handed me my license and registration and told me he was going to let me off with a warning. Told me to not be in such a hurry and walked back to his car. Jennie had already driven away. I did start to cry, just like Michael had predicted, he said "See, told ya!"

When we get to the church building and walk inside, David had already spilled the whole story to our group. Some felt bad for me (the girls), some where laughing (the boys). I found Jennie waiting for me to arrive in the parking lot. She said that after the officer had taken her license and registration he went back to his car. She said she looked in her rear-view mirror to see if he was writing up a ticket or whatever. She said he was sitting there laughing. LAUGHING! While I'm sitting in my car trying not to cry the officer was laughing!

If you think about it from his perspective it is pretty funny. Here is this seasoned officer in Pasco, used to dealing with hardened criminals, gangsters and drug dealers. He sees a Baby Blue Bobcat and a Yellow VW Bug DRAG-Racing! When he pulls the cars over its two teenage girls on their way to a church dance. I still think about that story and laugh to myself.

Later that night after the dance I dropped off Michael, my brother and I went home. I knew I had to tell my dad what had happened. I knew he would be more mad if he heard if from someone at church the next day rather than from me. Luckily he was up watching t.v. when we came in. My brother went to bed and I sat on the floor next the couch where my dad was sitting and told him the nights events. When I was finished I thought he was going to yell at me or ground me or something. Instead he giggled, then laughed out loud. He asked me if I had learned my lesson and if I would ever do that again. I said NO way, and then kinda laughed with him. The next day at church he did hear the story again. I'm glad I told him first!

The Baby Blue Bobcat had a glorious history. So many great stories occurred in that car. Poor thing is now probably sitting in some junkyard. Even still, I say Long Live the BBB!
Posted by ABQ Mom :: 10/14/2005 01:38:00 PM :: 6 Comments:

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