Mary Beth Writes

In spring Len got a $100 traffic ticket when he turned right at a corner we’ve been turning right at for seven years. However, construction had started and there were orange barrels and cones everywhere – plus a small sign NOT facing the street Len was on, telling drivers to not turn there.

Len went back later that day and took photos. Len called the city to mention that if they posted a sign that actually faced the traffic, the city could save the cost of the cop parked there ticketing drivers.

He mentioned this to the city traffic department. He explained it to an attorney in early summer. He sent letters with photos. He mentioned it again this past week when he talked to the judge plus a different city attorney the day before he was going to court on the ticket. The judge told the attorney to work it out and then left the phone call. 

The attorney mentioned that Waukesha cops have lost their police videos for the last several months (really?!!) therefore they no longer have the video of Len turning where he was not supposed to turn. 

Judge came back to the phone call. Attorney explained about the lost videos. Judge dismissed Len’s ticket.

I know you know this moment. A bad thing occurs and it’s not your fault and you can explain exactly why. Then a flying circumstance that has nothing to do with you deletes the bad thing and you are a free person - but what the heck just happened?

There’s grace in this world. There’s forgiveness. There’s also Wile E Coyote trying to catch Road Runner who just keeps beep-beep-beeping as life whizzes onwards. 

..

If you have't watched Wiley and Road Runner later - Click here. 

Seems like a fine place to insert a random photo that Len took, also last spring, of an osprey about to land on a pole.  

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After all that due diligence on Len's part - it all goes away with lost videos. The Osprey picture is really perfect timing. Beautiful!

MB & Len, a win is a win.......also maybe they just didn't want to admit they were wrong..... hooray for a win for the good guys! let's hope for a few wins next week at the ballot box!

Then you were able to spend the money Len saved you! Winner, winner chicken dinner!

Glad to read your last several pieces today- which is Election Day, so I am skipping some I usually read to get caught up here. This one because I had a similar traffic ticket experience a while back, technically in my OWN DRIVEWAY! My car was totaled! What a story but mine didn’t end happily. As a professional person who worked for county government, I knew and trusted my peers in the law enforcement and judicial parts of county government. The police officers and the judge destroyed my faith in those institutions in that incident. I’m deleting the details
Mary Beth's picture

I'm so sorry. This sounds awful.

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Len’s Birthday

11/30/2023

Last week I mentioned that Monday of this week would be Len’s birthday. A friend remarked to me ever so kindly later that day, “I thought his birthday was the 30th?”

It is. Len’s birthday is the 30th. This same friend has commented to me, over the years, about how much I remember.

Covid Diary #1350 Thanksgiving

11/22/2023

Today is 1350 days since the that March Friday in 2020 when we all went into quarantine.

Today is 60 years since JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963. I remember that day, so does Len, so do many of you. Here’s a scary truth. We are as far today from that day – as that day was from the Wright brother’s first flight at Kitty Hawk on Dec 17, 1903.

Quarantine Diary #1349 Sci-Fi & Prophecy

11/21/2023

We both took Covid tests this morning and both of us still have pink lines. I asked the internet what this means and it says I might be pregnant.

I have a call into my doctor’s office to discuss. I feel so much better that if I didn’t know I have Covid, I wouldn’t know it. I’ve been sicker than this after too much pie.

Covid Diary #1347

11/19/2023

A few of you might realize yesterday we were 1345 days since March 13, 2020, and today we’re at 1347. Yup, I used a different calculator. Just a fun reminder that precision depends as much on asking the right question as doing perfect math.

I’m in day #4 of having Covid. No more chills. I have a fever of 100.4 which is more impressive than the 100.2 that Len achieved on his Day #4.  I’m taking various OTC meds and I keep track of them in my phone’s notes because, wow, it’s so easy to have no memory of the last time one took something. I’m good. Enough.

Covid Diary #1345

11/18/2023

I thought I was done with the Covid Diary but guess what? Len and I caught Covid this week! Actually, Covid caught us. We have continued to wear masks in stores, library, meetings, and our church so we will never know for sure where Len encountered Covid. And since I got it four days later, I guess we know where I got it…

My New Substack for Short Stories

11/11/2023

Let’s call this “Old Dog Versus New Tricks.” Does it feel to you as if I’ve been extra quiet these past months? It does to me. One big reason is that I’ve been figuring out Substack.

Here’s the deal: In addition to this blog, I’ve been writing more creative fiction. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and I’m finally taking it seriously. I’m not giving up this website, but substack is going to let me concentrate on short stories and other stand-alone pieces.

What’s Substack?

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