Judgements

When the driver starts out his day, he faces everyday decisions that can affect his routine and legality. Such things as taking time to fill out his logbook. Keeping these log books is an attempt for both the company and the police to keep track of the movements of not only the driver but also the equipment and the load. In those days, keeping paper logs was an art form. The driver could manipulate them to say pretty much what he needed them to say. Now if the driver got caught lying on his logbook it could be a major fine to him and to the company, so he had to take care to do it right.

After waking from a sound sleep, he slipped into the driver’s seat and being only half awake started down the road. He put off  filling out his log, in a hurry to make some time. Driving down the road he saw the infamous sign ‘Truck scale ahead.’

As he topped the rise, he saw the scale house on the right, but on this day, he also saw in the scale yard full of construction equipment and laborers with hard hats. Upon seeing this he assumed that the scale was under construction and closed. Thinking nothing of it he drove right by the scale off ramp and up the highway. Getting not more than a mile farther, he saw the flashing lights in his rearview mirror and started to worry. The Alabama State Patrol was not known for being lenient on breaking traffic laws. The driver felt the tension, considering he failed to fill out his log book and was unsure of any other violations that the trooper might find. The trooper pulled around the front of the truck and slowly got out of his car. You see and know what these troopers look like in their creased pants, the blue or brown uniforms with the belts and straps and of course the flat straight brim hats with the dark sun glasses underneath. This is what the driver saw walking up to his window.

After checking his license and the truck registration, the driver was instructed to lock up his truck and come with him. As he got into the squad car and started down the road, he asked the trooper where he was being taken and the trooper replied, “To the courthouse.” The driver asked him what the charges were and he was informed that he was being charged with bypassing the scale house. As they rode on the route to the courthouse, the driver struck up a conversation with the trooper. Most policemen are reasonable people so they fell into light conversation. They soon got to the crux of the matter and the driver asked him what the fine was for bypassing the scale house.

Now having been on the road for a couple of weeks his wallet was empty. His advances on this trip had been maxed out. He was going to have to call into the company for a further advance and he needed to know how much money was needed for the fine. The trooper informed him that the normal fine was $100 just for passing the scale house but this judge had just been elected to the bench, so he did not know her very well. In talking to him, the driver felt that the trooper did not approve of her very much. This concerned the driver a little bit. Now the driver was someone that was a large man with a look of mayhem in his face. His hair was long and his beard was full. Pushing 300 pounds, he was an intimidating presence and trying to be jovial, he made the remark to the trooper, “Maybe she likes long hair!” Considering the money situation, the driver had to call the company to have them send a ComChek for him(this is a way of sending money to be cashed at a bank). Having accomplished this task, he went into the courthouse with enough cash to pay the $100 fine and be done with this ordeal.

There seems to be nothing more ominous than sitting in a judge’s chamber waiting for the judgment on the breaking of the law. As he sat there, the trooper stood nearby seemingly at attention. Soon the door to the room opened and a beautiful middle-aged woman walk in and proceeded to sit behind the desk. She was well dressed long blonde hair and was nothing like what he had pictured in his mind. She seemed to be aggravated that she had to take part in this small play. She sternly looked at him then she looked at the trooper and asked,” What is going on here?”. The trooper standing at attention told the judge of the infraction that was made by passing the scale house. The judge turned and looked at the driver and asked him, “How do you plead?” With all seriousness the driver looked at the patrolman then looked at the judge,  slipped forward out of the chair got down on one knee and pronounced, “I plead insanity Your Honor!” At this gesture the judge immediately broke out into laughter. She announced she found him guilty of the charges and pronounced a $10 fine. The Trooper immediately emphasized that the fine for this infraction was $100. The judge in turn responded, “This is my court and I set the fines and the fine will be$10!” The judge smiled at the driver and walked back out of the room and the trooper looked at the driver and with all seriousness shook his head as in disgust. He then informed the driver that he was under no obligation to take him back to his truck but that he was going that way anyway and he would drop him off at his truck.

The first 10 minutes of the 15-minute ride back to his truck was an atmosphere of quiet intensity. In sight of his truck, the trooper put a little snicker on his face and said “I guess she did like long hair! “ and laughed.

On that day the driver broke the law, got a cash advance from the company, and walked away with money in his pocket a smile on the trooper’s face and a reputation in the judge’s eyes.

Who says crime does not pay!