In the summer of ’91, I was doing contract work, mainly working in the southeast, and this particular week I had spent in North Carolina. Nancy and I had only married in February, and now in the middle of July I found myself living out of state and coming home only on the weekends for that 6 week period.
Finally, Friday arrived which meant I would be making the 4-hour drive home after work. Usually the work day ended around 4:30. But this particular afternoon, we had caught up with as much as we could do, and my supervisor told me that I could leave at noon.
I had my packed my bags the night before as I always left direct from the office. As this was pre cell phone days, I called Nancy before I left the office and told her I was coming home early.
“You are!” she sounded excited over the phone. “That is so great. Be careful and I’ll see you soon. Love you Babe.”
“Love you too,” I said. “See you soon.”
As I made my way down the interstate thru North and South Carolina, when I crossed the state line into Georgia, in my review I saw the lights of a State Patrol car behind me.
“Oh great,” I said, as I turned my car into the emergency lane and came to a stop.
A tall officer wearing his State Patrol hat, gun on one hip, nightstick on the other walked surely to my car.
“License and insurance”, he said as I rolled down the window.
I handed him the two cards.
“You live in Georgia”, he confirmed from my license. “You were going pretty fast. Why are you in such a hurry?”
“Well officer,” I started to explain as he looked down at me. “I’ve been working all week in Carolina. My wife called me this morning and told me she was getting pregnant tonight whether I was home or not.”
It took him a second to digest what I said, then he handed back my cards. “Drive careful and watch your speed.”
“Thank you, Officer,” I said, breathing a sigh of relief.
A couple hours later, I told the story to Nancy who rolled her eyes and laughed.
The End
J.P. Nix 