Cop In The Rear View Mirror

If your driving record is like mine you spend a lot of time looking in your rear view mirror for law enforcement. My driving record makes it quite ironic that I work in the Auto Insurance industry. But more on that in another blog.
Recently I was stopped at an intersection ready to make a legal right turn. I was getting ready to proceed, took a quick glance in my rear view mirror to see one of Tualatin's finest behind me. I looked up to see a pedestrian entering the crosswalk on the other side of the the street I'm turning onto. Thinking that if he's in the crosswalk at all I need to wait until he finishes he Sunday Stroll, I did NOT proceed, but stayed there anticipating the turn I would eventually be making. In the very next moment I feel a stiff and unexpected jolt from behind. You guessed it, the officer rear-ended me.
I made the turn, pulled into the next parking lot, which happened to be in front of my insurance office. You may think the details of this encounter are already pretty funny, but I assure you, they get better. The officer and his partner are embarrassed. They asked if I was OK and checked to see if there was any damage on my car, which there was not. The protocol required an outside agency to come and make a report and so we had to wait quite a while until the State Trooper could come and confirm the details of the embarrassment to the officer.
It was during that wait that I asked the officer that was behind the wheel how long he had been with the Tualatin Police force. He proceeded to hold up his index finger. This was his FIRST day in the field. The "partner" was his training officer who was already giving him a hard time. Imagine what would be taking place when he returned to the station later that afternoon. In fact, you can bet this event will be talked about at his retirement party someday in the future.
It finally feels so good to have THEM owe me one for once.