I wrote a story about the incident in question entitled "The Drive Home" here is part one.
The Drive Home
The flashing lights were the first sign that there was a problem. I had seen the police cruiser as I had driven past the local police station on my way back from town. It had slotted in behind me as I negotiated the roads in town, through the roundabout on to the dual carriageway that would take me home.
“What now” said mom, looking at me as I switched on the indicators signalling to the cop in the cruiser that I had seen the lights and was complying with his directions to pull over. “Police” I said by way of explanation to my beautiful mom sat in the passenger seat.
My name is Mario and my mom’s name is Marta. Although Marta is not my real mother, she is my mother in every sense of the word. She first came into my life when I at the age of 14 came to stay with her and her two sons after my mother and father left our home town to live at the coast because of my father’s health problems.
Marta formally applied to become my legal guardian when I turned 16, my mother and father did not stop her and She has been my mom ever since.
The years have been good to her and after Ruth my wife invited mom to come for a visit then told me she had to go to South Africa for some family business, mom and I were alone. Ruth had said that it would be good for mom and I to spend some time on our own. Mom wanted to spend some time in the town centre and as she had never been here before I decided to spoil her and show her the sights including the “crooked spire” Chesterfields world famous landmark. Now we were driving home.
Pulling up in the lay bye, I switched off the engine and got out of the car and walked to where the police cruiser had pulled up.
“Good afternoon Sir” He said by way of introduction. “What can I do for you” I asked as I approached the police car. His reply shocked me and I replied “Of course I have got insurance, I am with Direct Line” “Well” he said, “not according to our computer you haven’t”. I went back to my car and rummaged in the cubby hole ( glove compartment) to all my American friends. Finding my insurance certificate I returned to the policeman handing him the certificate in the process. “Can you please sit down he said as he opened the passenger door of the cruiser.
I sat down in the car and my eyes went to the computer screen in front of me, there in vivid colour was a photograph of my car. Alongside the photo was my name address and all my drivers details, Mot certificate, drivers licence and under insurance the word “Midas”. Seeing my attention was on the screen he explained that “Midas” meant no insurance. He took out a mobile phone and began to dial the number at the top of the certificate.
As he spoke on the phone I began to get this gnawing feeling in the pit of my gut, something bad had happened and I knew I would not like what I was about to hear.
Putting down the phone he said to me, “Well Sir, you no doubt heard, your insurance was cancelled on the 5th August. Today is the 16th September which means you have been driving uninsured for the last 6 weeks. It is my duty to inform you....” As he recited my rights I felt as though my whole world had come crashing down on me.
I sat there stunned as the police officer informed me that my car was to be impounded. I tried to get the officer to understand that this whole stupid thing was one big mistake and that I was not a criminal. Finally I asked him how I and mom were supposed to get home. “I will take you home but we have to wait for the recovery vehicle to come out.” He said!
“I need to tell my mother” I said as I opened the door, dreading the outcome of this episode. I opened the door of my car as mom pushed a cd into the deck on the dashboard. “All done” she asked as I sat down next to her.
“No mom, there is a problem with my insurance and we cannot drive home as the police are going to impound my car.” What sort of problem Mario, what have you done? Are you in trouble now?”
I explained that the problem with being uninsured meant the car was not allowed on the road and I faced a stiff fine and points on my driver’s licence. Other than that it was not that much of a problem.
We got out of the car with mom hanging on to her shopping. The officer said, “You will have to leave that in your car Madam, there is no room in the cruiser.
“Young man, my son has inconvenienced me enough today without you adding to the problem. I have no intention of leaving my goods behind for someone else to rummage through them so you put that in your pipe and smoke it. Now Mario be a good boy and open the door for your mom and no more arguments from either of you”
“Yes Ma’am” we both said in unison. I looked at the police officer in astonishment as stunned I heard him say to me, “I am glad I am not you, I think you are in far more trouble than you think.”
“I know exactly how much trouble I am in”, I said as I got into the back of the car.
Turning to the officer, mom, with all the ire and frustration she could muster asked “And just how long do you expect me to wait here young man, I have no intention of sitting out here in the middle of nowhere.” I am sorry ma’am, I have to stay here until the recovery vehicle arrives in case something goes missing from the car and the police get blamed.”
Mom turned to me and asked if there was anybody who could fetch us home. I replied that I would phone young Gareth to fetch us. “Do so” said mom “we do not have all night and you have a lot of explaining to do”.
About 10 minutes later Gareth arrived and we loaded into his car and took our leave. His face asked a million questions and I shook my head and said I would explain later. He dropped us at my house and took his leave.
I helped mom take her shopping inside and as I walked ahead of her mom swatted my butt. “Drop that stuff in my room and get yourself into the corner until I call for you.”
“Yes mom” was all I said as I followed her instructions
Half an hour later I heard mom coming up the stairs and opening my bedroom door she entered and sat down on my bed. “Mario” she called, “Yes mom” I answered. “Who did you say was the insurer, was it Direct line”.
“Yes mom it was them” I replied.
“Well I can see how you never knew you were driving uninsured, which is what happens when you do not open your post and never read your mail. It may interest you to know there are 4 letters from direct line; the last one is post marked three weeks ago. They are all unopened. How on earth do you expect to stay solvent and out of trouble if you do not read your mail?”
They say too much of an explanation means you are trying to get out of trouble, I knew I was in deep trouble, not only with my loving mom but with my loving wife when she finds out what happened. Deeply ashamed and remorseful I could only hang my head in shame and say “I am so sorry mom”
Being a mother mom was wiser than I and seizing the opening my answer provided jumped in, “just what is it you are sorry about Mario. Are you sorry you got found out or are you saying sorry in the hopes that I will go easy on you? I am telling you that it won’t work young man, Yes I am angry, but more so, I am disappointed in you. Never have you caused me as much embarrassment as you have today.
“I am sorry this whole stupid mess happened, I am sorry you got caught up in it and I am sorry you were embarrassed. I did not mean for any of this to happen”. At that, the enormity of the whole situation, plus the fact that I was being stood in the corner like a naughty school boy proved too much for my fragile emotions and I began to softly cry.
Mom quickly picked up on this and said “Don’t waste those tears young man; you are going to need them before this mess is over. What you are going to do is go to bed; I am not going to spank you today. I am too angry and it would not be fair should I spank you now. I would be spanking you in anger; I will not do that so I have decided to spank you in the morning. It will give me the time to calm down and you the opportunity to think about why you are at the age of 30 are going to get a bottom warming like you have not experienced in over a year.” Seeing the look on my face, mom smiled and said, “oh yes Ruth told me all about your little experience with the switch. Right now you are going to get into bed, going without dinner will also help to show you that your actions have caused unpleasant results. You are going to get a spanking and I have been robbed of your company tonight. Now, get into whatever it is you sleep in and get into bed, I will be up shortly to check on you.”
