The afternoon sunshine and laughter came to end when we realized it was time to find a room for the night. We downed the last of the beers and the brown paper bags were pretty much empty. It was time to leave the ball field and put a new game plan into motion. We needed to find the nearest and cheapest motel in the area. It had been a long day of driving, sunning and drinking and we were both tired and overdue for a good night’s sleep. We hit the strip of motels along the beach and it wasn’t long before we found our best bet for the night. We happened upon a ‘Motel 6’ which cost us exactly what the name says, ‘six bucks each for the night’. We checked in and before our heads hit the pillows we were both fast asleep. The long trip was over and tomorrow was a new day; our first full day in sunny Florida.
The sun poured in through the curtains and in no time we were up and ready for the day. Dressed in shorts and tank tops, we found ourselves the closest restaurant for breakfast and ordered bacon, eggs, toast and coffee. As soon as we were done, we grabbed our beach bags and it was time to find the nearest beach for some sunning. I noticed the locals at the counter and asked where all of the students would be hanging out. With directions written on a napkin, we were on our way to Ft Lauderdale beach.
The afternoons were spent soaking up the sun’s rays and partying by night. It didn’t take us long to meet up with university co-eds from all across the country. We hooked up with a few locals, and were lucky enough to crash for a couple of nights with new friends. Life in Florida was carefree and laid back and we fit into the mix just fine.
We soon realized how expensive this trip was becoming and unlike the university students, our parents were not footing the bill for a round trip vacation. After lapping up the sunshine in Ft. Lauderdale, along with a side trip to Miami for a couple of days, we basically spent our last couple of days in Daytona Beach. Our hard-earned cash, what little we had left, was quickly dwindling. Sally and I knew that there was no other choice but to make our way back home. We pooled our money together, coming up with a few dollars and a bit of pocket change left to our names. We were nervous and for good reasons. Our choices would eventually be about either filling the tank in the car, or filling our grumbling stomachs. It was time to say our good-byes to new found friends and to sunny Florida.
We pulled out the map before packing up the car, and began chucking all of our dirty clothes into the back seat. We hesitantly planned our route back up Interstate 95. We wanted to stay just a few days longer but that was not in the cards. The day we decided to leave, the sun was high in the sky with the temperature steadily rising. It was going to be a scorcher but this would have to be our last drive up the coast. We headed north; the warm air from the ocean blowing in the car window and neither of us uttering a word to each other. The long trek home was ahead of us and our mood was far from enthusiast.
It wouldn’t be long before we crossed over into Georgia, and Florida unfortunately would be behind us. Sandals and shorts would soon be a thing of the past. As the main driver throughout the trip, I decided to let Sally take the wheel for a while as I kicked back. I looked over at her behind the wheel in her cut-off, frayed blue jean shorts and sleeveless blouse tied in a knot at her waist. She was dark and tanned from our days on the beach. I glanced down at my own golden brown legs outstretched on the dashboard of the car, the tan lines from my sandals glaring back at me. Eventually after a few states, our once sun-kissed skin would soon be covered up with blue jean shirts, jeans, socks and work boots. We were both pretty tired and not really into the drive back home, but nevertheless we had to truck on. After pooling our money, we were now on a mission to get back home. Sally was making good time as we hit the first state and started our way through Georgia. The Camero would only go so fast before the wheel would begin to shake, so I reminded Sally to go easy. That was always a fair warning that the ‘old girl’ needed to slow down.
‘Isn’t she Lovely’ by Stevie was echoing through the car, but in the background I heard an unfamiliar high-pitched sound. I looked around and saw a police car flying up the interstate behind us. As naïve as I was, I kept glancing around wondering who they were after. Just at that split second, the police car pulled up beside Sally and motioned her over to the side of the road.
I thought to myself, “Oh my god! This just can’t be happening!”
Sally pulled over to the side of the road, and looked at me with fear in her eyes. The two police officers walked up to our car, one on each side as we rolled down our windows.
“Hello there, the officer on Sally’s side said. Can I please have your license and car registration please?’ Sally looked over at me, and she was obviously distraught. I opened the glove compartment for my car registration as Sally reached over for her purse. She pulled out her wallet and license for the officer. He bent over, tipping his sun glasses down his nose to get a better look as he scanned the back seat of the car. Our dirty clothes were crumpled and strewn across the seat. At my window, the officer was also doing the same thing. Sally and I tried to use our female charm by smiling and chatting casually about our vacation in Florida, but it seems they meant business.
He looked at Sally’s license and walked to the front of the car to talk with the other officer. From this angle, they didn’t look quite as serious; both talking and laughing with each other. Sally and I were still in a bit of shock, but we tried to regain our composure as the two officers made their way back to each of our windows.
The officer on Sally’s side of the car said, “You were speeding and well over the limit for this state. We both looked at each other knowing that the car shook terribly if we went too fast. He continued, “There is a hefty fine for speeding but if you pay $150.00 here and now, you can be on your way!” I blurted out, “We don’t have any cash and that is why we are on our way home from Florida.” The two officers were now standing and chatting with each other over the hood of the car. The officer on my side of the car leaned down resting his arms on the window and with a bit of a smirk said, “Well ladies, I am sorry, but if you can’t pay the fine, she will have to come with us.” He was looking directly at me with a big toothy grin. We both knew that with little money between the two of us, this situation was now far beyond our control.
Sally looked over at me with a pleading desperation in her eyes and I could see that she was holding back tears. I looked up at the officer by my window, hoping to plead with him, but he was already heading back to his vehicle. The officer opened her door and asked her to step out. He bent down into the driver’s side window and said to me, “You better get behind the wheel. Your friend is coming with us.” I felt my stomach turn uneasily as I quickly realized that Sally was now under arrest. I jumped into the driver’s seat and wondered what would happen next.
The officer’s last words to me were, “Follow us to police headquarters.”
Just as I started the Camero and pulled off the shoulder of the road to follow them, a speeding vehicle went flying past us down the highway. The police car lights started flashing and the siren was blasting with an ear-piercing sound. In a split second, their car sped up and began chasing the speeding vehicle.
‘What the hell’, I thought to myself! I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do, so I picked up speed and put the ‘pedal to the metal’. Sally glanced back at me through the back seat of the car with a smile on her face.
‘There I was in a high speed chase’. This really felt like a ‘Thelma and Louise’ moment, except Louise was in the police car in front of me.
I was doing precisely what I was asked to do, and that was to follow them. Not long into the chase, the officer in the passenger seat was waving and flailing his arms out the car window to me. I realized that he wanted me to pull over to the side of the road. Just about that time I felt the wheel of my Camero begin to shake in my hands. I veered off onto the shoulder, and slowly came to a stop. The adrenaline was pumping through my veins and my heart was pounding furiously out of my chest. I dropped my head onto my hands on the steering wheel, all the while trying to catch my breath.
As I glanced up from the wheel, I noticed the police car heading back on the other side of the interstate. He quickly made a U-turn, heading back in my direction. They pulled up beside the car and said, “What do you think you were you doing?” I answered back in no uncertain terms, “You said to follow you.” They looked at each other, realizing they had said, just that, and in a less than firm tone, the officer in the passenger seat said to me, “Well, this time you can follow us to the station”. I looked at Sally in the back seat and she had a silly grin on her face. She was not quite as sad looking. They began along the interstate, without incident, and after about 10 minutes we had arrived in the nearest city in Georgia. I continued to follow them along the city streets, eventually arriving at the police station. I parked my car behind theirs at the front of the large, old building and sat waiting for my next prompt.
They took Sally from the back of the car, hand-cuffed her and shut the door. I got out of my car and looked in her direction. Sally’s face was blank, as she looked over at me and shrugged her shoulders. She was become teary-eyed again, realizing that this was all too real. I walked over to the three of them and asked, “What is going to happen to Sally?” They looked at each other and then back and me and said, “She will have to find a way to make bail and pay the fine in order for the two of you to be on your way.” I smiled at Sally and assured her, “Everything will be ok, just do what you have to do.” I will be here waiting. I laughed to myself at those words, ‘Where else would I be’?
They led Sally up the long concrete stairway leading to the large wooden front doors of the court house. I stood there, shaking my head in sheer disbelief, and wondering what exactly I would do with myself. I was now on my own and had no other choice but to wait it out. I had a million thoughts going through my mind, “What would she do in there? How would they treat her, and how long would she be in jail?” I sat down at the bottom of the long ominous stairs, realizing that I had plenty of time to ponder the outcome. I rested my elbows on my knees with my chin in my hands, and gave out a long sigh. This might be a long wait.
I sat there for at least an hour, and soon realized that my stomach was growling and making some ungodly sounds. I shoved my hands into my pocket and pulled out some change. I sat on the courthouse steps counting out the little change that I had to my name. A lady coming down the steps gave me a cordially hello, so I asked her for the directions to the nearest restaurant. She pointed me in the direction and I decided to walk the few blocks. I arrived at a small quaint local diner, walked in, and plunked myself at the swivel stool at the counter. Reaching into my pockets I put the remaining change I had on the counter in full view.
The waitress made her way over to me, and said in her southern accent, “Hello Sugarbell, what can I get ya hun?” I looked up at her with a big smile, loving her sweet accent and told her, “This is all I have, what I get with this bit of change?’ She said, “Honey…Georgia is known for its’ pecan pie, the best tasting that you will find in these parts.” She continued by saying, “You’re not from around these parts child, so have a piece of our finest pie.” I smiled at the waitress as she proceeded to bring me a big slice of wonderful looking pie and a glass of milk. I was heaven as I devoured it; picking up the remaining crumbs from my plate with the fork. Just for a moment, I forgot about the true dilemma I was in. I pushed my change towards her, as she smiled back at me without counting it. I thanked her before making my way back to the police station to check on Sally.
I reached the police headquarters and opened the big wooden doors to the courthouse. I found my way to the inquiry area, just at the same time as Sally was being brought through the doors from the jailhouse. She looked relieved to see me, as I walked over to give her a hug. She was being released after her parents wired money to her for the speeding fine. The two officers walked behind us as we left the building and made our way down stairs. The one officer called down to us and asked, “Are you ladies in a big hurry? We are just getting off work and wondered if you two would like to join us for drinks?” Sally and I both looked at each other in complete disbelief. I thought to myself, ‘The nerve of them, after what they had put us through’.
We didn’t look back or give them the time of day. Sally asked me as we headed down the stairs, “So what did you do while I was in jail? I chuckled and said, “I had the best pecan pie that Georgia has to offer.” Sally quickly answered back, “So I missed the pie?”
We both broke out in laughter knowing that we were finally on our way back home.
