For many years I took great pride in the fact that I had not ever had a car accident. I got my license when I was seventeen and I reached my early 30's never having even had so much as a fender bender. At the time my first accident occured I was selling Avon locally and did a lot of driving around our community so it probably wasn't very surprising that it finally happened.

The roads were icy that day and stopping was a problem. Having been born and raised in International Falls, Minnesota I was well aware of what it takes to keep from sliding on through an attempt to stop. I was proceeding along on a main road and had to make a left turn into a neighborhood where I needed to deliver an order. I am a bit paranoid about people who hug my bumper so I glanced into the rearview mirror as I normally do checking to see if someone was behind me. As it turned out, there was a car back there but it was far enough back that I wasn't worried about it and also it was a cop car, so I figured that was safe enough.

I began slowing well before the turn and pumped my brakes a bit to come to a stop as a car was coming towards me in the other lane. I needed to wait long enough that it became necessary for me to bring the car to a compete stop. I did so without incident, and was waiting for the other car to pass so I could make my left turn when suddenly, without warning, my car was hit from behind. I jolted forward a bit but it really hadn't been a big bump so I was fine. All I could think of, though, was WHO was behind me.

"Nooooo," I said to myself and, suppressing a smile, looked again into the rearview mirror. Sure enough, there was the young police officer looking totally mortified. He sat there a minute and then got out of the car and came quickly up to my door asking me if I was okay. By that time the humor of the situation had taken over and I was laughing my fool head off. The poor guy must have thought it was an hysterical reaction or something because he looked a bit alarmed. He mumbled something about radioing for help and scurried back to his car.

Now, having another local cop come and take a report would be a conflict of interest so it was necessary to have the sheriff's department come to take care of this situation. In the meantime, the poor flustered policeman and I had moved our cars over to the side and he had flipped on his lights. Soon the deputy arrived and he parked behind the police car with HIS lights going, too. So there I sat, still giggling, alongside the road with both the police and the sheriff's department cars looking all official and ominous. I did hope no one I knew would come along because I figured they would probably think I had been smuggling something particularly good and highly illegal in those little Avon lipstick samples.

The deputy would have fit in well as one of these good ole boy type southern law enforcement types. He had a big gut and an attitude to match. He was all business as he pointed out that my car wasn't really damaged much so perhaps it would be possible to just have the city pay for the repairs. By then I had managed to squelch my mirth to the point that I could at least answer in a reasonably normal tone of voice and I agreed to discuss it with my husband. We exchanged pertinent information, the young officer once again apologized profusely, I once more went off into gales of laughter and we went on our merry separate ways.

When I got home I had a lot of fun with it running into the room where Bill was and telling him I had had an accident with the car. Then I said, "Yeah, I was rear-ended by a cop." I KNOW he did not believe me at first. Actually, few people do. They think I am beginning to relate a humorous fictional anecdote when I tell them that my first accident occured when I was rearended by a police officer. I finally convinced Bill by showing him the info I had received from the deputy.

The damage was all of $65 and the city paid for it with a check. The car was as good as new and I had a great story to tell. I kinda doubt the cop got as much enjoyment from the whole incident as I did, though.