Basically, I had a run-in with an Alabama State Trooper. Judy Fae and I were on the way back home from our honeymoon. Yeah, I’m a true cop. She was my first wife. We were just two star-struck lovers returning from a glorious Florida honeymoon. Well, enough of that crap. Judy and I left out of Panama City laying rubber and puttin’ a ton o’ dust in the air. As we left Florida, I was really gettin’ it. I never got below 70mph.

Now, remember this was when President Jimmy Carter was just out of office. The speed limit had been lowered by his administration to a “nationwide” 55mph. As you can imagine, this was not a popular move with the masses.

So, I was ballin’ north out of PCB at 70mph and above going home in the Formula, who knows, I might have had to work that night. Just before Dothan, Alabama, I was doing a “little” above 70mph. Judy Faye and I came into Dothan proper and its four lanes. In my mirror, I saw a cop car brake hard. He spun around and turned on his blue lights. How did he do that?

I’m near the Dothan bypass and there is a lot of traffic. So, I tried to blend in with the traffic and get away from him. He is so far behind and just starting from a go position. I will have to speed up a little to make the bypass before he gets to me. 431/231 bypass was very congested with traffic as it always is. I lost sight of the cop in my mirror but, I did get to the bypass before him and got lost in the traffic.

Within less than 30 seconds, I look back in the mirror and he had snuck up on me two lanes over. Smart move my friend. His blue light made the traffic melt away. I was now in the crosshairs and pulled to the side. I exited the Firebird and saw the biggest African American trooper I’d ever seen step out. He looked like an NFL linebacker and he looked very angry. He demanded my license and said, “I’ve clocked you at 75mph.” I mumbled to myself, “Thank GOD it’s only 75mph.”

As I handed him my license, the last thing I wanted him to know was that I worked in law enforcement. He must have seen my jailer I.D. in my wallet. I was asked if I was in law enforcement and I hung my head. I said I was a jailer in Douglas County Georgia. He asked, “Are you one of Earl’s boys?” I was surprised that the biggest trooper in South Alabama would know Sheriff Lee!

I replied with my head still hung low, “Yes sir.” I knew I was in big trouble with the Sheriff. He did not allow “his” people to get traffic citations. Harsh penalties were in store for me when I got back which probably meant a week off without pay. The Trooper handed my license back and grumbled angrily, “Slow Down! I’m going to call the post next up and have them watch for you!”

As he drove away, I was sitting in my car in amazement at what just happened. I was praying that he would call the next post by phone and not on the Sheriff’s Band Radio. I did not want every sheriff’s department in the State of Alabama to hear my name. I drove back to Columbus, Georgia, and put it into the wind again!