OOPS and Getting Off Clean

The Boss seems to be the go-to gal at the small church she attends. She's in charge of the women's ministries and once again the worker bee for the annual church garage sale. As you might expect, since I support the Boss, I get dragged into her church activities. We spent most of the day transporting tables, transporting donated items for the sale, and setting up a lot of the same in the church basement. I tell you this because of what happened on the last trip.

I was driving my Nissan Frontier crew cab with the Boss beside me and Amber (Siberian Husky) in the back seat. The dog is not usually allowed in the cab, but in the covered bed, because of the fur situation. In this case the bed of the truck was full.

Anyway I turned down a road that I drove back and forth to work for 16 years, but hadn't been on in the last 3 or 4 years. I'm driving along, talking to the Boss, and I notice a LEO getting ready to turn onto the same road. I basically ignored the cruiser until I see flashing lights in the mirror. I then turned on my turn signals, pulled off the road where we wouldn't be a bother to traffic, and stopped. I had absolutely no idea what the LEO wanted. As best as I can remember, this is what happened.

Boss: Are you carrying your gun?
Now that was a silly question.
Me: Yes, that's why I'm keeping my hands on the wheel.
Boss: Should I keep my hands in plain sight too?
Me: It will probably make the LEO more comfortable if you do.
I roll down the window, the LEO approaches, then put my hand back on the wheel
LEO: License and proof of insurance please.
Then before I can say anything back.
LEO: Are you carrying today sir?
In Ohio I'm required to tell the LEO that I'm licensed to carry and if I have a weapon at that time. He beat me to the punch.
Me: Yes sir I am. That's why I'm keeping my hands on the wheel.
LEO: Where is it sir?
Me: Right hip.
LEO: Well we won't have a problem if you don't draw on me.
At this point I needed to rein in my normal smart ass comment of "I won't have a problem if you don't draw on me either." I kept my mouth shut on that.
LEO: Go ahead and get your license and proof of insurance please.
Me: License is in my left hip pocket.
LEO: OK.
I pull out my wallet and give him the license.
Me: Insurance card is in the glove box.
LEO: OK.
The Boss opens the glove box and hands me the insurance card. The LEO looks at it and hands it back to me.
Me: Sir, why did you stop me?
LEO: I clocked you doing 55 in a 35 zone.
Me: 35? How long has this been a 35 zone?
Leo: It was changed a couple of years ago when they widened the road.
Me: Really? Is there a sign?
LEO: Yes, just as you turn on the road.
Me: OK, well crap!
The LEO walks back to the cruiser and returns in maybe a minute or two with my drivers license.
LEO: Be sure to slow it down in the future on this road.
The LEO didn't have his citation book with him. My smart ass side almost blurted "what no ticket?", but I managed to keep that to myself.
Me: Yes sir.
LEO: Thank you.
Me: Thank you.

So there you have it.

I was going 20mph over the limit, though I didn't know it at the time.

I failed to notify him of my carry license because he beat me to it. Nothing like on-board wireless computers to check on suspects.

And I got away clean. He really should have written me up even though I'm rather clean. A speeding ticket maybe 20 years ago, and 1 instance at a Florida airport probably 6 years ago. That's another story.

So why wasn't I written up? Could it be he was in a generous mood, my charm and good looks, my concealed carry license, my relatively clean record, or the sign on the back of the truck that says "fire the federal government"?

I wasn't about to tempt him to change his mind, so I didn't ask.