The Derby And Other Races

I had cut down the plum tree in our front yard down last Sunday, which is always a bigger undertaking than at first glance; when a tree comes down, what’s left on the ground seems as though you had cut down a 200 foot California Redwood. On Derby day I was gathering up the last load of tree debris and haul it to Lamb’s End, Bruce and Ruth Pearce’s farm in Simpsonville. I would like to thank Bruce for the use of his chain saw so I could play lumberjack for a few days.

After I cleared the last of the debris and mowed the yard, I was admiring my handiwork; I heard Charlene in the kitchen holler “Barry, its quarter after four!” We were due at a Derby party at 5:00 and I had yet to pick up Virginia Settle to ride with us. I showered--dressed in record time and was heading down Evergreen Road, on which the speed limit had been lowered recently from thirty-five to twenty-five mph; I guess soon, you’ll have to park the damn thing and walk through Anchorage. Yes, the Anchorage police lit me up for the second time in three months. Sitting in my car, I prayed it wasn’t going to be the same cop who pulled me over last January. My prayer was answered.

“License and proof of insurance please.”

Boy, this guy is Officer McFriendly compared to the last cop that pulled me over, who looked at me like he had just pulled over Charles Manson. McFriendly said since it’s Derby day “we patrol kinda heavy.” It sure gives me a warm fuzzy feeling that the citizens of Anchorage have dedicated cops who keep their streets safe from maniacs like me. I guess I should have known better than to be hot-rodding through Anchorage, as the police are known to whip out their ticket books if the Anchorage trees change color too early in the fall. My court date at the East Government Center is May 28th where Ben, once again, told me to plead NOT GUILTY and he would try to get me out of the ticket later at downtown traffic court (see the 3/18 post “Lemming Court”). Repeat after me: not guilty, not guilty, not guilty….

I went on to pick up Virginia, then back to the house for Charlene. We got to the party at ten ‘til Derby and I was still in hurry mode, gulping down a drink and cramming appetizers down my throat…slow down Barry.