She’d Be Late
Sarah was stunned by the officer’s blunder. His actions all but guaranteed she’d be late, yet he seemed completely unaware of the consequences. Frustration bubbled inside her as she gripped the steering wheel, willing herself to stay calm.
As he stepped out of his car and strode toward her window, she caught the disdain in his expression. Was he in a foul mood, or had she unknowingly done something to offend him? She had no clue, but the tension between them was undeniable.
Tapped Her Window
The officer halted beside Sarah’s car and tapped her window with his baton. The sharp knock carried an air of authority, instantly shaping the mood of the encounter.
Sarah, well-versed in traffic laws, lowered her window with a polite smile. Despite her friendly demeanor, the officer’s expression remained stern. “Good evening, Ma’am. Do you know why I pulled you over?”
Perfect Condition
Sarah always kept her license current and her car in perfect condition—her job depended on it. Punctuality was a priority, yet today, she was running late, and it was all because of him.
Clenching the steering wheel, she pictured the families awaiting her arrival. Taking a deep breath, she turned to the officer, her voice steady. "No," she said. "What's the problem?"
Glancing Over His Shoulder
The officer glanced over his shoulder before turning back to her. "It’s about what’s on your bumper, ma’am."
Sarah tensed. Was this about her bumper sticker? Was he seriously pulling her over because of her opinions? If that was the case, he had no idea who he was dealing with.
The Stern-Face
The stern-faced officer snatched her license, scrutinizing it as if he had all the time in the world. It was clear he relished the idea of keeping her stuck there for hours. But she had an ace up her sleeve.
Calmly, she produced her credentials and stated her position. The moment he registered what she was, his expression shifted from smug to stunned. Realizing his blunder, he scrambled to backtrack, but she wasn’t about to let him off the hook so easily.
Names In Her Community
Sarah Fortune was known by many names in her community—a devoted mother, a peacemaker—but above all, she was seen as a beacon of hope. To those around her, she seemed almost incapable of wrongdoing, admired for her kindness and unwavering support.
She took great pride in the trust people placed in her. Perhaps it was because she had helped so many families through challenging times, offering a guiding hand when they needed it most.
Ability To Help
Sarah's ability to help others was made possible by the education she pursued after high school. With determination, she studied law and passed the bar exam with outstanding results.
Driven by a strong sense of justice, she set her sights on becoming a lawyer, focusing on those who needed support the most. This passion led her to family court, where she dedicated her career to defending and advocating for those in difficult situations.
Establishing Herself
After establishing herself in family law, Sarah quickly earned the trust and admiration of her community. Her dedication wasn’t just professional—it was personal. She truly cared about the well-being of the people around her and was committed to making a difference in their lives.
She witnessed firsthand the struggles of parents fighting for custody and felt compelled to help. However, as time passed, her role and aspirations began to shift, leading her toward new challenges and opportunities.
Dedicated Years
Sarah had dedicated years of her life to a cause she deeply believed in. Her unwavering commitment didn’t go unnoticed, and eventually, she was presented with a rare opportunity—one she eagerly embraced, convinced it would be a turning point in her journey.
She assumed everything would shift once she secured the role, but reality had other plans. As she slid into her car that morning, she was about to discover that some things, no matter how much effort she put in, would remain the same.
Happier Than Ever
She had been in her new role for six months now, feeling happier than ever. Her daily drive to the courthouse was usually smooth, a routine she had come to enjoy. But as she slid into her sedan and pulled onto the road, she had no clue that today would be anything but ordinary.
A disgruntled cop, looking for trouble, was about to make her his target over the pettiest issue. What he didn’t realize, however, was that he had just picked the wrong person to mess with.
Unaware
Sarah was blissfully unaware that the cop even existed while she drove to work. She thought about the proceedings that morning and hoped that she would ensure justice was dealt with.
She smiled as she kept driving. But she had her own views that some other people didn't believe in. Especially the cop that watched her drive past him.
Taking It Personally
The cop was already having a bad day when he saw Sarah driving past him. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary until he saw the yellow bumper sticker on his car.
He took issue with it and immediately pulled in behind her. He wanted to give her a piece of his mind. But he shouldn't have messed with Sarah when she needed to get to work.
Stopping Her Car
The cop turned on his sirens and beckoned Sarah to pull over. She didn't appreciate being hung up but assumed that the man had a good reason for stopping her.
Still, she didn't feel it was fair after taking so much care in maintaining her car. She couldn't believe the huge mistake the man in uniform was making. He was intent on making sure she was late to her destination, but he had no idea what he was doing.
Waltzing Toward Her
He got out of the car and started waltzing towards her window. She could see the disgusted look on his face. Was he just having a bad day? But she had no idea what had offended the officer.
She was ready to comply with any problems the officer had. But when he told her exactly what he had a problem with, she thought it was a ridiculous claim.
Knocking On Her Window
The officer stopped right in front of Sarah's window and knocked on it with his baton. It felt a little aggressive and set the tone for the rest of the traffic stop.
Sarah, knowing very well how the laws of the road worked, happily rolled down her window and smiled courteously at the officer. His face remained sour. "Hello, Ma'am. Do you know why I stopped you?"
Needed To Get Going
Sarah had always kept her license up to date as well as her car in tip-top shape because of her job. She remembered the people counting on her at the courthouse; she needed to get going.
She had to always make sure she got to work on time, but today, she was going to be late, and it was all because of him.
What’s The Problem?
She gripped her steering wheel tightly and imagined the families waiting for her to arrive. She stared back at the officer and said, "No, what's the problem?"
He grinned, thinking he had the upper hand. But he had no idea that she wouldn't meekly obey his orders once he told her the truth behind it all.
A Stupid Reason
The man in uniform stared backward over his shoulder and then looked back at her. "It's to do with what's on your bumper, ma'am."
Sarah froze up. Did it have to do with the bumper sticker she had on her car ?Was he really stopping her just because of her views? He clearly didn't know who he was messing with.
Coming Up With A Plan
Sarah knew that she had to think on her feet and come up with a plan quickly if she wanted to make it out of this one. She looked around the cabin of her car for anything that could help.
Then she realized that she couldn't make any sudden movements. She was sure the cop was looking for any excuses to make a move on her. But what could she do?
The Bumper Sticker
Her mind went to the alleged reason why she was in this position in the first place. It was because of her bumper sticker, except there was nothing about it that broke the law.
It merely explained views on a controversial topic. So what if she had her own opinion? It was just because the cop didn't like it. But could he be reasoned with?
Two Words
Sarah decided to say two words to the officer. She thought it would only help. But the cop's temper was short, and it would only make him closer to arresting her.
"It's necessary." She said with a shrug. But the officer didn't like her tone. He pulled out his handcuffs and told her she was being detained. But what could she do?
Vaccinations
The bumper sticker had the phrase, "Vaccinated children live long and healthy lives." It was a phrase she felt strongly about. She had seen so many children get measles or chickenpox and suffer for it.
She knew not everyone held her views, and that was okay. But it seemed the cop couldn't just let it go. But he didn't know who she was.
Her License
Then Sarah thought about her license; maybe that would make the difference. If he knew who she was, he might have something different to say. She decided to slowly pull out her license.
She started handing it to him with a smile and said, "You don't know who I am, do you?" He seemed taken aback by the statement and glared at her license.
Seeing Who She Was
The sour-faced officer grabbed her license and examined it closely. It seemed he was all too eager to make sure she was caught there all day. But she had a weapon up her sleeve.
She pulled out her credentials and showed him what she was. His eyes went wide as he realized the mistake he had made. He tried undoing what he'd done, but she made sure that he was finished.
Remorse
With the cop's face showing remorse for the first time, Sarah knew she finally had the upper hand. She was now the one with all of the power. She didn't ever abuse her power, but this cop was just abusing his.
She stared at him as he sweated, trying to think of his next move, but she merely said, "So, can I go and do my job down at the courthouse?"
Reluctantly Giving Up
The cop gave a thousand-yard stare. It seemed as if he was trying to think of any excuse to keep her there or to have a valid reason for the stop. But he was drawing a blank.
After a moment, he reluctantly gave up and said, "Alright, you can go. But I still think you should remove that bumper sticker. It could offend the wrong people.
Victory
"I'll consider it, officer," Sarah said, lying through her teeth. She had no plans of taking her bumper sticker off and just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.
The cop finally waved her forward, and she stepped on the gas. She had finally turned out the victor and never considered her position affording her a bit more respect.
Not Over
But her day of stress was far from over. She had to get to her job, and she was 30 minutes late. She went as fast as she legally could and got to the courthouse in record time.
She got out of her car and grabbed her briefcase and clothing bag. She went to the bathroom before going to the courtroom to change into her work clothing.
Everything But The Wig
After changing into the silky robe, she looked the part all except the wig. In her profession, they hadn't worn wigs for decades. She was happy about that; they looked itchy anyway.
She then used her special door to come into the courtroom from the back and sat on her wooden throne. She apologized for being late and proceeded with the first case of the day.
A Judge
Sarah loved her job. And when the highest accomplished judge asked her if she wanted a seat at his table, she jumped at the opportunity. She couldn't believe she'd now be the highest form of the law.
Judge Sarah smiled at the family she was helping today. Family law had always been difficult when she was a lawyer. But as a judge, at least she got to make sure justice was always served.