Jeremy and I were driving back to his home in Maryland on a Friday that he was off from work.  He was about to make his usual left turn off a main street when he noticed the “no left turn at this intersection” sign.  He drove on, turning left into a shopping center in the next block.

Immediately, flashing blue lights appeared behind us.  “Uh-Oh, maybe I couldn’t do that,” said Jeremy who at forty-three had never received a traffic ticket.

When the cop asked for his license and registration, Jeremy responded quickly and respectfully, and made no excuses. The policeman wrote up the ticket and handed it to Jeremy, recommending that should Jeremy decide to appeal, he should not waive the officer’s appearance in court.  “If I am there, I behave differently when the ticket-receiver has been polite and respectful,” he said.

I sat quietly, proud of my grown son.  I was thinking, “If it had been me, I probably would have explained that I am normally working at that time, that I would never have knowingly violated the law with a police car right behind me, etc".

Sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut.