Today was the first time I have ever set foot into a courtroom, and I walked out chastened and resolved to change my evil-doing ways.

In October I was in Dana making a left turn at a light that was yellow turning red as I entered the intersection. A flash of light suggested I had just been busted. But who knows, it could have been a glint of sunlight off a shiny chrome bumper, or the paparazzi. (I get that a lot you know…). When I got to SLC in November what did I find in the mail, but a camera citation with a snap picture of me looking pretty grizzled and confused. (Do I really look that bad? Golly, No wonder I am single!) The fine to pay? $476. ARGH. I have never disputed a fine before, just paid it, but this was too much cash to just walk away from. I had heard that LA county had stopped their camera citation program and had even forgiven all the outstanding tickets. Maybe Orange County was on the verge of doing the same! Even though the pictures they took were pretty damning, I was sure that if I dressed up, made an appearance, and plead guilty by way of being old, retired, confused, and from out of state, they might reduce my fine, even if only out of pity.

I was able to set a court date for Dec 28. I left SLC Sunday, driving hard through the blizzard to get here on time. (not really much of a blizzard, more of a bit of a flurry, but it sounds good, eh?)

Today I put on my best jeans, even put on shoes and combed my hair. Walking into the courtroom, it was funny because all the other felons there also looked spruced up in ways that certainly didn’t look natural nor comfortable for any of us. A few folks in front of me were told by the judge that due to X, Y, and Z circumstances he was reducing their fees by X. My heart soared with hope. My plan was going to work. As my name was called and I approached the bench, the judge started out by saying that this was not a hearing, only an arraignment for a hearing and I could plead guilty or not, but on this type of infraction he had no discretion to reduce the fine. I could plead not guilty and come back in a month and plead my case. . Hmmm. Like I said, those photos were pretty clear that I was an evil doer and I decided to just pay my fine, take my lumps, weep a bit and be more careful. Much more careful. Kids, let this be a lesson to you. You don’t mess around with Jim, there ain’t no good in an evil hearted woman, you don’t go running red lights down in Orange county, and there ain’t no good chain gang.

tomorrow I leave on the bus for a few weeks sailing in Baja to try to put this whole horrible stain behind me