January is magical. It's magical in the same way that October is magical. October is the month that halfway through the month Mike and I realize we're about to be set back about 100 bucks to get my car inspected and registered. January is the month that halfway through the month Mike and I realize we're about to be set back about 100 bucks to get HIS car inspected and registered. Oh the convenience! All in one month! But oh, the annoyance of all that money going away at one time! Yes?
Every time I get a car registered, EVERY TIME, I think fondly of the best car registration story that has ever existed. Are you getting excited? Because I'm going to share it with you now.
Many moons ago, I was somewhere around 19, my friends and I went out to a bonfire in Gilmer. You might be thinking "Why would anyone go to Gilmer for anything besides yams?" but really if a bonfire has good food and (mostly) entertaining people, it's worth going to Gilmer. So, we're heading back to Tyler, post bonfire, I'm riding along with Heath and Chelsea Rose, when all of a sudden Heath gets pulled over. It turns out his license plate lights were out. Cops (if they are decent) don't really give you a ticket for that (how do you even know unless one of them tells you it's out??), and this cop was super nice about it. Just as he was walking away he said "Oh....but I DO need to give you a ticket for your expired registration."
Chelsea Rose and I proceeded to snicker and tease about the drastic turn of events.
Poor Heath. If he had only maintained his license plate lights....
Right now you're thinking, this is the best car registration story ever? And I'm thinking, please just hush and be patient cuz it's not over.
The next day, the VERY NEXT, I went up to good old TJC to pick Darius up from class (if I'm remembering correctly, his car was being fixed). We're driving along in Dad's truck (I can't remember why I was in Dad's truck and not my car. It might have had something to do with the fact that my car was a Volkswagen Rabbit that was as old as I was and also it was uglier than all sin ever combined. Do you know how I acquired such a car? Well it's the sort of thing that happens when you total your first car 2 months after getting it, and a guy that your family goes to church with is desperate to get rid of that ugly thing in his driveway. How much did the rabbit cost? Me teaching two of his Sunday school lessons. Also, her name was Jessica because she was red, like Jessica Rabbit. Right?) and I am right in the middle of recounting the story to Darius of the night before, you know, poor Heath's bad fortune with his car registration, when I see police lights in the rear view mirror.
I freaked OUT.
It was my first time being pulled over. Darius advised that turning left was NOT a good idea and told me to just pull over on a side street. So I did. And the cop, who was even super nicer than the one the night before, proceeds to tell me that my registration has expired. I explain that it's my Dad's truck and he was understanding but still had to give me a ticket (side note, I got it dismissed since the car wasn't in my name and Dad promptly got the registration up to date). I looked at Darius and said "What are the freaking odds???" Just as I was telling him Heath's story!
Just wait. It gets better.
Later that day, Darius is on the phone with Amber (his girlfriend at the time), and telling her the bizarre events of the day, me telling him Heath's car registration woes just as my car registration woes come to fruition, and lo and behold, Amber gets pulled over and has to hang up. She calls Darius back a few minutes later because she got pulled over for EXPIRED CAR REGISTRATION.
I know, right?
That night, at institute, everyone who got a ticket for expired car registration in the past 24 hours raised their hands. It was kind of one of those moments where you're filled with a mixture of feelings involving shame, ridiculousness, hilarity, and a little bit of pride.
I mean, cuz seriously, what ARE the odds?????