Two hour commute, windshield view, fear of being stopped by the cops, new iPhone…lemonade!
True Story: Probable[ly] Cause [I'm Black]
I'm driving through the most rural stretch of SR 138, on my way home from work. Blue lights dance in my rearview. My little black sedan and the big white pickup truck in front of me pull over. The officer gestures for the white truck to move along and asks me for my license. He tells me that one headlight is out and asks me to get out of the car. I assume the position (hands up don't shoot) and I'm patted down and my pockets are searched for weapons. While I'm officially surrounded by a second officer, a third cop is knee deep in my car without my consent. I inquire why my car was being searched, "Probable cause!" said Officer White, just as Officer Redhead shimmies out of the driver side…he strides toward me as if celebrating a pick-six (defensive touchdown), "This is why," he said holding a small tupperware container to my face…
"What's this?!"
"Tea," I said.
"Do you know what this looks like?" he said, eyes blazing.
"Yes, tea," I replied.
He popped the lid and took a sniff…. My license was returned and I drove off to pickup my son from daycare.
P.S. The only reason why I didn't end up in the back of the cop car, at least while they did a more thorough search, was because I may have mentioned that my wife is an attorney and that I work for a respected legal institution.
