Thanks, Officer Friendly!

Toronto Trip Part Four...or five...I'm so losing count already. I headed to Toronto with Runs With Spatula and Sheryl to meet up with Tia. It's been a while since we've seen Tia, and while it's only for a short visit, it's long overdue to get together and catch up.

Unfortunately, Dianne couldn't join us. We did manage to purchase a chocolate penis and Dutch double-salted black licorice (aka poison, asscandy, pure evil...the list of monikers goes on...) for her. In her honor, I finally tried to eat a piece of licorice. I hate black licorice to start with, but then take black licorice and salt it to the point where you can barely taste the licorice part, and then make it so hard as to not be masticable, and you have something that's virtually impossible to consume. But, I gave it a whirl, which is surprising since the last time I had seen people try to eat this delicacy, I witnessed Tia and Spatula - two people with the most robust constitutions ever - both violently eject said candy from their mouths before it barely had rested on their tongues more than a second. So, I popped one in my mouth with little fanfare, and attempted to eat it. I worked on it for at least two minutes before I spit it out - quite a feat, I believe - which wasn't until I felt my stomach muscles starting to spasm in an all-to-familiar way.

But, I digress. Before we even left Michigan, and while we were passing through St. Claire County, I had the misfortune to be clocked at 83 in a 70. Granted, at the time, Sheryl was reading an article to me from US Weekly (another nod to Dianne) about Britney Spears, which included in the headline "Unstable Britney..." So, I dutifully pulled to the side of the road and began speaking with Officer Friendly:
OF: So, 83 miles per hour?
Me: I know - but my friend was reading this article about Unstable Britney.
OF: I'm surprised you weren't going 90.
Me: No kidding!
OF: You must be pretty popular on the drag race circuit.
Me: Right?
**insert more idle chit-chat about where we were headed, why we were going there, and how much sealed alcohol we were taking with us**
OF: Do you have your license, registration and proof of insurance?
Me: Of course (pulled license from purse and insurance and registration from glove box, secretly thankful that I always get rid of old copies so as to not have to fumble looking at expiration dates...).
OF: Is there anything I should know before I run your license? Any outstanding warrants?
Me: Good god, I hope not!
OF: How's your driving record?
Me: Pretty good - no points, only a few 5-over tickets.
OF: Okay. (returns to vehicle to do whatever it is that cops do when they have your shit)
OF: Okay, before I let you go, I have a bit of trivia for you. Do you know what the left lane is for?
Me: Passing only? Unlike what I was doing?
OF: Exactly. You're free to go - have a safe trip.

So, an officer with a sense of humor who didn't give me a ticket. I have a new-found respect for St. Claire County thanks to Officer Friendly.

The trip was great as usual - Bubba Kegs full of Lambrusco, discovered the wonders of Toronto's mass transit system, and had a blast with my friends. Wish every day could be like that...