When cliches come to life

Yesterday, my daughter and I were headed to the video store to rent some movies. I was in the right turn lane, and a sheriff's patrol car was behind me. He flashed his lights, so I dutifully turned the corner and pulled off into the shoulder. Thankfully, he didn't want to stop me, but then began weaving his way through traffic to a busy intersection. He flashed his light to cross the intersection to go against the lights.

Was he heroically headed to a crime scene, or to stop a dangerous driver? No. Well, then why would he stop Sunday afternoon traffic on a busy thoroughfare, causing drivers to pull into the shoulder and make way?

Unbelievable, yet, true: To go to the FRICKIN' DOUGHNUT SHOP! I kid you not! When Allie and I made it through the intersection just in time to see this public servant pull into the "Dippin Donut" store!!

Hey, I know cops are generally hardworking and underpaid, and they get breaks and maybe they want some doughnuts- but really do you need to use the lights and save the extra three minutes?

I have been to the "Dippin Donuts" once myself, and at night it is the happenin' hangout for the over 70 crowd. My sister and I went there once about 10 pm or so to get some coffee and some doughnuts of course, and there they were- I say about a half dozen people with median age of about 78. They had PBS on, kickin' it to the "Jim Lerher News Hour"- chatting and enjoying coffee and their pastries and getting up to date on the latest news. One spry old guy in a baseball cap even heckled an on-screen Hillary Clinton. He shook his fist at the screen and grumbled "I hate that woman!"

The oldster crowd eyed my sister and suspiciously, as if they didn't want unruly youngsters invading their hang-out, ruining their PBS watching good time.

On second thought, should I give the cop the benefit of the doubt? Perhaps a rival gang of oldsters invaded the joint and tried to switch the station to Fox News.