No, I don't have pot in the trunk!

I've been pulled over before. But twice in one day??? Twice in 10 minutes?! Unheard of!

On my way to North Texas yesterday for a doctor's appointment I passed several state troopers that had pulled over big rigs on I-20. And when I say several, I mean several!

I was highly annoyed (at myself) when, in Palo Pinto County, I saw flashing lights in my rear view mirror. I was fiddling with the A/C which had just decided to crap out on a 90-degree day and wasn't paying attention to my speed.

Trooper Beverage asked me to get out of my car and talk to him on the shoulder. He told me I was going 74. I get it, that's speeding, but really? 74? He asked where I was headed and then proceeded to ask me about my doctor's visit which made me very uncomfortable, because it was so personal. But he was nice. He then told me he was going to do a cursory check of my vehicle and poked around the outside for a time.

I have a little 15-pound Jack Russell Terrier, and the trooper greeted him. He then came back and asked if I was carrying any suspicious materials in my car, then rattled off a list: "Weapons, bladed, non-bladed, illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, marijuana in the vehicle, cocaine, anything in the trunk, vicious animals..."

I started giggling and said, "Yes, I have a vicious animal in the car."

We laughed and he told me to be careful and let me go with a warning. I started to crumple up the warning and toss it into my little garbage bag but something told me to put it in the glove box with my insurance.

I don't know about you, but the first thing I do when I get pulled over is drive safely. Within just a few miles I got in the left lane to get around a few big rigs and as I came down a hill I spotted an unmarked car that looked like law enforcement. Of course I immediately slowed down, even though I wasn't really even speeding other than to pass the 18-wheelers. I watched my rear view mirror for a while, saw him enter the highway, and after a while I was certain he was following me and then saw the hidden lights start flashing.

I started laughing. Never, have I ever laughed when pulled over! I told him right away that I had just been stopped and he asked to see the warning ticket. Thank God I saved it! This trooper -- whose name escapes me but he said he's head of DPS in the Denton County headquarters -- told me I was being stopped for lingering in the left-hand lane which is reserved for passing only. Seriously?! He let me stay in the car, but did another check around the vehicle! When he asked me if I had a trunk full of marijuana I couldn't help but to dissolve into giggles.

He said they were working a drug operation along the interstate, although I don't remember exactly how he worded it. He was also a fan of my dog and asked why I didn't have him restrained. Normally I probably would have stammered out an excuse but I was still giggling at the bizarre situation I was in and just told him that Bossier wouldn't like it.

Good job, DPS! I really hope they busted some pot smugglers because they were sure putting a lot of effort into it.

On a more somber note, I spent the rest of my there-and-back trip driving so carefully and defensively, having been reminded these past two weeks about how dangerous and tragic unsafe driving can be.