He told me he was giving me a break and only warning me about the sticker. I thanked him and even though I was in my car and ready to drive away, I noticed he was not driving off, but waiting to see where I would go next. And then he followed me for several blocks (and I'm not paranoid, he was mad at me and he was following me). I was concerned at this point so I drove into a Wal-Mart parking lot and went inside just to see if he would go away and he did.
I love the way cops say that "I'm gonna give you a break this time" line, like they really feel they're on this benevolent trip or whatever. I've had guns pulled on me three times in my life, all by cops. One time was when I was in high school, it was after I initially evaded the school officer who was trying to pull me over for skipping. Fine. A second time was in my own home in Galveston while watching a movie with my wife. Cops busted in and drew their guns on us because they thought, somehow (I still don't get the logic) that we were robbing our own home. A third time was at a friend's house in NW Houston, a few of us hanging out on the front lawn having some beers and talking. All of a sudden a bunch of cop cars pulled up, guns drawn, "get down on the ground!" a cop kicked me in my back and pointed his gun at me because I wasn't "down on the ground" enough. Turns out somebody got mugged at a convenience store on 1960 and the cops thought, somehow (I sort-of get the logic) that the mugger was hanging out with us.
Needless to say, I'm not a big fan of the self-righteousness of many cops. I got pulled over on I-45 one time about 7 years ago for speeding. I was on my way to pick up my friend in Dallas to go on a long road trip, so my car was full of stuff. The cop completely searched my car (I had long, shoulder-length hair at the time and the cop repeatedly asked me if I had any marijuana in the car), taking everything out and depositing it on the side of the road. The cop didn't find anything, but he made me put all my stuff back. Then he made me wait a really long time. He came back and told me he found an outstanding ticket I'd gotten all the way out in Alpine the year before, and said he was going to arrest me for it. So he cuffs me, puts me in the cop car and drives me to the station. As he brings me in to the front door of the station he tells me that I can pay the ticket now or go to jail. I asked how I would pay him for a ticket I got in Alpine, and he said he would mail it to them. I was obviously skeptical, but he called their station in my presence and made out the envelope in front of me. So I offered to pay it, but he says they can't take credit. So he drives me to an Exxon station and watches me withdraw the money from an ATM (the ticket was 500 something dollars). He took me back to the station and their man there gave me change, gave me a receipt, and he put the rest of the money in the envelope and put it in a mail slot. "Okay," I said," now can you give me a ride back to my car?" "Your car was towed," he said. So I had to then pay more money to get my car out of the tow yard, and, of course, I got a ticket for speeding (10 mph over).
