I finally got caught and ticketed

Last night on the way home from a great dinner celebrating Bio's birthday, I stepped into a store in the Loop for about 30 seconds.  I don't exaggerate - it was about thirty seconds, maybe 50 if you count the time it took me to get out of the car, go into the store, get out of the store, get back into my car.

I was parked in just west of the theatre in the Loop.  I was parked just ahead of the no parking sign.

When I got out of the store, I saw that there was a cop that had just pulled up in front of my car.  Just pulled up.

I quickly got into the car and pulled off.

As I pulled off, the cop was just stepping out of his car getting ready to gather my information and put the parking ticket on my car window.  (He hadn't even had time to get all that done - that is how quickly I was in and out.)

I was too quick, though.

Or so I thought.

As I passed his car with him standing by the door of his car, he quickly got back into the vehicle, turned on his blue and red lights, and tried to catch me.

I pulled over, and waited for him to give me the ticket that I had been able to avoid each time I parked in the same space for the past 6 or so years.

The cop finally walks up to me and I immediately think that he looks familiar.  Not just like anyone I know, but something about him is familiar.

He tells me that he is not going to do a long-form ticket, just the paper one.  Hands me the ticket.

As I reach for the ticket, I check the name badge on his right chest pocket.

Turns out that he and I graduated from high school the same year.

I didn't say anything about it, and he walked away quickly.

I wonder if that is why he was taking so long when he sat in his car getting ready to ticket me.  Maybe he saw my last name when he looked up the registration and decided to be kind despite giving me the ticket.

When I got home, I looked at the ticket and realized that he said the car was green - which my car is not.  I momentarily wondered if that could be protested and a reason for me to get out of the ticket.

But he had my correct license number.

I am out of 30 bucks - if I remember to pay up on time.