Another bad day and I was pissed, this was the third day in a row that I was jacked around at work. What did the customer want, what did they say, who did they talk to? And then who was told and how was it confused with the facts. Bla Bla Bla and in the end  I,m the one who is losing money in the confusion. I work on an incentive plan while everyone else in the chain is hourly.

    So I wasn't going to be a hero today, out the door at five sharp.  Jump in the car slam Pretty Hate Machine in the C D and off I go. Wind the motor to red line and jump on the brakes at the end of the drive. Then out the road to the bypass, red line every shift. Turning on to the on ramp, second gear is wound tight as I reach the cornering threshold, tires singing. As the ramp straightens, grab third, the turbo is full boost and I red line it again.

    Now in fourth gear, still pulling nicely as I crest the hill at about a buck twenty five. And I'm fairly sure I saw the nose of a police cruiser backed up in some brush off to the left. And here he comes.

    For a couple of seconds I think about that news report about how cops aren't supposed to do high speed pursuits any more. Hell, by the time he's doing 125 mph I'll be doing what? maybe 150 or so. Surely he will  just let me go. But radios, helicopters and road blocks enter my mind and I lift off the throttle. "maybe he isn't even after me, maybe he just coincidentally pulled out right after I passed by." But when he pulled up on my bumper and turned on the light show I new the gig was up.

    We pulled to the side of the road, and I turn off Mr. Reznor. I watched in the mirror, wondered what was taking so long. I tried to think of a clever comment to lighten the mood. "Did I do something wrong?" or "My speedometer only said 55mph" or how about "nice day for drive huh."

    He put on his hat and got out of his car. Walking slowly, he stopped at about the "c" pillar and said "KEEP YOUR HANDS VISABLE AND STEP OUT OF THE CAR." "what," I said with a nervous laugh. This time, a little louder and definitely pissyer "KEEP YOUR HANDS VISABLE AND STEP OUT OF THE CAR, NOW!" I looked over my shoulder and noticed his right hand resting on his glock and had the feeling my day was about to get worse.