First, I need to apologize to all my loyal fans (or rather my brother Tripp) who wrote me that they were upset I have not posted in awhile. So, I am truly sorry.
However, we were gone for over two weeks visiting family (which included my brother Tripp) up in New Hampshire and then Mr. Basketmaker had a workshop in Connecticut. And I tend to not write on the blog so much (or even at all) when we are out of town. And I didn’t want to announce “Hey, I won’t be posting for a couple weeks because we are leaving our home and will be out of town!” Sounds like an invitation to some morally-defunct persons who may be nearby. But then again, what am I worried about — only the best people around read my blog!
Speaking of the morally-defunct, Mr. Basketmaker (okay, just joking… he was brought up right, with excellent morals…) had a little encounter while driving to Connecticut. He was profiled by the police… again! And we are sick and tired of it. I want to start a protest! (everyone else does… so why can’t the long-haired basketmakers in this country stand for a cause?)
So he’s on 93 South in Massachusetts, alone, and sees flashing blue lights behind him. He puts his attitude with all the traffic he’s been putting up with in check and quickly pulls over. The officer walks up to him as he rolls down the window and says “What seems to be the problem officer?”
The cop replies, “You passed on the right.”
What??? We drive thousands of miles every year. And I can honestly say that I’ve seen hundreds upon hundreds of vehicles traveling our highways passing on the right! So it’s apparent this cop has profiled my poor long-haired Mr. Basketmaker and is fishing….
The officer continues “I see you have Tennessee plates. What are you doing up here?”
Eric responds, “I was visiting my parents up in New Hampshire for Thanksgiving.” He was going to keep all his answers extremely simple and short.
Officer: “What town?”
Eric: “Meredith.”
Officer: “Then why are you in this state (Massachusetts)?”
Eric: “I am teaching at a workshop in Connecticut.”
Officer: “Where in Connecticut?”
Eric: “Suffield, Connecticut.”
Officer: “Show me your license and registration.”
Eric opens up the glove compartment which I have packed full with napkins, straws, antibacterial gel, pens, paper and also a bag of dog bones right up front that fell out when Eric was looking for the registration.
Officer: “You have a dog with you?” (as he shines his flashlight throughout the van.)
Eric: “Not with me.”
Officer: “Where is he.”
Eric: “Staying at my parents house.”
Officer: “Where’s that?”
Eric: “New Hampshire.”
Officer: “What town?”
Eric: “Meredith.”
Officer: “What kind of dog is he?”
Now since Eric is keeping his answers short and sweet with as little info as possible, he doesn’t say we have two dogs, he just goes with the one… “A Golden doodle” he replies back.
Officer: “What are you doing up here in the North again?”
Eric: “I was visiting my parents up in New Hampshire for Thanksgiving.”
Officer: “What town?”
Eric: “Meredith.”
Officer: “Why are you in this state?”
Eric: “I am teaching at a workshop in Connecticut.”
Officer: “Where in Connecticut?”
Eric: “Suffield, Connecticut.”
Officer: “Where’s your dog again?”
Eric: “At my parents home.”
Officer: “Where’s that?”
Eric: “New Hampshire.”
Officer: “What town?”
Eric: “Meredith.”
Officer: “Why are you in this state?”
Eric: “I am teaching at a workshop in Connecticut.”
Officer: “Where in Connecticut?”
Eric: “Suffield, Connecticut.”
After asking the same things over and over, the cop gives him back his license and registration and sends him off his way with no warning, nothing.
So clearly he was being profiled! A basketmaker, with long hair, driving a minivan, alone, with Tennessee plates, up in the state of Massachusetts must be up to no good!
When will law enforcement stop profiling and picking on long-haired basketmakers driving minivans?
You know why he asked you the same questions over and over, right? And don’t get too down on the po po…profiling works! Well, in this case it didn’t
Ha ha… thanks Tracey. And I actually agree with you. We cannot remove the “gut instinct” of cops and not allow them to act on it. If I’m at the Boston Marathon in the future, I hope they stop and question everyone with large backpacks asking them what’s in it! I’d prefer being profiled because I have a backpack, weaving through the crowd than sacrificing the safety of all of us because cops are too afraid to profile!
I’ve been telling you for years that ponytail is going to get you in trouble.
Ha ha Jud!!!!!! I’ve been telling him that the gray is starting to come in and that it’s probably time to chop it off!
A Honda minivan even.
Yup. I guess long-haired basketmakers are not associated with Honda minivans. I’m assuming people think they should be driving a beat up 1980 Ford pickup truck!!
I think he profiled my Tennessee plates not my hair.
I think he profiled the hair as well…