My mom was visiting me one summer and had gone with me to the one movie theatre I work at. On the way home we stopped on the three mile hill that is part of the marathon course along Route 6 at a pull off to check out the stars as it was during one of the meteor showers. That was the ideal place to see them because there are no lights out there. A state police car stopped on their way back to their barracks at the top of the hill to make sure we were okay.

A coworker of mine was leaving for Russia the next day. We’d been toying with dating for months and we were saying our goodbyes. We went up to the top of the hill north of town to be alone and look at the stars. As we were kissing a car approached. It was the city police who got out and shined their flashlight at us. I was annoyed because they were outside their jurisdiction there, and because after they left she didn’t want to kiss anymore.

I’m not saying that what I said to the police was the truth or not, though in both scenarios that are true we were looking at the stars.

I’m not revealing just yet which is the lie, but I figure I should define “girl” vs. “woman” in this context. Even though I’m 42, in my mind I’m still a kid. The “girl” in this scenario was in her 20s at the time, maybe even pushing 30. I don’t remember now.

I’m drawing a blank on her name now which is really sad since we were close back then. It starts with a D.

You know me well enough by now that it’s usually the small detail that is the lie instead of the overall scenario. I’m not saying that’s the case here this time, but it would fit my pattern with previous installments.

I did choose the third agency so it would be different from the two that actually happened. We do have county sheriffs around here, so it was a possibility.

So Friday after I flew a patient to a trauma center, I was in the ER restocking my equipment and as I was leaving I was told the state police were looking for me. I went into the break room where they were and answered their questions. Then a third cop showed up with more questions. Of course it all had to do with the accident and my patient and nothing to do with me, but it still is uncomfortable to be told the police want to question you.

The highway in question was US Route 6. It’s the same highway that I ran on a couple years when I did the God’s Country Marathon. It’s not a four lane divided highway, just a regular two lane one.