Driving Infractions

I can count on one hand the number of times I've driven whilst talking on a hand-held mobile phone since it became "illegal" (sort of), and two of those times I was merely answering a call in the midst of pulling over for the rest of the conversation.

Today was another occasion. I heard my cell phone ringing in the front seat as I was loading groceries in the back. I didn't reach the phone in time and rang my sons' school as I finished loading bags, putting my toddler in his seat with a snack. No answer at their school. I checked my new voice message and learned which child needed to be picked up. I started driving towards school and called my husband to tell him that I was on my way. In case the school called him too.

My husband was on another call but his secretary put me through to him. I could have simply left a message with her. Then I reached someone at school and told them that I was on my way. And just as I was rounding a corner, and bringing the phone down from my ear, I saw a police car approaching in the parking lot of "Best Buy" in Manalapan. And within fifteen minutes, my little tired, sick one was in the car with a warm blanket, sucking his thumb and on his way home.