Everything was smooth until Moose Jaw, after my turn there I realized I鈥檇 never be a navigator.
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The trip from Lloydminster to Estevan is long, but for me, it was about to become longer and more stressful than it should鈥檝e been.
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鈥淜eep right at Moose Jaw to merge onto Highway 1,鈥� said my notes.
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I was following the directions, keeping right, looking for the sign that鈥檇 put me on Highway 1.
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Soon after I saw a Highway 1 sign, but the path was less merger than straight up right hand turn. I took it anyway; unbeknownst to me the trip was about to go awry.
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I was late, wanting to get to Estevan to meet my landlord for the keys to my new apartment. I checked the time, did the math and figured I鈥檇 have to speed up to make it on time.
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The right turn, clearly not a merger, was the first red flag. The second? I was on Highway 1, but the signs said Highway 1 West.
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I should be going east, I thought. Maybe once I get to the Weyburn turn off I鈥檒l start heading east.
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A stranger to the area, it seemed possible. I looked at the time again and sped up more. I鈥檓 by no means a speed demon; contrarily, my friends chastise me often for driving too slow.
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I was also staying in a motel that night, but still, I wanted those keys.
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The more I drove, though, the more Highway 1 West signs bugged me. I pulled over, ate half a sandwich and checked Google Maps again. I swear Google told me I was going the right way, and I just lost more time checking to make sure.
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I鈥檇 have to go faster for the lost time.
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Driving irresponsibly is something I鈥檇 never condone. Despite this, I had the needle at 150 km/h.
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That鈥檚 when those menacing reds and blues flashed up behind me.
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Busted.
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I pulled over; an exasperated burly officer with a Scottish accent came up to my window.
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鈥淲here you going in such a hurry?鈥� he asked, a look on his face like I had three heads.
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鈥淚 have to meet my landlord to get the keys for my new apartment and I鈥檓 super late.鈥�
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鈥淲here though?鈥�
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鈥淓蝉迟别惫补苍.鈥�
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His expression became more severe, like I鈥檇 sprouted yet another head.
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鈥淓stevan is that way,鈥� he said, pointing behind us. 鈥淵ou have to go east, you鈥檙e going west.鈥�
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鈥淢y GPS said I was going the right way, but I was wondering why the signs said west,鈥� I said, my hands starting to shake.
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I couldn鈥檛 afford a ticket. I hadn鈥檛 even started my new job at the Mercury鈥擨 was still withdrawing money from the Bank of Mom and Dad.
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鈥淵ou were going 150 kilometers an hour in the wrong direction! Good thing I pulled you over!鈥�
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He was somehow serious, mocking and sympathetic at the same time.
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鈥淚 know,鈥� I said, embarrassed. 鈥淭hank you.鈥�
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听鈥淟icence and registration.鈥�
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I reached into my wallet and glove box, the shaking turning into full on trembling. This wasn鈥檛 lost on the officer.
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鈥淗ave you been drinking today?鈥�
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鈥淣ot at all.鈥�
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鈥淪moking marijuana?鈥�
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鈥淣别惫别谤.鈥�
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鈥淧ills? Medication? Son, are you diabetic?鈥�
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鈥淣o, I鈥檓 just not used to being pulled over.鈥�
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鈥淚鈥檓 scared,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e flying down the highway and your hands are so shaky you can barely reach your wallet.鈥�
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I assured him they were steady before I saw his lights, but he ran my information anyway. At length he returned, surprised my record was so pristine, not a mark on it.
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鈥淏ecause you seem like a good fella I reduced it as much as I could. It鈥檚 still going to be $200,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 could have fined you $390.鈥�
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I thanked him repeatedly for the break鈥攈e told me to turn around and gave me the proper directions. Luckily the fine isn鈥檛 due until June so my hands steadied a bit.
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鈥淭here, now maybe your GPS will work,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd slow down, you just can鈥檛 be going that fast.鈥�
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I promised I would and made it to Estevan two hours late, didn鈥檛 get my keys and was $200 poorer.
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I guess the lesson is to take it easy. Not only is impatience potentially costly, but also dangerous鈥nd counterproductive if you鈥檙e going the wrong way.
