Paying Attention

   Hey kids! The subject of tonight's lecture is...paying attention! Many of you may have noticed that at any given time in the great city of Gilbert, AZ, there is at least one road under construction. And you keep track of what roads are under construction so that you may plan your new driving route for the next year or so because you are well aware that construction will take, at the very least, a year. Well kids, just in case you didn't already know, Williamsfield Road is under construction. And another little factoid for you-construction zone speed limits are 25 mph. Not 45.
   So here's where paying attention comes in! When you reach a construction zone, pay attention to how fast you're going. Most likely it's not 25-so slow down. Because otherwise, an unmarked police car will follow you for a mile and a half and after deciding you're not going to break any other laws, that nice policeman will pull you over. And he'll ask you "Did you see that construction zone?" And of course, you won't remember the construction zone because it was a mile and a half back and your girlfriend was telling you a story. And so you'll hesitate. And he'll sigh and look out at the road ahead of you, all disappointed-like, and say "You didn't see all those orange cones and bright flashy things?" And then you'll remember the construction zone while resenting his sarcastic tone. He'll then proceed to quiz your knowledge of both construction zone speed limits and how fast you might have been driving. You both quickly do the math and realize that-WOOPS!-you were going 20+ over the construction zone speed limit, which is a felony!! Congratulations-you are now officially screwed. :)
   So the nice police officer takes your paperwork back to his unmarked car while you sit in stunned silence because you have never been pulled over in your life and your girlfriend asks if she can finish her story now, to which you reply: "No. I don't want to hear a story. Please pray." So both of you fervently pray that the Good Lord will deliver you from a court appearance and suspended license. And guess what? The Good Lord answers your prayers. The policeman strolls back up to your window and tells you how close you were to actually being screwed but that he's going to just give you a warning. He kindly- (and by kindly, I really mean kindly-because you also prayed that God would make the police officer be nice to you and God answered that part of the prayer too)-He kindly asks you to pay attention and slow down. He also recommends that your girlfriend not open her car door while the car is moving at a rate of 50 miles per hour. You then proceed to question every move you make while driving home at a mere 40 mph and praise God when you reach home without being pulled over again!
   This is a completely hypothetical situation, of course, and is in no way based on a series of factual events. But you get the point. Pay attention. And drive safe. :)