So I'm Delaware, driving back to Philly. I just finished a freelance assignment for Beer Advocate magazine. The sun is setting on beautiful open fields, James Brown is on the radio, I've never enjoyed being in Delaware before I think to myself. Suddenly the gas petal revs, revs again, and Shawna's car starts jerking a bit. I look at the gas gauge, motherfucker, I didn't fill my wife's car before I got on this empty stretch of route 1. Maybe I'll get to a gas station.......none in sight. The car slows, I pull over and glide to a halt. It's freezing outside, the warm sun isn't warm anymore. I step outside to collect my thoughts and I see a sate trooper heading my way. I'm not a fan of state troopers anyway whatsoever. They hide in bushes and waste away hours while violence in the city rages on. I've also racked up a solid folder of speeding tickets in my day and loathe the sight of flashing lights in my rear view mirror.
"What happened?" asks officer Timothy Valeski.
"I guess my gas gauge is broken, I've ran out of gas" I reply (gas gauge works perfectly) "I'm a photographer out here on assignment. I was shooting at Dogfishhead Brewery and I'm heading back to Philly." (I slip in the brewery as I wonder if the aroma of the free samples I enjoyed were wafting his way.)
"Well, I live up the road, I can go grab you a can and be back in 10 minutes."
Sure enough, less than 10 minutes pass and officer Valeski returns. He grabbed a full gas can from his garage. As I'm filling up he asks me about photography and how I got started. He's been taking pictures since he was 10 years old. His brother lives up the road and his mother's place is across the street. He wants to buy more land in the area. We talk shop for awhile and he wishes me a safe trip home. I try slip him some cash for the gas but he refuses. I glance in my rear view mirror as I pull away and for the first time ever, I love the sight of flashing lights.
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