Copping a memory plea. I may or may not have, it's my story, etc., been pulled over by the local city police while driving home from a medical appointment. It was a pleasant female officer who began,
"Sir, the reason I pulled you over was because you signaled for a left turn at the intersection back there, but then made a right turn. May I see your license, please?"
"Of course," I replied. "It's on the back, right below the trunk latch. I should have it memorized, but the ol' memory is acting up now that I'm 83!"
"I mean your driver's license, sir," she said, somewhat less cordially.
"Driver's license, driver's license," I said, patting my shirt pocket while looking under visors, "If you don't mind my asking, where would I normally keep my driver's license?"
"Do you carry a wallet?" she asked. "If so, you might look there for it."
"Great idea!" I enthused, quickly pulling mine from a pants pocket.
After watching me inspect/examine several documents, including my Medicare Card, she said, "It has your picture on it, sir."
Panicking a bit, I found one with a picture and handed it to her.
"Sir," she said, not cordial at all. "This is your ID for Lansing Community College. At ten o'clock in the morning, it seems too early for you to be drinking or drunk, but are you on drugs at the moment?"
"Oh, yes," I replied, happy to have an intelligible response, "I just had a flu shot."
Not happy at all, she said, "Show me your driver's license!"
Luckily, I had only one other card with a picture, and it was, indeed, my driver's license. We did a hand-to-grab exchange, after which she went back to her vehicle to get on the radio with my info. I'm still curious what she was expecting to discover about me. After five minutes or so, she returned and asked, "Can you exit your vehicle and walk a straight line for me?"
I smiled pleasantly and said, "Absolutely not!"
She put the "Should I call for backup?" frown on her face and asked, "Are you refusing a direct request?"
With tension rising, I kept the smile on my puss, made placating gestures with my hands, and said, "Please be patient with me, and let me explain."
Holding the After Visit Summary medical report so she could read it. I asked politely, "Will you please look at the results of my doctor's visit today?"
As she relaxed somewhat and took her hand off her weapon, I pointed to and recited the salient information. "Along with being obese with serious comorbidities, which means I'm fat, I have primary osteoarthritis in both knees, which means they're weak, gait abnormality, which means I wobble, and some sort of dippiness on exertion, which I think means I get tired easily. I will gladly walk for you, but the straight-line part is problematic. Can I use my cane?"
Aspects of danger reduced to absurdity by stranger calmed the waters, and she visibly went back to pleasant. With the summary still in front of her, I pointed out the last three results: 'Anxiety', which had been definitely rising, 'Essential hypertension', also shooting upward, and 'panic attack', which had been doing warmups to get ready for action. She eased them all by letting me off with a warning.
The above may or may not be.... I can't remember. What I do recall is to give you my warmest regards, stay safe and well, best from Bob