off Route One and see what this baby can do.” Route One is the major corridor through New Jersey and very busy. But I had no doubt they would do it.

We arrived at the lot. It was really just the general parking lot at the side of the police station and contained squad cars and personal cars as well as impounded cars. I parked, got a cab and went home.

Arriving at home, I called a company that had flatbed tow trucks and handles unusual vehicles. An hour later, the truck arrived. I jumped in and said we have to pick up my car.

Back at the police station, I point out the car. He realizes where we are and says, “Shouldn’t we go in the station and check first?” I said, “It’s daylight and there are cops all over. Surely they would stop us if something was wrong.” And indeed, there were several cops coming and going. He said, “That makes sense” and loaded the car onto the truck.

Back home, he unloads, I pay him, then jump in the car. On my way again, avoiding that township.

It took me awhile, but having matured a bit and having decided to join civilization, I have discovered that getting your paperwork in order does make life quite a bit easier.

Now, what is the point of this story? When I said, “Surely they would stop us if something was wrong,” I was not being straight. We were not furtively sneaking in, under the cover of darkness. We drove in with a large flatbed truck, with noisy hydraulics lifting the rear of the bed fifteen feet high, in broad daylight, 30 feet from the station with cops walking by. The chance that they would assume we were taking the car without authorization was very slim. No one would do something that stupid. Our actions and demeanor did not pull any triggers in the minds of those present.

Again, I am talking about comportment. In the movie “21,” we are supposed to think the protagonist is “cool” because he puts on sunglasses and a silly act. Sunglasses make you look like you are trying to look cool, or you are hiding something. And they look out of place if you have no suntan to match them. In the Mamet film Heist, the pro crook (Fran) and a less pro crook are being approached by the cops, guns drawn, while standing by their van filled with millions in stolen gold. The dialog:

 © 2009 Norman Wattenberger