Editor’s Notes: Happiness and the highway patrol

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

What exactly does happiness have to do with the highway patrol. Well, as this story goes along maybe that will get clearer.
I have been blessed with a son who seems to always be happy and has a bright, shiny smiling face. He has been this way since he was about 1 year old. He was an ornery baby, but once he hit 1 he snapped right out of that and since that time has gone forth smiling.
But, I guess smiling can be one source of trouble for a happy soul. The other night about midnight, Smiley and some friends made a run to Price to pick up food from McDonalds. McDonalds drive through window is now open 24 hours which is great news for hungry teenagers.
However, on the way to Price, Smiley and friends were pulled over for driving strangely. The highway patrolman must have thought he had a live one on the hook. He questioned the boys and decided they were OK and sent them on their way.
But, he followed them into Price where he pulled them over again and then decided to administer a field sobriety test to Smiley.
Smiley takes the test and passes and no breath test was administered. Then he tells Smiley to open his mouth so he could look inside. He then asks Smiley when was the last time you smoked marijuana. Smiley said he has never smoked marijuana. Of course, the friends in the car thought it was pretty hilarious. One of them taunted, “Take his license away.” and the officer said, “I wish I could but I don’t have that authority.”
Finally the officer decides this Smiley character is not fit to drive and tells one of the other boys to drive.
Smiley by this time had decided to ask why the officer thought there was something wrong with him, to which the officer replied, “When I pulled you over the first time, you were smiling so I thought you must be drunk or high.”
Smiley said “oh.”
Well, I had to laugh as this kid has been smiling his whole life and to smile when being pulled over by a highway patrolman is not out of character for Smiley.
Then on the other hand I thought well that’s pretty sad. Can’t people smile unless they are drunk or high?
I’m not sure if there is a moral to this story, but a piece of advice for motorists. If you are pulled over by the highway patrol, do not smile, or you may set yourself up for extensive testing to see what’s wrong with you.