Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Speaking to the Judge

I finally got around to reading the document the police officer gave me along with my ticket, detailing what I need to do about it. I have decided to complete a defensive driving course and under the instructions for that it said (and I quote), "Some courts do not allow online credit card payment for the defensive driving course fee. Please contact the court." So, wanting to save myself a trip to the bank to get a cashier's check, I looked up the number of the court and called to see if it was possible for me to pay my fee online. This is almost word-for-word my exact conversation:

Receptionist: Hello?

Me: Yes, I have a question. I would like to pay my defensive driving course fee online. Does this court allow that?

Receptionist: Oh, you'll have to speak to the judge about that. Just a minute. (Pause to cover the receiver on the phone). Jeeerrrry! Telephooooone!

Me (thinking): I'm going to speak to the judge...personally?

Jerry, the Judge: Hello.

Me: Yes, I have a question. I would like to pay my defensive driving course fee online. Does this court allow that? (Don't you love repeating yourself to several people when you call somewhere with a question? This time wasn't that bad...just twice.)

Jerry, the Judge: Well, yeah. If that's what you want to do. That'll be fine.

Me: Yes, I would like to do that. Thank you very much.

Jerry, the Judge: Sure.

That was pretty much it. I was so thoroughly amused at this phone call to this small-town court and how different it would have been if I'd called a court here in the city. It made me laugh. And made me want to live in a small town. Maybe.

5 comments:

Mary said...

If you lived in the small town, the receptionist (who you would go to church with) would have said "Jerrrryyyy! Rachel wants to know if she can pay online for defensive driving...yeah, you know, she got that ticket from Roger last week on the I-20? Yeah, I heard she cried too...."
You get the idea!!! =0)

Lindsay said...

That is too funny! I love the yelling to the judge that he had a phone call.

Anonymous said...

samll towns do have their advantages-ususlly everybody knows everybody! I still go back home and know everyone from the time I started school. pretty neat!
your converstation is pretty funny!
mom

gayle said...

What a nice (and strange) exchange of words.

Glad it worked out!

Christina said...

Yes - this is truly small town :). I'm from Coleman (5,000 people), just an hour south of Abilene and everyone knows the judge. Too funny!