This first story only dates back about 5 months, to one early spring day when the remnants of snow & winter still made the air crisp and the need for hot coffee indispensable. I was home for a few days and three of my friends, let’s call them Ellie, Katherine, and Julia decided to drive out to the west end of the state to have lunch where my role model, Amy Sherman Palladino ate when she invented the greatest show of all time, Gilmore Girls.
Now, while Connecticut is a small state, it has many diners and lunch-places - yet we managed to find THE one an hour’s drive from home. What made the day even better was that we also found the inn that inspired the independence inn. If you don’t know what that is, it’s not worth telling you.
We left in time to drive an hour, spend a little time at the inn, then have lunch. TheName Inn was amazing. Any wedding there would be beautiful, even if all the bridesmaids wore only hot pink tulle. We talked my friend, Julia, into pretending she was engaged, just in case someone caught us snooping. Which is ironic, because she did love the location for a wedding, and she did get engaged a few weeks after! No one saw us, which left the elaborate tale unproductive, yet entertaining.
What topped off that part of the trip was while we were walking back to our car, which was parked in the servants courters, we spotted a light yellow jeep wrangler! Obviously, a picture was taken - but I have failed to locate it.
From there, everything seemed to take an interesting turn. Marty’s (link -http://www.seeyouatmartys.com/),(no you will not see me at martys.com again) which was supposed to give off the impression of Luke’s, was different in almost every way. Half of the tables were surrounded by a mixture of love seats, large-way-to-comfortable-to-eat-in chairs, and cushioned benches. Artwork hung from every vacant wall, and desserts were displayed as decoration in addition to part of the menu. Not to mention that the two owners were very much in love and not-so-very-much men. The only resemblance that I was able to find, was that everyone seemed to know each other and care about what was happening in their lives.
After Marty’s, feeling satisfied with our lunches, but disappointed with our discovery, we decided to drive a little farther to a chocolate cafe that my mother had raved about in a town that lends itself to walking the main street. The thought being that drinking coffee, eating chocolate and walking the main street of another town may save the day - though we could have just as easily done that in our home town with the same effect.
As we were being guided by our GPS down the back winding roads, our moods were lifted by the scenery (Wow, I’m definitely starting to sound like my parents) to a state of pure ridiculousness which could only mean trouble. This was proven when, while driving past a cop car parked in an empty lot, Ellie stared at him while shouting “Yeah! Pull us over, see what happens!” Thankfully, all the windows were up and tight, as I’m sure his were too. Unfortunately, Ellie’s call out to the officer made the two in the back seat turn and look at him and his orange-reflective oakleys.
The car pulled out of the lot and started to drive behind us. I am not one to get in trouble with the law often, so this put me on edge, since I was driving and had never been pulled over. After a minute or two, I turned down a side road - knowing that the GPS would annoyingly “recalculate” - what I didn’t know, was that it would recalculate and spit us out back on the main road RIGHT where the cop re-positioned himself in a new lot! Obviously, when we drove past him, all three passengers stared again as he pulled out behind me AGAIN! With bated breath, I waited the long 15 seconds before his lights turned on. I immediately pulled over and rolled down my window. This is the conversation that followed. (I don’t know the cop’s name, but he looked like a chad, so that’s what I’ll call him.)
Chad: How are you doing today?
Me: Alright (why do cops ask that? does he expect an answer above alright?)
Chad: Can I get the registration and licenses for EVERYONE in the car?
Me: Sure. (Everyone gets out their ids and gives them to me)
Chad: hmm, you’re from Wethersfield, that’s about an hour away.
Me: Yes it is.
Chad: What are you doing all the way out here?
Me: (like I’m going to tell him what we’re really doing out here) We were just having lunch and seeing another part of the state.
Chad: I see. And where are you headed right now?
Me: A chocolate cafe.
Chad: Ok. Do you know how shady you looked driving past me? With all of you guys staring at me?
Me: (what?!) No, I didn’t realize.
Chad: Roll down the back window, I want to talk to the girls in the back. You, (pointing to Katherine) why were you looking at me?
Katherine: Honestly, I have no reason. I usually always look at police officers as I drive past them.
Chad: Ok. (looking back at me) Do you have any alcohol in the car?
Me: No.
Chad: Any drugs?
Me: No.
Chad: Knives? Weapons?
Me: Nope.
Chad: Aaaa… body in the trunk?
Me: (looking at him like he’s crazy - not caring by that point) No.
At that, he took all our licenses back to his car, and sat there for a while - most likely making sure that we weren’t on the most wanted list.
After what seemed like 30 minutes, but was probably more like 10, Chad strolled back and handed us back our licenses.
Chad: Alright, well I can’t give you a ticket seeing as you weren’t speeding - but NEXT TIME, when you pass a cop car, don’t stare him down like a creeper. (someone’s a little self conscious.)
At this, Ellie, who was sitting in the front seat - out of utter glee for not getting into trouble (she’s a cryer and was already starting to tear up in anticipation of the worst) leans over me, smiles at the cop and says
Ellie: We’re just a bunch of chocolate lovers, on our way to go eat some chocolate…
silence.
more silence.
I held my breath - that blatant who-knows-what-that-was was going to get us into trouble! Chad stared at Ellie like she was crazy.
Chad: uh, okay. have fun with that.
And he strolled off.
With a sigh of relief and an extremely light foot on the gas pedal we got to the town, had our coffee and chocolate, which wasn’t even that great - and drove home to tell my parents how I was pulled over for the first time for shady eye contact and almost got away with it with a touch of dignity intact if it wasn’t for a meddling chocolate lover!
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