I went shopping today with my husband. I hate shopping with him, I always feel that I have to hurry. I like to take my time, make a day of it, scour the clothes rails, look at jewellery, have a leisurely coffee. I can’t do that when I am with him because he hates ‘women’s’ shops, as he calls them, and prefers to wait outside.
Today was different, though. Something unexpected happened.
Philip is not in the best of health and has trouble walking long distances so I dropped him off in the town centre and went to park the car in the long stay, which is on the edge of the shopping area. Walking back to meet him a police van pulled up alongside me and I noticed the driver was using a mobile phone before he stopped.
Texting!
This is one of my pet hates and I was infuriated to see a policeman so blatantly flouting the law. I walked to the van and gently tapped on the side window, pointed at the phone and wagged my finger whilst using my sternest look!
The window opened and, to my surprise, was greeting by a very attractive police woman! She was blonde and aged around the late thirties, early forties. She had the most disarming smile.
I looked at her and after a brief pause I pointed to her mobile phone and said, “You shouldn’t be using that whilst driving. You are a police officer and should set an example.”
“Oh, no,” she smiled, “I am using the map. I am new here and am looking for a particular premises.”
“Nevertheless,” I pressed her. “You still should not be using it until you have stopped.”
“Yes, but I wasn’t moving and I am not using the phone.” She smiled again and continued, “We will have to agree to disagree.”
By this time I was shot to pieces and her pleasant manner and friendly smile were killing me so I said, “You have to bear in mind that you are a police officer in uniform and it is all down to perception. You could get into trouble.”
“Yes,” she said. “You are right. It is perception, I am sorry.”
“No,” I looked at her, my heart melting, “I am sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“It’s fine,” she replied. “I will be more careful.”
By this time I was smiling too. I was really beginning to like her. All the time we talked she was reasonable and pleasant and her eyes never once left mine.
When she drove away I watched as she disappeared and then walked on to meet my husband.
Now I had a problem, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. I had never met such a lovely officer before and I found that I really liked her. I was glad then, when Philip said there was a shop he wanted to go to and he would meet me later. I told him not to rush and to ring me when he was ready.
We parted and I went to look in my first shop. I couldn’t concentrate on clothes. All I could think about was that damned police woman! She was nothing like the ones on TV. She wasn’t glamorous or covered in make up, she was just an ordinary woman with a pretty face and a beautiful personality.
I gave up and went outside and there, at the other side of the road, was a police van. No, it couldn’t be. Could it?
I crossed over and approached the van from behind and I could see the driver in the door mirror. It was her! I walked past and looked in the window just as she started the engine. She looked at me and smiled as she opened the window.
“Hi.” She spoke first.
“Hello again.” This time, I smiled.
“We got off to a bad start there. Shall we start again?”
“Yes, we did. I’m sorry I had a go at you,” I began, but then. “No, I’m not! If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met you would I?”
“No, indeed but you are right about perception. I will be more careful in the future.” Still she looked me in the eye. My heart was fluttering and I was getting a familiar sensation in the pit of my stomach. “What is your name?” she continued.
“Anna,” I said
“I am Sally.”
“Very pleased to meet you, Sally.” I offered my hand to her.
She took it and held it for a moment longer than normal.
“I am afraid you disarmed me last time,” I told her. “I wasn't expecting such a nice person. There aren’t many officers who would have been so reasonable after being told off by a member of the public.”
"They are not bad here,” she defended her colleagues.
“Maybe, but you are lovely.” I paused then, still holding eye contact, then smiled, “And pretty too.”
She smiled even more, if that were possible, and said that she must be going.
“Okay,” I said, “It’s been a pleasure. Take care.”
“Yes, you too,” she replied and I walked off in the direction I had come from.
Suddenly, I stopped and turned to walk back and as I passed her open window said, laughing, “I don’t even know which way I was going now!”
As I spoke she reached for the ignition key and turned it. There was a horrible shriek as the starter tried to engage an engine which was already running!
“You’re as bad as me!” I laughed and she smiled and nodded in agreement and began to pull away.
Suddenly, something snapped inside me. “Sally wait!” I called after her and she stopped. “Can we talk more sometime? Please?”
“I suppose so,” she agreed.
I told her my email address and she promised she would email me her number then I placed my hand on top of hers on the steering wheel and said, “I would love to know more about you.”
“Yes, me too,” she said.
I released her hand and she drove away.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully and Philip and I did all the usual things culminating in coffee at our favourite place. I didn’t mention what had happened and, if the truth be known, I didn’t really believe I would see her again. It was just one of those moments that makes life so interesting sometimes. I checked my inbox occasionally over the next few days and, as I expected, she didn’t contact me.
About two weeks later I headed to my local supermarket. I took the car as it was not nearby and I had quite a bit of shopping to get. On the way I stopped at a junction then pulled out into the stream of traffic when suddenly, I heard the whoop of a siren and the mirror was filled with blue flashing lights. I indicated left and pulled over to the side of the road to let the big police van pass only it didn’t, it pulled in behind me and stopped.
'For heavens sake,' I thought. 'What am I supposed to have done?'
I waited and watched in the door mirror as the van door opened and the officer stepped out. I could only see the bottom three quarters of his body as he walked purposefully towards the drivers side of my car. Winding down the window as he approached I was surprised to hear a woman’s voice say,
“Is this your car, Madam?” I looked up at her.
“Sally!” I couldn’t believe my eyes. “What are you doing?”
"Hi, Anna." She looked quite serious as she spoke, "I stopped you because you just pulled out of that street without looking. You could have had a nasty accident!"
"Sally!" I was startled by her manner. She had been so nice before. I guessed it must have been an act so I wouldn't report her for using her phone. "You know that is rubbish. There was nothing wrong with my driving!"
"Are you calling me a liar?" She placed her hands on her hips, legs apart and I dropped my gaze and replied sadly,
"No, I suppose not." Suddenly, all the feelings I had for her were gone. She was not the nice, sexy, policewoman I had met two weeks ago.
"We are causing a bit of traffic here so just move around into that car park please."
I started the engine and drove around the corner as she requested, parking nose in to a derelict factory wall. Sally stopped beside me but at an angle so the two vehicles made a triangle against the wall then she got out and came back to my side of the car.
"So," she repeated her previous question, "Is this your car?"
"Yes it is!" I answered testily.
"So you lied to me then?"
I was baffled. I had never lied to her, what did she mean?
"You told me your name was Anna but if this is your car then it must be Philip!"
"For pity's sake," I said, exasperated. "It's my husbands! What is the matter with you?"
She looked at me for a moment, her brow furrowed. I was a little scared now. I had done nothing wrong and yet she was treating me as though I had stolen the car.
"Step out of the car please."
I did as she said and she guided me roughly to the van.
"Stop it!" I cried. "I haven't done anything to deserve this!"
Suddenly, she stopped and pushed me roughly against the side of the van. Putting her hand to my throat and holding me firmly against the cold metal, she looked me in the eye and said with a sneer, "No, maybe not, but you do deserve this..." She planted her lips hard against mine.