I never said I was a role model.

Last night I got pulled over, and had an interaction with a police officer that went something like this:

"Good evening miss.  Do you know why I pulled you over tonight?"

Probably because I ran that red light 4 blocks ago.
"Umm.... nope."

"I pulled you over because your right headlight is out, and your license plate is dangling, it looks like it could fall off."

"Oh... really?"  I must've sounded incredulous, that I had no clue my right headlight was out and was baffled by why my license plate would be dangling, but really I was shocked he didn't pull me over for the red light I (accidentally) ran.  Four blocks ago when I ran it and noticed the car behind me also ran it,  I held my breath as I realized it was a police car, waiting for him to pull me over.

"Yes.  Would you like to step out of the car to see what I'm talking about?"

"Uh.  Sure."
I unbuckled my seatbelt and followed the officer to the back of my car.
"Wow...that's.... weird," I commented about my license plate, as I vaguely recalled screwing in my new California plates in November and having lost one of the screws, picked one that didn't quite fit from an assortment of screws in my apartment.  The plate had been dangling by one screw for the past 3 months.

I look over to the right of my car, where 2 people are holding up their intoxicated friend who can barely walk.  They pick him up after he falls to the sidewalk, and walk a few more steps before he falls again.

"I'm just worried you'll lose that plate," the officer said.

Doubtful.  I drive at least 80 miles per hour on the 10 four times a month.  That plate isn't going anywhere.  One screw is fine.  You should be worried about that guy on the sidewalk who clearly has alcohol poisoning.
"Right.  Thanks.  I'll be sure to get that fixed."

"Your headlight is out too.  Make sure you get that bulb replaced."

"Of course, thank you."

"Where are you coming from tonight?"

None of your damn business, seeing as I'm obviously sober.
"Some volunteer work."

"Where do you volunteer?"

Also none of your business.
"The Trevor Project."

"Where's that?"

Where you started following me 4 blocks ago, right where I ran that redlight.
"Just a few blocks back."

"What does the Trevor Project do?"

If I tell you the Trevor Project works to support LGBTQ youth, are you going to be mean to me beacuse you're a homophobe, or admire that I'm leaving volunteer work at 11pm on a Friday when I could be binge drinking in West Hollywood, like most people in the area are doing right now.  I opt to leave out the LGBTQ aspect of what The Trevor Project is.

"We work with young people.  Crisis intervention and suicide prevention." By now the drunk man on the side of the road is vomiting on a tree on the sidewalk, right next to my car.

"Oh.  Okay! Have a great night!"

I get in the car, expecting the officer to move on to the intoxicated vomiting person on the sidewalk next to me.  He speeds off before I've even buckled my seatbelt.