[aarondhgraham]

So several years ago I was on my way to school,,,
Saddle-making classes at OSU Okmulgee.

I had several large plastic bins in my car that were full of,,,
Bowie knives in leather sheaths, gunbelts with live ammo, holsters,,,
Replica handguns, and a few Colt & Remington replica Cap & Ball revolvers.

That past weekend I had been a vendor at the Tom Mix Festival in Guthrie,,,
I got in late Sunday night, too sleepy to unload my wares.

An OHP unit pulled me over for a busted tail-light lens,,,
I was driving a crappy old Honda hatchback,,,
He was "fishing for rednecks".

So when he asked the standard question of,,,
"Do you have any weapons in the car?",,,
I should have said "No I do not",,,
because I had no firearms,,,
But I did have knives,,,
So I said "yes".

Next thing I know I'm having a calm but determined discussion with him,,,
As to why I did not want to be handcuffed while he searched my car,,,
That it was in fact NOT for my own safety to be handcuffed,,,
But to give him some feeling of security.

I told him he was welcome to search the car,,,
I had nothing illegal in it.

If he was concerned that I would knock him in the head,,,
I would sit on my hands in the middle of the field,,,
Or he could call another unit to back him up.

But unless he was going to place me under formal arrest,,,
I did not want to stand handcuffed beside the road,,,
Because he was afraid of me.

Two and a half hours later,,,
After he called for a back-up unit,,,
And he pulled out and emptied my plastic bins,,,
And the dog finished sniffing me and my car for drugs,,,
I got a stern lecture from a lieutenant about how I was wasting OHP resources.

Just wanted to relate what I now tell as a funny story.

I drive mostly crappy old beaters,,,
I get stopped every now and then for something broken.

Most of the time the officers I encounter are very professional people,,,
This young officer was far too nervous to be out on patrol,,,
He was pushing his authority to detain way too far.

For my own safety, my aching @$$,,,