What a great week. We really enjoyed being with Meredith Andrews and Pocket Full of Rocks. Great nights of worship. If you get the chance to worship with either one of them, make sure you go. And a ton of thanks to Jody and David from Pocket who sat in with us during the week.

So we finished up with a great night in Ft. Smith AR. I heard they had to turn people away. I’m really sorry about that. We’ll have to come back soon.

Anyway, afterwards, as everyone got in the bus to head back to Nashville. I got in my van to head home. I drove for a while and then spend the night in a hotel. I woke up the next morning, got back in the van and started driving. A few hours later, I had that horrible feeling you get in your stomach when you pass a police car and it pulls out behind you. I mean, I wasn’t speeding, but still… My stomach was plummeting. And sure enough, the lights went on and I pulled over. I sat and waited as he walked up to the van. I handed him all my info, and he told me why he pulled me over. Apparently I had crossed the fog line, also known as the solid white line on the edge of the highway. I was slightly confused, due to the fact that pretty much every driver on the highway does that approximately once every 90 seconds. But I’m not one to argue with a trooper. Then he began to ask me all kinds of questions. Where am I coming from? How long have I been gone? What do I do for a living? Where did I stay last night? I mean, he probably asked 40 questions. I really felt we were getting to know each other well. Then he went back to his car.

I sat and waited. He came back and asked me to step around back to talk with him. When I got back behind the trailer, I saw that another trooper had pulled up. Now it was his turn to ask lots of questions. This guy was a pro though. He had probably over 100 questions. What’s life like on the road? What kind of music do I play? What hotel had I stayed in? Why did I only have one suitcase for so long of a trip? Had I ever used drugs? Did I have anything in the van or trailer that wasn’t supposed to be there? Did I have anyONE in the van or trailer that wasn’t supposed to be there?

I finally just opened the trailer. He didn’t ask me to, but I figured his curiosity would be better sated by actually seeing rather than playing 20 Questions. Then they asked about the guitars. And the amps. Had serious questions about the keyboard case. Then we talked about the CD boxes. And the merch boxes.

And then, just like that, we were done, and they were telling me to be safe going home. They were very kind and professional. It was just weird. I was grateful that I wasn’t in trouble for anything, and I offered them each a CD. Of course, I didn’t think about the fact that it could be considered a bribe, until the second trooper explained that they could not take a gift on the side of the road. Maybe in the middle of the road, but definitely not the side. Then he asks me how much they are, and I said $10. He pulled a ten dollar bill out of his pocket and bought the CD.

It was a strange way to make a sale, but I’ll take it.

Todd