Precautions

Last summer I bought a car. I was so proud of myself because I paid for a mostly new car in cash. It was exciting. Because I bought the car during the shit storm we referred to as 2020, public services were often delayed. The temporary tag expired and no one could tell me when my plate was going to come in. I call the dealership panicky. They said all plates were delayed and I shouldn’t worry.

I immediately thought “I’m black, considerations for public crisis don’t apply to me!! What if I get pulled over? What if they think I stole my car?”

I made a very big deal about having an expired plate until I was given a dealer plate.

Next, I applied for a veteran plate. I thought this plate on my plain car would make me less of a target for the rouge officer trying to prove himself. I was given another temporary tag. The clerk to me to hang the temp tag in the back of my window. I smiled on the outside, while quietly freaking the f*** out on the inside. My back windows are slightly tinted. My husband insisted I should not worry. I tried to explain my concerns. I’m not sure he gets this feeling.

I ended up driving around with two plates for three weeks as to not look like I was driving an unregistered vehicle. I refused to take the original plate off my car. My new plate came in and is on my car. It was a very tense few weeks.

I say all of that because I watch a video of a man who listened and placed his temporary tag inside of his vehicle and it went bad for him. An active duty officer was pepper-sprayed in his car, while being held at gunpoint, while he had both hands sticking out the window, palms towards the police.

This was a fear of mine. I thought it possible. It happened. I took precautions.

I’m still scared to drive some days.