For two days I’ve had the song lyrics “I fought the law and the . .. law won,” by the Bobby Fuller Four in my head. And while I didn’t exactly fight the law, I did try to deceive them.
    I am public enemy number one – at least in the eyes of the Maine Turnpike Authority. My secret? I’m one of those people who doesn’t pay tolls.
    It began about two years ago. I was living in Portland and commuting to Biddeford for work. I  didn’t intentionally skip the tolls – I didn’t hold a grudge against the MTA for taking my .60 cents – I just never seemed to have change on me.
    However, I full well knew that what I was doing was wrong. In fact, I felt so guilty about it I used to hold my hand out the window and drop invisible change in the basket. I know that’s totally illogical, but for some reason it made me feel better.
    I don’t remember how long it took them to send me the first violation. I do know they caught me doing it five times before sending it, though.
    When I opened the violation notice, there I was, five separate times, cruising through the tolls after dropping my phantom change. I didn’t know they took photos.
    My punishment was to pay the toll, multiplied by five. It obviously wasn’t a harsh enough punishment for me because I did it again, and again. An then one day Bob did it while he was driving my car. His mistake was innocent enough. He has an E-ZPASS in his vehicle and was used to cruising through tollbooths.
    That last time was one time too many, however, because the fine was much greater than $3.
    Well, guess what? I did it again. I knew it wouldn’t be good and I was right – a third fine, greater than the others.
    I put the bill aside, vowed to pay it with my next paycheck and sort of forgot about it – that is until two days ago.
    Another letter showed up. I really didn’t want to open it. Sometimes I tend to be of the mind, that what I don’t know won’t hurt me, but I opened it nonetheless.
    Because I failed to pay the fine in time, the MTA sent a notice to the state requesting my registration be suspended.
    I thought I was going to throw up all over my desk.
    I’ve never had a suspension of any kind on my record. I felt like a horrible criminal.
    Since working in newspapers I’ve seen too many court and police listings involving issues like mine and I couldn’t bare the thought of becoming one of them myself.
    I panicked. Before I called the violation clerk (three times) I tried to conjure up a story to tell him about why I didn’t pay the fine, but realized my act had gone far enough.
    I was almost too ashamed to write about my little run in with the law, but I did because I can truly say I am reformed. I also know there has got to be others out there like me. To those people, let me be an example.
    As I write this I don’t know my fate. And while I didn’t rob people with a six gun, and I won’t be breakin’ rocks in the hot sun, I admit, I fought the law and the law won.