Busted with Erica

Last night I was messaging Erica, and she said goodnight. It was only 8pm so I asked if she was sleeping, and she said no, it was meant for me. She added that she'd be drinking. I playfully said I wanted to drink too, and so that ended up with me meeting her later that night.

I waited outside her apartment longer than usual, apparently she was sleeping. I asked where she wanted to go and she said she didn't know. I suggested going to that pub we went to in St Leonards last time, and she said yes at first but later asked me to go to 'Haru'. She gave directions, saying it was near her apartment, and luckily there was a parking spot right in front.

She went in without her crutches and we took a seat in their 'outdoor' area (it still had a roof, but was just part of a wide open area). Two guys at the table next to us were smoking heavily and their smoke kept blowing my way. I started wondering if it was deliberate as I started to feel really uncomfortable.

Erica ordered a soju and beer, and a salad. I did drink, but consciously tried to minimise it knowing I'd be driving. I could see it now: getting caught drink driving - my life with Erica just keeps getting worse. It was pretty quiet throughout. I figured she wanted to think and drink, but also wanted some company.

She mentioned something about sleeping after eating. I wasn't sure what she meant, but after a while she actually did start drifting off at the table. I paid for the meal and tried to get her to go, but she kept sleeping until her elbow kept slipping off the table, at which time she agreed to leave.

She got in my car and asked me to roll the seat back, which was good because she wasn't wearing a seat belt and so if the cops looked into my car they wouldn't be able to see her. She had drifted off to sleep, and I had decided to drive to the sea side near me so I could take a nap as well. For some reason I kept feeling like I was kidnapping her, trying to keep my car motions smooth to avoid waking her, as if she would completely object to me taking her somewhere if she woke up.

Her phone rang anyway, she was talking to someone and asked me where we were, and relayed it to the other person when I said the Bra. She went back to sleep and we arrived at the sea side. The gate at the entrance was down, so I decided to go the other way to see if there was a way in. Sure enough, there was no gate at the exit and I drove through and parked facing the water.

I tried to drift off to sleep, and after a while rolled my seat back and tried to sleep. She was facing away from me, and I kept tossing and turning trying to sleep. Eventually I got my seat back up and lied down in the back. This was more comfortable, but now there was another issue - I needed to use the bathroom. I could hear a bunch of people nearby, so going at the shrubs nearby was a no no.

Despite that urge, I tried to go to sleep. In the positions we were in, we somehow managed to hold each other's hands - at first it was both hands, and then later just one hand. When I heard the people leave, I went out and pissed at the shrubs and returned to my car.

I tried to go back to sleep but was now cold from my recent trip outside. I asked her if she wanted to go to a motel and she was fast asleep. Oh well. I tried going back to sleep again, and after a while sensed a really bright light shining at my car. I wondered who the hell it was, and then heard a knock on the window.

It was the police.

I initially thought I was being called out on sleeping in my car (I don't think that's legal), so wasn't sure what his point was when he asked how I got in when the gate was closed. I said I drove through the exit, and he asked if I saw the 'no entry' sign, and that was when it clicked - he wanted to get me for disobeying the sign. I said I didn't see it. He asked if I saw the arrows on the ground and I said it was dark. He asked for my licence and then returned to his car.

By now Erica was up. She asked what was going on, and I said we weren't allowed to park here as it was closed. She asked me to get her seat back up so I got out of the car, and when I did the officer got out of his car. I thought he was going to make me get back into my car, but he handed me an infringement for disobeying a no entry sign for $236.

Fuck.

I felt pissed off and asked if he saw the other 4WD nearby, as if it was an attempt to say "hey why get me?" He then said he was going to approach the other cars now. I saw them approach another car but no one was in it.

Great, so I get penalised for being in my car.

In hindsight, I probably got away extremely lightly. Look at what could've happened:

1. He breathelised me and found I was over the limit - drink driving.

2. He asks Erica for ID, she doesn't have it, and I'd have to get into this whole story of what we were doing there.

Uhhh...I'm here with this girl who can barely speak English and has no ID...but she's my girlfriend I'm telling you, I'm not her pimp.

3. He caught me pissing in public - another fine.

So yeah, got off pretty lightly.

I drove Erica back home and we held hands during the entire drive.

When I got home she messaged me asking if I was ok and saying thanks (presumably for spending the night with her).