Ya know it's bad when.....

I have a couple of friends that are State Troopers. I don't knock law enforcement like some riders. These guys are stand up guys. Family men with what I consider a good out look as to their job. As a result of my friendship I don't do anything that would put them in a position to have to stop and write me when I'm in there area.
Now like I said, these are stand up guys and, well you know it's bad when.....

I was riding back from Huntsville the other day on Highway 412. I had fell in with a bunch of "hoodlums" in fast cars and was zipping along way above the posted limit. As I neared the bottom of what I refer to as the Huntsville bypass I noticed in my mirror blue lights seemed to just appear. I hadn't seen anyone as I screamed by. Thinking that surely they were after one of the cars in the line I was in I eased back on my speed and waited for him to slide around me. I noticed in my mirror the car coming up on us and then settle in behind me. After a couple of seconds for realization to set in I waved at him and pulled over. The Trooper, John, got out of his car and walked up to me with a real serious face and just sort of looked at me and said. Here, you lost your muffler and handed me one of the mufflers off my bike. Apparently I had been so into keeping up with the line of fast moving cars I hadn't noticed it fall off. Wearing ear plugs I hadn't even noticed the change in the sound of my bike. What made this so bad was the tone in John's voice and his general attitude was one like some one that was constantly having to pick up after a small child, having to take care of them.
I reached out and took the muffler and said a rather embarrassed thanks and John turned and walked back to his car. Got in and drove off.
Thinking it all over. I remembered not welding the muffler a few days earlier when it cracked. I had clamped it down and it felt solid. I guess the high speed vibration was more than it could handle.
Thinking about it as I strapped the muffler on the back and on the ride home. You know it's bad when your a big ole bad biker when the State police treat you like a patient mother with an errant child. I also realized how you can get a warning for speed with out a word being spoken.
I owe my friend a thanks and a cup of coffee someday. He could have written me a ticket for the 85 that I was doing.
Hope to catch ya on the road