Six officers and a K9 dog / Ramblings of a lost soul, pt 1.

120 miles per hour

It was four months ago when I was in a car with my ex. We were both very emotional - we had a fight, another breakup. As she was numbed by the loud music, I looked at the speedometer - we were going 120 miles per hour, on a fully snowed, traction-free two lane road in the middle of Wyoming.

"I know you want to get back fast, but can we keep it under 100 miles an hour?" I asked. She immediately slowed down and realized that she zoned out.

Our most recent fight was over some snapchats. We were going from Phoenix, AZ to Billings, MT, back for my ex's family's Thanksgiving. It was certainly a long drive, doable but not recommended in one go, so we found a nice cozy motel somewhere along the way and slept. I looked through my ex's phone, and found messages strongly implying that my ex was cheating on me. When I confronted her, she denied everything. We broke up.

Later on, we were going 40 miles per hour in a 25mph zone in a small town. It was 3am and snowing comfortably, and all traffic lights were blinking orange. A car parked to the side of the road turned on its lights and then sirens, and we were pulled over. We were expecting a speeding ticket, but the officer had other plans. He asked for our IDs. I gave him my passport, being a traveler from Australia. Five minutes later, he told us he just called a K9 unit and told us to step out of the car.

Six officers and a K9 dog

There were three cop cars surrounding us, while we were patted down and pockets searched. Yes, it was still snowing. Two officers, armed with flashlights, gloves, and clothing suitable for the weather. Meanwhile, I was wearing a tshirt and my ex was wearing a Victoria's Secret onesie. My mind was filled with images over the immediate future. Will I be arrested? Deported? Barred from entering the US again? Will my ex take responsibility? California, Arizona, Colorado, Montana: they don't care about weed. Wyoming, they do. Oops.

The dog found something in the trunk. The officers walked up to us, and presented us with a bowl and other paraphernalia. He asked us to take responsibility. We were confused but followed. After a brief, fatherly talk with disappointment as the undertone, he told us to "get the **** out of Wyoming and if you carry drugs across this state ever again, you will be in jail". We gladly went back in the car and drove away.

They somehow missed the edibles. And we didn't even get a speeding ticket.

Four months later

So many things have changed. We traveled together to Mexico, Australia, Costa Rica. But after some more fights, I found out that my ex was cheating on me with that guy in those Snapchat messages. I found out so much more. I also found out that I suffered from borderline personality disorder.

I discovered love, and I encountered betrayal. I learned a lot more about the world, about relationships, about myself. When I look at myself, I see a lost soul. I think and hope that someday, I will find my home.