The Green-Light Button

Somewhere along the journey that was my girlhood, someone … and not just any someone, but someone that I trusted told me that all police officers have a green-light button. This fine piece of equipment located in their vehicles interferes with traffic lights and produces a green light as needed. The button keeps them from having to wait at red lights for as long as normal people. Whoever told me this must have used a serious tone of voice and told me it as a straight out fact, because I never questioned it. Not once. Even as a college student I got excited when I pulled up behind a cop at a redlight because I knew I’d get to go through it next.  I grew up always believing that police officers had lots of buttons in their patrol cars but none of them compared to the green-light button.

About a year ago Hubster received his first patrol car. I went with him to pick it up and let me tell you, he was thrilled to pieces. He loved that car! Later that evening, after we’d put the baby to bed I got the full tour. He showed me the lights and the buttons for the sirens. I got to sit in the front and peek in the back. There was a vast array of switches and scanners. The video camera on the dash had both sound and color technology! He had a sweet ride!

So after he showed me all of the cool gadgets, I naively asked, “Where’s the green-light button?”

“Huh?” He turned to me and scratched his head. “The what?”

“The green-light button. So that you don’t have to wait at red lights.” I was starting to think that maybe they didn’t give one to rookies.

That’s about the point that he started laughing at me. A nice long laugh. Because, contrary to my beliefs at the time, there truly is no such thing as a green-light button.  At least, if there is one, my Hubs isn’t telling. Maybe it’s top secret, classified information. Or maybe I should just patent the idea!