This week, the proverbial axe has fallen. Not on me, nooo (for once), but instead on Ryan. Ryan has only had his driver's license for two years. He was stopped the first summer for speeding and paid the fine. He was just stopped early this year for criminal speeding and had a date with a judge. He tried to convince his father and I that the throttle stuck. Does he think we were born last night?! I owned that car and drove that car prior to Ryan driving it and there were no mechanical malfunctions of that sort when I had it. The only malfunction that car had was Ryan's foot planted to the floorboard. We convinced him not to go in front of the judge and spin his tail, and he finally listened and pled guilty. As he should. He paid his fine and thought all was done and over with. The state of Maine has really cracked down on new drivers and takes a tough love approach to them misbehaving behind the wheel. Having said that, Ryan received a letter from the secretary of stat this week telling him that he will lose his license for a month starting on the 15th. He came unglued, convinced that his life is now over. I reminded him that he knew that he needed to drive slower and that if he needed to go somewhere, that he has friends that will help him out. I will not be his taxi, nope, ain't doin' it. Yes, that sounds mean, but Ryan is one of those kids who has to learn the hard way. I drive fast myself. I love speed and I will be the first to admit it. I have never gotten a speeding ticket in all the years that I have been driving, and I have been very lucky. I expect someday will come for me, and I will pay the fine and shut my mouth and think about how many times that could have happened in the past.