The Queen is Dead
God save the King
Today I was pulled over by a police officer. He was very nice, even asked me if I had been driving long? I said yes, close to sixty years, but not as long as Queen Elizabeth has reigned over the British Isles, and the Commonwealth.
“Oh, I get it, you’re a Brit?”
I was impressed, most Americans mistake my accent for Australian.
“Do you know why I pulled you over, sir?”
“To commiserate with me?”
“No, sir. However, you do have my commiserations. I pulled you over for speeding. I recorded you doing 65 in a 55 zone.”
Sometimes, I get to thinking the world is about to start living some sort of death festival. “I am sorry, I have no reason to doubt you. In fact you’re the first person I’ve spoken to after hearing the news of the Queen’s death on the radio.”
“As I say, I am sorry to hear about your loss. It does not excuse you from speeding.”
“Of course not, I’m guilty, I’m sure, but let me tell you something, sir. When you said you were sorry to hear about my loss, referring to the Queen dying, I realized that her death is very personal, and is likely the same for most British people. It is as sharp a pain as losing a much-loved Grandmother. I’m 73, the Queen was in my life every day one way or another. No matter what the world threw up, what challenges, sorrows, joys, immense tragedies, even 9.11, I could tell myself the Queen is still the Queen. She has been a constant in my life, more than family, never argued with, always there offering some British normality in a world gone mad.”
“Look, sir, I don’t want to add to your grief. How far are you going?”
“Just a mile or two, and then turn on the television while I book tickets back to the UK.”
“I’m going to give you a break. I don’t understand much about your monarchy, or about the Queen, but I respect the fact that the only time limit on her service to her people was God’s will.”
“Indeed, sir. It was a duty thrust upon her. I want to thank you for your service to the community.”
“Have a good day, sir.”
“That will be difficult, but I won’t be speeding.”
The Queen is dead.
I weep.
