Lucky Escape
You keep hearing how bad jail is but it never really quite sinks in until you have to spend the night in a cold, damp, dark cell. I was lucky. Due to the awful state of the cell and overcrowding I was let go early and didn’t spend the night. There’s nothing quite like calling your family and asking them to fetch you from the police station. And being treated like a criminal. Because you are one. Not just on that night but every court appearance you make. And there are many. Many dragged out for more than a year.
Eventually, again, I was lucky. Case got thrown out on a technicality despite the fact that I was clearly over the limit. Wine tasting all day in Franschhoek will do that. I faced a massive fine, possibly getting my licence revoked or the next-to-best-case scenario, community service. These days I regularly crash on uncomfortable couches at friends in order to not drive home. I might even start keeping an overnight bag in my car to avoid rocking last night’s clothes the morning after. Or I’ll start using GoodFellas just to have the comfort of my own bed.
Good luck with the case and thanks for sharing your story.
