When I was living in the Windsor area I had the opportunity to meet many musicians from the American side. On occasion they came over to augment our bands in Windsor (Elwood Casino) when we needed extra players.

One reed player from Detroit was a retired school teacher. He was a pro on all the reeds and was known in classical circles to be an astute flautist.

For the most part Charlie Lindquist was an easy going chap but when we heard about this incident it occurred to us that he had another side to his personality. What we heard took us all by surprise.

One November evening he was driving to a gig to do a fund raiser that was being held at the Masonic Temple. He was driving his borrowed father-in-law's black Lincoln four door sedan. That night he was dressed smartly in tuxedo tails.  He had one other musician passenger with him an oboist that was also dressed in formal attire.  

They were members of one of the groups (a small classical ensemble) that was to provide entertainment for the fund raiser that evening.

It was snowing ever so slightly and Charlie was in no hurry to get to the gig on this wet stretch of road. As he was driving down I - 94 to the Temple a Detroit police car passed him and turned in front of him so close that Charlie felt that the cop had cut him off. Up the highway about a mile or so the cruiser had stopped with it's blinkers on.

Now Charlie was really ticked off about the way the police officer had driven and something inside Charlie's demeanor was offended .   He came up behind  the parked cop's car and decided to take issue with the officer's driving habits. (It should be mentioned that his passenger urged him to keep his cool and drive on.)

The cop sees this very well dressed person coming to talk to him and rolls down the window.  

As I mentioned, Charlie was dressed as though he was going to the President's Ball. He even resembled the actor George Sanders a bit and even talked like him. He was quite the imposing figure.

Dressed in tuxedo tails and wearing a light black coat with a white scarf he gave an appearance of someone that was perhaps a dignitary, or some other notable with the Mayor's or Governor's office.

The officer had rolled down his window not knowing what to expect ...certainly not this ear full.  Charlie began, "Officer, about a mile back you passed me and then cut me off.   I almost lost control of my car and luckily I wasn't driving that quickly and had my wits about me.  I find it reprehensible that you, a police officer would be driving this carelesslessly."

Being admonished in this manner certainly was a first for the cop.  He was taken completely by surprise and didn't know how to respond. However, something prudently told him he had better atone for this driving faux pas as this person might be someone important.   He sure looked the part.

Perhaps the cop was new to the police force and didn't want this incident reported to

his superiors

He offered Charlie his apologies and said he was sorry for the way he had driven. All of this is only conjecture as to what the cop thought as Charlie had certainly turned the tables on him.   Apparently, if you have enough chutzpah and are dressed to the nines you might get away with passing yourself off as someone with authority.

No doubt (we can only surmise) that the cop was glad he didn't escalate the

incident and ask for Charlie's driver's licence and such.

Borrowing a line from the "Lone Ranger" the cop must have thought as he drove away from that strange scenario, "Who was that masked man?" or "Who the hell was that guy?"

I don't recommend what Charlie did even if you are dressed smartly in a tuxedo and driving a big black car.

However, an impressive appearance can go along way.