Good NewsMan pays $1 parking fine almost 36 years after ticket issued
Stanley Baker asked for a receipt.
Just days ago, the 89-year-old Michigan man paid a parking ticket by mail, adding a short apology note to the city of Orlando.
"So sorry for the delay!" he wrote. "36 years late! Better late than never!"
Not only was the payment late, it wasn't even Baker's to pay.
On November 7th, 1975, a Chevrolet was parked at an expired meter near the Orlando Public Library. It was issued a $1 ticket.
Baker's son says his father found the fine 20 years later. The unpaid ticket fell from the pages of "An Introduction to Western Civilization," a book purchased at a 1995 garage sale.
Known as a practical joker among family and friends, Baker wanted to pay the fine. His wife, Miriam, however, was concerned they'd be hit with late fees and interest.
Sergeant Vince Ogburn, a police spokesman in Orlando, said that records from 1975 have been destroyed, making tracking the ticket's original recipient impossible. Baker's payment, which arrived in the ticket's original envelope, amused the department.
"We all thought it was hilarious," Ogburn told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
No, Baker won't be charged any late fees.
(Photo: CBC)
