Ishmael and the Peacemakers was the first real reggae band that I played with with. Ishmael Sealy, from Barbados, was our leader. (Ishmael in the middle)

Ishmael is an accomplished drummer and known worldwide for his drumming prowess. Very few reggae drummers  can even come even close to him.

Ishy (as we called him) was a guy you could talk to for long periods of time about nearly anything. We often drove around the country for days on end, so you better believe there was plenty to talk about.

One late evening, we were driving into Colorado. Ishy was driving the van and I was in the passenger seat. We had many hours to go and we were just reasoning about life as we drove down the highway.

Ishy was puffing away on a spliff and I was kinda just looking at him and smiling. I didn’t really notice the white car that was right driving along side us. I don’t know how long the car had been there, but when I noticed it… it just hovered there to our left.

I gave a quick shake of my head to Ishmael, and he looked to his left at the shiny white highway patrol car next to him.

“Urghhgh! Babylon!” Ishy yelled out as he exhaled a cloud of smoke that filled the van. The spliff flew out of his mouth and landed in his lap. He was quick to retrieve it, however, cursing babylon the whole time. It was a hysterical few seconds, yet ominous too, because the cop car just stayed where it was along side of us…

About 30 seconds later, the patrol car pulled directly in front of us, and then took off down the highway like a bolt of lightning.

Ishmael and I just looked at each other in disbelief… With beads of sweat on our foreheads, we let out some nervous laughter too.

I don’t know if the were playing Super Troopers with us or what….but Babylon certainly had us!