POLICE in Calumet, Michigan, the United States, had forgotten about the US$1 parking ticket written on Sept. 1, 1976. But the woman who had found it on her windshield hadn't.

The ticket, a US$20 bill and a note arrived at police headquarters last month in a plain white envelope with no return address.

The note read:"I always had good intentions of paying it. I put it aside and every once in a while I would come across it and said"someday I'm going to pay it." Now I think it's time."

The fine for an unpaid meter violation increased to US$5 after 72 hours, said Police Chief David Outinen, but it hadn't increased beyond that. He told The Daily Mining Gazette that he couldn't remember someone making good on an unpaid ticket after so much time.

(SD-Agencies)