Rush hour traffic is never pleasant. For me it's even more unpleasant because in addition to facing almost two hours of traffic to get to work in the morning, I have to face it again in the evening after work, on my way to classes where I have to try to stay awake for three mind-numbing hours.
So yesterday it didn't put me in a good mood when on the turnoff from the highway onto Don Miguel Road there was a long line of traffic. An earnest traffic cop had stopped a whole line of cars, presumably those who were trying to gain an extra three seconds in the traffic by making an illegal u-turn. Being a law abiding citizen, i thought it best not to drive around the policeman's line on my own, but to wait until I had permission to do so.
After I waited for about a minute, Mr Traffic Cop beckoned me forward impatiently and with attitude. Apparently I was not supposed to wait, but to drive around his line. Fine. When I reached to where he was he stood partially blocking my way and looking at me, so I stopped and looked at him. He looked at me. We looked at each other for a long while. Finally he said "Where yuh going?" I said "I'm going that way," pointing in my intended direction. His response was "Well go yuh way nah!" If I used to curse, I would have gotten myself charged that evening. Clearly this little boy (he seemed to be still in his twenties) decided that his uniform gave him God status. My response.. "People like you are the reason why other people don't like the police." I think the way I said it put him in shock. He didn't say a word. I went my way fuming mad but I was able to control my anger without killing anyone.
Shift to today. I dropped my wife off to her job, parked the car in the car park where she works and walked to the shop on the corner to buy some breakfast for us. On my way back I saw a police motorcycle flying pell mell down the street like a corbeau out of hell, almost hitting a car or two, bobbing and weaving from left to right. Guess who it was? Yes.. my foolish friend from the day before. I remembered his face plain as day. I'm not too sure if he remembered me. I doubt he did.
My deceased father was a policeman and he was a man of honour and humility. He never tried to gallery himself like the cops we have now. The men he worked with were the same also. He was tough when needed be, but never rude or abrasive. He didn't need a uniform to give him authority. His character was his authority. Even out of uniform you could tell he was a cop and you had better straighten up.
I miss my dad. May 1 will make it two years since he died, but if he was still alive he would have a thing or two to teach these guys who need to learn the real meaning of respect.
