Line-up. 3/29/2006
I was riding late one night, after a drinking session with some buddies. Yes, I know it’s dangerous to drink and ride, so save the comments. I wasn’t drunk per se, just a little inebriated. The drinking session was in a small town south of the city, about 40 or so miles away. To get back onto the highway, I had to pass through a one street town just before the interchange.
As I was riding through the main street of this town, everything was completely deserted. Which wasn’t surprising, considering the hour of night that it was. So I puttered along, with the visor of my helmet open to get some fresh air in to clear my head. I came up to a pedestrian crossing, which was right in front of the local police station. The light was red, so I stopped.
And almost died of fright when a dark shadow loomed out of the bushes by the side of the road in front of the police station, and grabbed the keys from my bike. I was about to shout a “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”, when the words died in my throat. I noticed that the shadow was wearing a uniform. Specifically a policeman’s uniform. A senior policeman’s uniform. My heart was pounding sixteen to the dozen, because I thought was going to get done for riding under the influence.
I asked the cop what was going on, thinking that this was a routine road block or something, when I noticed that there was no other cop around, and no signboards or warning lights that usually accompany a road block. The cop looked at me, and asked me to follow him into the station. I asked what for, and he snapped at me, saying I shouldn’t ask so many questions, and that I had to follow his orders. I was about to tell him to go to hell, and fish the spare key for the bike out of my wallet, when I realised that he had a gun, and might shoot me for running away or something.
So I pushed the bike into the station, and followed the cop in. He grunted at me to remove my helmet and gloves, but leave my jacket on, and follow him. I did as he asked, and wondered what the hell was going on. He led me further back into the station, to a room which had the word “Interrogation” on a screwed on plate. He opened the door, and motioned me to go in. I stood there a moment, wondering what my rights were in a situation like this. He impatiently gestured at me to go in, and I realised that I had no choice, so I did so.
I walked into the room, and saw that there were 4 other men standing there, all wearing jackets. I got really curious at this, and by now was really worried as to what was happening. This was becoming a little surreal. And then I realised it was a line up. There was a large mirror in one side of the room, which I knew was a 2 way mirror. The cop told us all to stand in a line, and wait.
We stood there a few minutes, and then the door opened. A couple of plain clothes policemen came in, and led one of us out in handcuffs. I knew this was the suspect. A couple of the others were also policemen in plain clothes, leaving me and another guy being bystanders to this drama being played out in the wee hours of the morning in a small town.
The cop came to me, and handed me back my key. He thanked me for my time, and bid me a safe journey. Out of curiosity, I asked him what the suspect was being held for, and he told me that it was a rape case.
I looked at the cop and asked him if I looked like a rapist. He narrowed his eyes at me in his best Clint Eastwood impression, and said “everyone’s guilty of something.”
- Posted in : On the road
- Author : thesnark
Comments»
So you was ‘volunteered’. Interesting. Not a wise move to ask the policeman though..
Hmmm, Sounds like illegal seazure to me. Isn’t that the reason for our right to bear arms?
James : Unfortunately, in this country, we have no such thing as a Bill of Rights. If I had filed a report against the cop, he would have replied that I was “assisting in a Police investigation.” and I would have been told off by the magistrate that it would have been my civic duty to do so.
dont us asians all look alike anyway? hows the victim meant to choose which one did it?