Friday, February 4, 2011
It is getting warmer in Bangkok. I can feel that fresh cool morning air has been gradually replaced with normal hot air. Well, at least we don't have to face snowstorms or cyclones. I should not complain.
Oh, Happy Chinese New Year. Wish you all happy and prosperous in this rabbit year. Many economists and fortunetellers said it is going to be a better year for the economy compared to those few past years when many countries worldwide have been suffered from financial crises. I hope we do get better( I keep my fingers crossed anyway).
Only time and ouselves will tell later about the economy. What I can tell you now is my (more) experience about double standard. Here are more tales from the past.
I drove my 6 years old Toyota to get its door fixed at a small garage not far away from my place. I mistook a wrong left turn by taking into a bus lane. It was just a few meters before a lane for personal cars or taxis. I should have noticed the sign but it was hidden behind some overgrown branches of trees and some commercial signs on the curving entrance of the lane. Too late to do anything but go along the route.
Right on queue, a policeman appeared out of no where right after I swirped the car round the corner. I parked my car and the officer swanked himself to my spot.
Next was just the line I could chant. "Where are you heading to? Give me your driving license," the officer said with his demanding voice.
I knew my unintentional wrong-doing and I did not want to get in a mess with anyone in uniform. Not afraid but I knew how tremendously that can annoy me further. So, I searched my never-well-organised tote to find my license. Then, I noticed from my side-glass that I was not the only one who took the wrong turn. Four cars lined behind mine. (Sorry, fellows, I didn't mean to mislead you.)
Then, the officer walked to the other cars while leaving me to get my license. Those cars were pricey Mercedes, Volvo, BMW, Toyota Camry. Wow, my old Vios must look trustable enough for those drivers to follow. But wait a minute, the policeman went to chitchat with people in those cars and what? They moved their cars and continued driving back to the lane. Clearly, no license required and no ticket provided.
Excuse me. What about me and my car?
Here came the officer, after a while with them and willingly witnessed their departure . He came to demand my cooperation to hand him my license and go to pay fine at the police station where I had no idea where it was. Well, this needs a good conversation before I would comply.
He did ask me for my license and no explanation for those four leaving fellows. I said I could wait for the talk all day here. No hurry to get my car fixed. It is old and one more day of broken door should not hurt me. After some minutes of my quiet madness, the officer said, "Okayyyyyyy. You just go. But do not make a mistake again, you hear?"
Well, my answer was, "Thank you, sir. Once was enough." I got my car fixed just in time before the garage closed at lunch time.
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