Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Uh Oh!
I normally keep things pretty short and to the point, but I just had to share this experince. Today I got pulled over for only the second time in my life, and my first time in Latin America, and let me tell you it is not an experience I want to have again. So here is the situation: I pick Brock up from soccer practice and I am on my way home and thought I was obeying all traffic rules that I know of when I drove through the intersection with a green light. I guess maybe it was the wrong shade of green, because next to me is a police man on his motorcycle pointing at me to pull over. So I calmly pull to the side of the road, with both kids in the car by the way, and roll down my window. He proceeds to speak to me in Spanish and I pretend to not understand anything he is saying. Chris told me to never speak Spanish in this type of situation, so being the good wife I did just as we had rehearsed. Half an hour later I am still sitting on the side of the road, and at this point the police officer is so mad at me he literally is about to crawl through the window and punch me. {I am not kidding} I just kept saying, "I am sorry I don't understand." I understood everything he was saying Shhhh! First, He wanted me to follow him to the police station, then he wanted to follow me to the bank, and then he asked me how much money I had in my wallet. I showed him the $20 I had in my purse and he got even more mad, I told him the only other thing I had was a dollar bill. He finally gave in and handed me the car registration, which is in a plastic slip, and told me to put the money inside the slip and give it to him. So I did as he asked and we were on our way after a short 35 minute drama. Oh yeah dd I mention Chris is not even in the country, he is in Paraguay. I can honestly say life is never boring.
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6 comments:
That's scary. Hopefully that cop didn't just pocket the cash and that you don't have to ever go through that again.
WOW! why would you have to give him cash? must be a foreign thing?? thats is awesome you held your ground about not speaking spanish!!! we won't tell ;)
I believe that was a bribe...right??? Coruption runs rampant I am sure. It's good you had something! I never seem to have cash, so I wonder what would have happened then!?
I can't believe you had to experience such a gross misuse of Police Power. Who knows what could have happened if you followed the Police Officer to the Station. I'm so glad you are all safe. I love the photos.
Mom
You gotta love the cops. I'm impressed that you held your ground... I would've burst into tears!! Love Brock's song by the way. So cute!
You handled it well. Sounds like stories Coiln used to tell me of the old days in Brazil... bribes for everything...glad it turned out ok. fyi, always keep a little extra cash on you that you can easily access for this purpose.
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