THE SUMMON THAT DIDN’T CUT OUT

There I was driving while listening to my favourite radio station-mix.fm. And from afar at the junction going to Putatan from Jalan lintas KKIA airport, I saw police traffic lining up cars. Ah...back in my mind-bulan tua ni belum gaji so they are doing extra work for the ‘extra $$'. And all of the sudden I was stopped by one police traffic. My mind was racing -road tax expires in July, so that’s not it. I just renew my driving license, so that’s not it either. Now what, is the break light not working? ... I drive to the road shoulder and stop my car, rolled down my window and there he was Police traffic number one walking approaching me. Approaching my car, he kept on blowing his whistle, I counted three times (was he trying to control the traffic while…?) and then I SAW IT from my frontal mirror. He was trying to get his other friend attention and I saw another police traffic gesture of seatbelt. So, he didn’t actually know what I did wrong and now he is accusing me of not wearing my seatbelt. GOSH…!!!  

Police traffic: Cik anda disaman kerana tidak memakai tali pinggang keledar. Minta lesen and kad pengenalan (Miss, you are summon because you are not wearing your seat belt, please produce your car driving license and your identification card.). 

Me: Excuse me, saya pakai tali pinggang keledar la encik dari rumah lagi tadi. Saya tidak berhenti mana mana pun tadi, jadi tidak mungkin saya tidak pakai tali pinggang keledar (Excuse me but I did wear my seatbelt, I didn’t unbuckle it or stop anywhere to unbuckle it).  At this time, I tried to reason with him, saying I was wearing my  seatbelt the whole time. 

Police traffic: Cik, Koperal saya yang membuat pemerhatian, saya cuma menjalankan tugas. (Miss, my corporal did the observation, I am only doing my job). 

I hesitated a little but eventually gave in. After taking my license and ID card, he walked towards the back of my car, to write down the summon while chatting with his other traffic friends. I waited for a full two minutes before he came back.  

When he approached my car again, I once again tried to reason with him, saying I did wear my seat belt.  He kept on saying he is only doing his damn job. Knowing now, I’m losing this tug of war, in my last defense, I said I want the number and corporal name to be written on the summon. I searched for my pen and wrote down his name and number as well.  

He gave me a copy for the summon, I read it briefly and made a U turn to go to the traffic head office in Jalan Kepayan to file a complaint. 

I arrived there at 430pm, talk to the police traffic at the counter and demand to see their officer. He explained to me that the officer in charge is outstation. I asked when he will be back. He said maybe Thursday. I asked again Thursday what time. He said he doesn’t know. I said I will come back on Thursday to make the complaint. I left my number asked them to make a copy of the summon and I walked out still furious of the damn situation

The whole way back to Membakut, I was like thinking- what do I do next? This is injustice; do I make a police report when I arrive at membakut? Should I go the extra miles and the long hard yard just to get my justice or just give up-pay the summon and everything will be back to normal. But that would only means admitting that I am wrong when I am the victim here.

Tired of thinking, I decided to make a phone call to my Miss Knows It All friend- Annie. After a few rings, she picked up the phone. I explained my situation and she was trying to say that everything is Here Say. My innocent against their better judgement. It’s many versus one. But she said, she will make some calls and help me deal with it. But, I still have to make my report. Cheer up that was her last words.

Cheer up huh? And I remember Seneca, who said, 'The greatest cure to anger is delay'. So, after this I'm taking a long shower. Have a dinner and hopefully before I sleep. I can forgot this whole mess and also forgive the police traffic who had successfully made my day more black that colored.

And here I am an ‘A’ blood type law binding citizen If I REALLY did not wear my seat belt that evening, I am more than willing to pay any amount of summon  because I am wrong but...are you willing to pay for the crime that you didn’t do?