Picture courtesy of Washington Post.I love the sight of English Bobbies in Germany. They are unique. If one is used to the by and large (not always) unhelpful, lazy and rude attitude of the German police, they are bliss.
I remember when my wallet was stolen in London in November 2000, passport, credit card, bank card, driving licence, the lot. Slightly hysterical, I had called the police on my mobile and within no time two Bobbies, a man and a woman, came. They couldn't do much for me, of course, but their sheer presence was soothing. When they asked me when I had last seen my wallet, I replied that it had been in the afternoon of the same day, when I had used my credit card to have my car unclamped. I will never forget the male Bobby's reply to that, which was without the slightest trace of condescension or sneer: "Its's not your lucky day, is it?" I still don't know why that cheered me up no end.
However, they told me to get back to the German Embassy for help, which I did in the morning after a night in the car, and there I got help, quickly, friendly and effectively.
Thanks German Embassy, but -- dear Bobbies -- whereever you are, God bless! May a bit of your spirit rub off to your German colleagues, then all that World Cup brouhaha would have been good at least for SOMETHING.
2 comments:
You were lucky. A year earlier, I made a complaint about a criminal neighbour damaging my property - only to find the rotten creep in uniform who came threatening to arrest ME because he did not like my tone. And practically every Londoner has a similar story. Trust me; most London cops are surly, threatening jobsworths in uniform - and that is those who aren't worse. Unhelpful? They've taken out patent and copyright on that.
Oh I believe you! I always guessed I was quite lucky. I had the most unpleasant encounter with an English customs officer disembarking from the Rotterdam-Hull ferry many years ago (because he did not like MY tone).
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