The boys in blue

I was planning on returning the "Reminiscences" today, posting, finally I should add, pictures from Kyoto. But a strange (but funny somewhat) thing hapenned today and I'd rather talk about that.

Ok. I have one class in the morning and one in the afternoon on Wednesdays. It just happened that I noticed a little after lunch I'd forgot some notes for afternoon class. As I live near the university and I came by bike (so it wouldn't take 20 minutes to go and return), I was cycling back home to retrieve it.

In the midway, there was a police car and two officers. I don't know what they were doing, but as one saw me he asked me to stop. No idea why he asked, but, anyway, I still had some time, so I stopped.

In the dialogue that followed, he asked if that was really my bike (through the Japanese Indirectiveness Translator it'd be something like asking 'did you steal that bike?'... ^ ^; Really... only in Japan this kind of things happen... I wonder if a real thief would answer that he'd stole it...). It's my bike, although it was only lent to me. No sweat answering this kind of question, but I wondered why would he ask that out of the blue.

"There've been some bicycles being stolen in the area" was the response. I know that well, some friends had their bikes stolen already. And that's one of the few things that are stolen more frequently in Japan. But I started to think that he thought I was one of those thieves for what happened later...

First, his behavior changed a little after (finally) realizing that I wasn't Japanese. Second, he seemed upset when I said I couldn't remember the name of the person I borrowed the bike from, although I made it clear that it was borrowed (not stolen) and some people would confirm that. Third, the "reason" why he stopped me was because he "didn't see any lock on my bike". Hum... I use one I bought at a 100 yen shop (something like the $1 shops or the "lojas de R$1,99", but the variety of items is astonishing) which stays in the basket when I'm cycling (so he really couldn't see any), but I saw other bikes using the same kind and some like that passed through during the conversation (there were two officers, remember? And one was talking to me)... This excuse sounds a little lame... Fourth, the officer strangely became silent when somebody was walking around, only resuming the conversation after that person was a little far away (out of listening range)... And fifth, the other office approached and started to write some sort of number that was written on my bike. Then I started to get angry... I believe that here, too, mothers usually teach kids to ask for permission, right? Where's the famous Japanese politeness, anyway?

But, anyway, I'd read already that it'd better not start a discussion with a police officer, but play humble instead... So I did that and it worked a little. At least the reaction went to something I'd classify as "neutral". And some time later, when the conversation reached a point where "there's nothing left to talk" he dismissed me, however only after emphasizing I should return the bike to the owner... WHAT!? Now it's illegal to borrow things!? Ah, I was late already, so I just said the Japanese "hai" (yes) and left. Interesting thing is that many Japanese use this word as "yes, I understand", not as "yes, I agree/will do" like most westerns, hehe... Hey, don't get me wrong! I will return the bike. But he didn't say when, so I'll return it just before returning to Brazil XD...

And one final note. All that happened when I was going home. When I was returning to the university (less than 10 minutes later) they weren't there anymore... Interesting... I'm starting to agree with this article...