Olympic security measures and me

      Yesterday I had the honour to experience the Olympic security measures in London, being interrogated by the police as a criminal. Actually, it is nice to be judged as a criminal if you are innocent. It boost ups the image of a rascal. And I like to talk to the police. One of the opportunities to practice my English.

    It all started when I and my friend decided to go to the Hyde Park, to watch the screening of the Olympics and the concert. The official opening was scheduled at very symbolic 20:12. Prior to the show, there were many guys offering some tickets. However, we did not intend to go to the concert, therefore we just walked by saying thank you.

      After a while another friend texted me. We were supposed to meet at nine o clock at the Marble Arch. So we walked to the arch, but could not see any of him. He phoned me to find out where I was and I described him my position in detail. He asked me whether the arch has a statute at its top. I got across that he had probably mistaken Marble Arch with the Hyde Park Corner, which is a little farther to the south.

    While standing in the middle of the arch still on the phone, sweeping my hands, I was approached by two policemen. My friend was standing next to me. Just for the record, he is from the Saint Martin Island in the Caribbean and in his free time pursues career in music, hip-hop. With and image as Dizzee Rascal he caught the eye of the authorities. One of the policemen asked me, what I was doing. I explained him, that I was giving instructions to my friend who got lost. The policeman asked me whether I was selling tickets.  No, I do not. Why do you want some – I choked on lame attempt to sound funny. Luckily, I did not say it loud. Most probably a ticket trafficking was be illegal. Rather unpleasant way how to find out.

     He asked me for any ID. I gave him my identification card. He put down the details into some electronic device, similar to the touchpad mobiles. The technique has advanced. Three years ago when I was checked during an anti-terrorism operation they used pencil and a paper block. Immediately, I was searched through by the policeman looking for the tickets. He pulled out all my belonging from my pockets. Wallet, keys, some biscuits, Oyster card. No tickets, so I could go. Afterwards, together with his colleague, they checked my friend, but did not find anything, either. Now, they are do they job with responsibility and thoroughly...

     It was only proved few minutes later when I was walking across the road, together with my friend who finally found the right arch. Group of policemen were leaning over a girl who had fainted on the street, probably some kind of seizure. One of them jumped to the first aid, others were dealing with the passersby. Protect and serve. Maybe the British police are sometimes little annoying, but acknowledgement to the organizers that they really went the whole hog with the security measures. However, probably only in London. Yesterday I read in the newspaper that an 11 year-old boy managed to sneak through the gate control at the Manchester airport and boarded a flight to Rome.