Moped Ride Home

With my arms tightly around David and feeling the cool night breeze, I re-collect my thoughts on today's happenings.  We just spent our night at Bangsar Village, where we sat outside on a patio and smoked the hookah. I had a few glasses of the house red wine, while David drank Tiger beer. We talked politics, class systems, and future travel plans. Possibly an elephant ride in Chiang Mai? 

All along we notice the number of police cars driving by and realize that they probably have a check-point set up just outside of Bangsar Village. Right before our move to K.L we read about these check-points.  They set them up around public holidays when alcohol consumption is high, or in popular expat areas.  i.e. Bangsar Village.  Similar to our friends "south of the border" (i.e. Mexico), Malaysia's finest have a subtle on the spot fine system where you can trade all the cash in your wallet for your freedom.  This makes checkpoints scary because one can only wonder if they are out there to collect on trumped up charges.

After a quick stop at the DVD shop and the grocery store we're back on the road.  I see some blue flashing lights up ahead.  I realize that this is the all to famous check-point and tell David, "you better behave!"  We smoothly drive past a police car on our right and two police officers standing next to their mopeds, smoking cigarette's. "Phew! We're safe!"  

We continue on our journey home and stop at a stop sign, take a left on Jalan Ara, and then another right on Jalan Penaga. I continue to day dream about elephant rides in Chiang Mai, when I hear someone on a moped behind us say, "Hey boss!"  We look behind us.  There are the cigarette smoking, moped riding, police officers pointing at the shoulder.  David pulls over on the side of the road.  I notice how young these guys are.  They must be in their early twenties. They ask David, "where you..go?" David says, "Oh, we just went to the grocery store." silence.. I told David, "I think they meant, where do we live." "Ahh... We live at the condominium just up ahead!  You can see it from here. Look!" He doesn't care. The police officer asks for David's I.D. He pulls it out and shows him his Texas Drivers License, and insurance.  The man looks at it and says, "where's passport?  Where's visa?"  This is when David turns on his act as the clueless foreigner.  It always works, wherever you are! "Umm.. it's at home." "Why you not have it?" "I didn't know you were supposed to have it on you. I just live just down the street. I can get it for you!"  They nod their heads, disappointment, and finally look at me, and ask, "passport? Visa?" "Sorry, it's at home..I didn't know" I'm wondering, are we supposed to give them money now so they will leave us alone? I think our clueless act worked though. They said something to each other in Malay, and said, "OK, next time. you go." And on our way we went! 

Lesson learned. Don't forget your passport at home in a foreign country, and when in doubt, always play stupid!