A different kind of meeting

I left work a bit early that day as I was not feeling too well. I took the company 2 pm shuttle that drops me off near the University Main Gate. It was terribly hot and I got down from the cab and walked to the University wall shielding myself from the blazing sun. There was no one near just cars, buses and bikes zooming away. I look around for an auto but a few that came my way didn't stop. I was wondering how much longer I would have to stand in that unbearable heat. A thought came to my mind - what would happen if I fainted here. I always have my address and contact numbers in the purse. I wondered if I should call my brother as his office is not too far from the University. But i didn't call him as I knew he was busy with some client meetings that day. 

I look around as I heard some noise coming from the University Gate corner. There was a Policeman there waving a stick and saying something. I look around me - there was no one. He was calling me??? For a moment , I felt terrible fear in my heart. Was this a wrong place to wait for an auto?? Wow..what else could i have done wrong? Why was he calling me? That's when all those questions were zooming in my head I realised I am as scared of the Police as I am of say a Thief! I looked at him again. He was still calling me and was walking towards me. I walked towards him and kept wondering what does he want?


When we came near each other, he said ,'Madam , you need an auto?' I was shocked for a moment as all my thoughts came crashing down. I stammered out a 'Yes'. He smiled and said, 'Stand here near me and I will get you an auto!'  I didn't know what to think. He looked around, another bunch of cars, buses and bikes zoomed by.....no auto. And then we saw two empty autos coming down that road. Immediately he pulled out his whistle and directed them to stop near us. Both the auto people looked out and asked where I wanted to go. This was super! I mean they never ask you decently, most just bark at you. I am sure the Policeman near me gave them a feeling that I was some big personality in that place or something...lol... Anyway, I got into one of the autos, thanked our Police man for his help and started off on my way home.

This is the first time in my life I have spoken with a Police man. In the corner of my mind I guess I think of them to be corrupt and ruthless. Most stories in media just reinforces these thoughts. You need to stay away from that bunch of people (police) - we need them in the society to deal with the criminals but they are also another kind of criminals!

Did this incident change how I feel about the Police? Yes it did, because it made me realise how biased my mind had become towards them unknowingly.  I think of myself as a person who thinks rationally and yet there are so many biases inside my head. One such bias came out and hit me in my face that day. Many thanks to you , dear Police Man at the University Gate, for making me look inside my mind and understand that not all human beings are the same. It is stupid to generalize and even worse to let irrationals fears grow inside you.