A long time ago, when I was about 17-18, I had a run in with the law. Well, run-in isn't quite the word, but it sounds more exciting. Like I'm an outlaw or something.
I was with my old high school buddies, driving home at night around 2 am. We had been relaxing at Life Over Easy's (LOE) home in North York, and it was past 2 am when we decided to leave. It had been a rather long night, but Life Over Easy had kindly offered to drive us. The 4 of us piled in the car, with our school bags and notebooks in tow.
We chatted and listened to The Cure as we drove North along Yonge Street. It wasn't particularly busy on the streets, and we made good time. As we closed in on my neghbourhood, we noticed a police cruiser stopped at the red light going West bound on Elgin Mills Road. As we passed the cruiser, it suddenly veered into the North bound lane on Yonge street, following us. We slowed down thinking the cruiser was on a call and about to pass us, but there were no sirens or signals for us to pull over, save the fact that the cruiser was now tailgating us with the highbeams on. Just as LOE signalled to turn right into my neighbourhood, the cruiser lights came on and we were signalled to pull over. We waited about 3-5 minutes before 2 cops came out of the cruiser to approach, one to the drivers side, the other to the rear of the passenger side. It did not go unnoticed that both were armed, with their hands on their holsters.
The officer tapped on the drivers window, his flashlight in our eyes, and LOE rolled his window down. This is how the conversation went.
Officer: Drivers license and registration.
LOE: Uh, Yes officer. Here (passes to officer)
Officer (looking around in the car): Where you boys coming from at this time of night?
LOE: From my house. We were studying, and I'm driving my friends home.
Officer: Is that right? And where would your home be?
LOE: xxx xxxx in North York.
Officer: Have any of you been drinking?
LOE: No sir. We don't drink.
Officer: And who are you driving home?
LOE: Umm, well, him first (pointing at me, behind driver).
Officer (looking at me and tapping my window): Lets see what's in the bags. Let's have a closer look in your bag.
Me (opening my bag): Yes sir. They are just text books.
Officer: Let's see your identification or drivers license.
Me: Yes sir. Here.
Officer: Right. Stay here.
The officer stepped away to his cruiser and we waited for about 15 minutes for him to return. While we waited another cruiser pulled up and 2 additional cops came out and stood around LOE's vehicle. We were nervously concerned as we had no idea what this was all about. It felt odd and rather uncomfortable.
Officer (to LOE): Here's your registration and license.
LOE: Thank you
Officer (to me): So where did you say you were coming from?
Me: LOE's home in North York.
Officer: and what is his address?
Me: xxx xxxx address.
Officer: And where are you going? What is your address?
Me: Ummm, the same as the one on the Drivers license at xx Woodstone Ave, just down this street on the left.
Officer: Uh huh. And what's your name?
Me: Umm, Alexander
Officer: Do you go by any other names?
I look around at my friends who offer "Al" as an answer.
Officer: No, do you go by any other names?
Me: umm, such as what?
Officer: Why don't you tell me.
Me: Sir, I have no idea. Ireally don't go by any other names.
Officer: You mean you don't ever go by Kun Phuc Yi?
Me (hearing "Kentucky" as in Fried Chicken): uh, I'm sorry what?
Officer (more loudly): Kun Phuc Yi! Kuuun Phuuuc Yiii. Do you go by that name?!
Me: Um, no. That sounds like a Vietnamese name and I'm not Vietnamese.
Officer: uh...hmmm. Well, according to our check you match the decription of Mr. Kun Phuc Yi.
Me: Well sir, I'm sorry, but that really is not me. I don't know what to tell you. Umm, out of curiosity, may I ask what this is all about and why we were pulled over?
Officer: well, uh, we are following a lead with a description of a ... similar car with Asians in the car matching your descriptions, who are ... uhh ... trafficking stolen weapons.
Me: You could see us in the dark to know? Well, wouldn't you like to look in the trunk then as well?
The cops finally let us go, with a parting comment that we "boys, be sure to get home quick". I'm sure there was more said, but we didn't want to stick around.
12 comments:
How scary! Especially when you know you haven't done anything and you know the pigs don't believe you and they are getting all amped on adrenaline, itching to take you down.
So did you get a good price for the stolen weapons? ;)
From a law enforcement point of view, they were actually pretty nice; they told you that they had reasonable suspicion to stop you. If it were here in Mpls, they would have yanked everyone out of the car and not said a word as to why they were doing it. Hence, the MPD has many lawsuits against them as they are suppose to state reasonable suspicion for stopping you if you didn't commit a blatant violation (i.e failure to stop). Even being in the LE field, it is still pretty damn scary when you get pulled over!! Like is that big bottle of Vodka still in the back? Minneapolis has once again gotten it's nick name "Murderapolis" back again.
Sigh ... does this tie into my whole rant and rave about how we all look alike?
Although I have to say, when I got the part of the story about Kun Phuc Yi ... I thought for a minute there the guy was trying to find out if he could have sex with you (i.e. Can I fuck you?) in what he might have thought was a humourous way. I was moderately relieved to read to the end and find out that it wasn't about sex, but weapons instead.
It is quite the story though, and must have been a bit nerve wracking at the time.
At least you were more mature than I. I would have refused to give up my ID without a more justified excuse for the traffic stop.
Or at least made him say "Shee-it, y'll looks de same to my racist ass!"
Your way was smarter.
My cop story has no element of racial prejudice, so I definitely feel for you there.
The prejudice in my story was that I was a young man in a sports car in town after 9:00 p.m.--another testament to the closedmindedness of a select few who wear the badge.
And I got stopped in that car more times for no reason than anyone I know.
mr. brian - It is rather disconcerting, I can tell you that. Maybe they wanted to have sex with you as Eart Mother had suggested with me...
So nice to know Racial Profiling has no boundaries. You didn't tell him your books exploded by remote, did you? ;-)
And boy, you were SO square ;-) Not.
That sounds horrific. In my experience, cops can't be trusted. Sure there's good ones, but there are just too many stories like this one out there.
I would have gone with EM's thoughts. Maybe offered the name Phuc Yu! I think you handled it best.
We used to be Murderapolis back in the early 90's as our crime rate just kept climbing. It did go down for quite a few years, but it's on the rise again. They want to make downtown a "family" place so they put in the thing called "Block E" with resturants and movie theatres. It was fine for awhile, then a strip club went in, and then the drive by shootings started, so needless to say, it isn't a family place anymore.
Daelyn - I am square...sigh...
tornwordo - I have had a few experiences and shared stories that involve things like this. One of my best friends partner is from Columbia, and they ALWAYS get pulled over and questioned at the border.
greg - I should have said Phuc Yu! I like that one!
raven - Block E...sounds like a reality show!
Russ - Oh geez! I forgot about that one.
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