Commotion

There was a commotion outside my house. I could hear someone was struggling. I peeped out the window and saw four police officers apprehending two yobs. Soon two more yobs were rounded up.

The police were searching them. Some doors in the house were slammed. I was still watching a comedy but I couldn't laugh anymore. My attention turned to the windows. I was drawn to the commotion.

Then the police officers entered the house and clattered upstairs to my floor. Chane the landlady knocked on my door and asked permission if some police officers could check my room. I obliged. Still in my pyjamas, I held the door for the officers to enter the room.

"Is there a problem?" I asked.

"We're looking for a drug suspect and we believe he's hiding in here. We saw traces of drugs linked to this house. We aren't sure where exactly. We're searching this place. Sorry mate." one of the officers explained.

"It's alright. Anything you want me to show you?" I asked.

No response from him.

The officer took out his torchlight and started searching my room. He pointed the light at the concealed areas behind the cabinets and under the bed.

Then he asked, "Are you a student?"

"No. I'm working but I was.", I responded.

"What are you doing now?", he asked.

"I'm an engineer", I responded.

"Can I see your passport?", he requested.

I took out my passport and showed him the pages. The officer took down details of the passport. He looked around the room again, thanked me and left.

Ten minutes later, I could hear clatters up to my floor again. I looked out the window and saw the police team grew from a van to a few more cars parked outside.

There was a knock on the door again.

"Sorry mate but we're going to bring in a search dog to sweep through this whole house," an officer explained.

"Right. So you want me to step out?" I inquired.

"Yes please" the officer replied, "please go into the other room. An officer will join you."

Once inside the other room, the other officer kept me comfortable and started a conversation about Malaysia, his trip to Bangkok and marathon races! I have completely lost the mood to talk but I continued with the conversation anyhow.

I could hear the dog wrecking my room. Things were falling and drawers were clattering.

"Someone's in big trouble?" I asked, "you did a search earlier and now you're doing it again."

"Yea we have to. We found half a kilo of drugs downstairs. It's protocol.", the officer explained.

"Half a kilo?! That's a lot of drugs!" I retorted.

If you don't know how much half a kilo is? Imagine half a kilo of flour can make me 60 pancakes!

"Sorry I'm a little nervous but can I sleep in my room tonight?" I asked like an innocent child. I continued, "I've only seen this on TV. It's different being in a real situation."

The officer laughed. I joined in. I thought it was quite funny too. He said, "Of course you can! There's nothing to worry about. You haven't done anything wrong!"

The officer took details of my passport again and asked me some questions about the people around here. My mouth was dry, an evidence of being nervous. My voice was puffy. It was almost like a scene in CSI where I was seated on a chair and two officers were in front taking notes of what I was saying.

They were very professional. Whenever I became nervous, they interjected with jokes and talked something else like the London Marathon. Of course, I had nothing to worry about. It's just that I don't get through this everyday and being subjected to this was completely uncomfortable.

As soon as the search dog operation was over. I was allowed in to my room again. The room wasn't as messy as I expected. The officer instructed me to stay in the room until the search for the rest of the house was over.

They stayed on for another hour before leaving the house. I didn't want to ask the landlady yet what has happened. It's 1.15am now and I am disturbed by what happened. I am sure the landlady is more shaken by this than me. But I did hear mobile phones ringing non-stop.

After this was over, I thanked God repeatedly that things didn't turn out nasty. I was very thankful because I just recently sorted my visa and had a passport to show. I was also thankful because I was treated humanely and professionally by the officers.

In case you've been asking who and where the heck have I been living? I can only say there's nothing wrong with the location. Waterloo is great. Somehow, you just don't know what people do in their rooms, do you?

That said, what else have I not experienced in London! Gosh....