Desperate measures

After a tiresome week, I'm home. The past week has included an encounter with the police in St.Petersburg. I was on my way to shop for some vodka and chocolates for home when three policemen asked me for my documents. In Russia, a foreigner must always carry his passport,visa and registration with him at all times, unlike the USA or UK. This is because of the countless illegal entry points to Russia from all sides. I realized that I didn't have my registration with me. I normally keep it in the passport, but on that day I had submitted my registration to the foreign department in my university and was left with the xerox, which I forgot to place in the passport. I took a ride with them to the police station. There were two Uzbek criminals sitting next to me in the car. The cop in front turned and asked me, "India, right?" I replied positively and that sparked a friendly conversation between us. The two Uzbeks started whispering stuff to each other which angered the officer. He took his stick and whacked one of them, "Shut the f**k up! Don't disturb me when I'm talking to my respected Indian guest". I was starting to get comfortable and knew exactly what I would have to do once we reached the station. Everybody got off except one of the officers and me. He asked for 2500 roubles, but I had been there for five years and knew my way around. I negotiated to 1000 roubles. I could have easily refused to pay him and spend the night there. In the morning, after confirmation from my university, I would be free after paying a penalty fee. But I had to catch a flight the next day, that was my headache. He accepted the money and shook hands after introducing himself to me. At the end of the day, I wasn't too happy about the whole incident but was content with the way I handled it.

Corruption is a tricky thing. At times, I tend to defend it. A constable who is paid a lowly wage and has to feed his wife and three kids has no other option but to take bribes from time to time. What makes corruption bearable and justified? Instead of paying up for a speeding ticket at some government office the next day, one can pay the officer immediately and the officer can accept. That's understandable! But if you want to get away with theft or murder, the officer and the person bribing him need to contact me for the position of "experimental space monkey" becasue they don't deserve to be on this planet. But desperate times call for desperate measures. The "desperate measures" part should be controlled.