Kiss the Kuwaiti Police
In the middle of the night last night, I was wide awake. The Qatteri Cat and I watched a police stop outside our window for about an hour.
I am guessing it was a combination traffic stop and training session. There was one guy who would gather the rest together when there were no cars and give additional techniques to the less-experienced traffic policemen. I am guessing, because there is no way on earth I would go out and ask!
Policeing in Kuwait is SO different. These young men are very professional. They were looking for people without driver’s licenses and / or without registrations. They had very cleverly positioned themselves so once the car was on the road, there was no way out but to go through them. Very strategic, very professional.
“So what is so different?” you might wonder, if you live in France, or Germany, or China or the US. “Isn’t that what police do?”
Yes. And no. One of the last people caught in the web was an old man traditionally dressed in thobe and gutra and egal, and he tried to get through by pretending he didn’t see the police. He didn’t have the right papers.
In my country, just trying to get through would get him into trouble.
He had to park, and get out of the car. Then, he went to each policeman and reached out with his right hand to take the policeman’s left arm, then he kissed them, on the nose or on the right cheek, and greeted them, still holding their arm or hand.
And the police treated the old man with deference, and kindness – and firmness. He still didn’t have the right papers. At one point, he pushed a policeman lightly, and the policeman didn’t go ballistic, but he gently pushed the old man back, out of his face. Finally, it was time to move the traffic stop, and they let him go, but I am guessing that, as the Kuwait Times always says “a case will be filed.” It did not look like he was getting off scot-free; the old man looked very unhappy.
I went back to bed happily, thinking how shocked our police would be, how they would react to someone holding their hand and kissing their nose, and drifted back to sleep with a big grin on my face.
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That’s the major problem in our police. Sometimes you don’t even have to hold them or kiss them, just a respectful word or a greeting can get you through checkpoints without the right papers. All you need to know is how to approach. If you’re a Kuwaiti that is.
I remember one time I didn’t have my drivers license so I gave him my civil id, he smiled and told me to go before the lead officer comes.
I love it when people always talk about how, when a Kuwait is stopped by traffic police, he always gets out and kisses them.
I always forget to say “with or without tongues??!!” quickly enough.
Mac – To me, there is a sweetness in it. I think if this old man had been a seriously bad guy, they would have held him. They checked him on the computer, and let him go. . . and I think maybe told him he had to show up at the police station or something – the old man left very unhappy. But the policemen had compassion on an old man, and treated him gently.
Moocherx – EEEEEEEEIIIIIIIWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.