breaking the law breaking the law breaking the .......

In Japan, and in particular in the Japanese country side, sooner or later your going to be stopped by the police, usually for the crime of looking a little bit foreign whilst in a built up area. Usual conversations consist of them asking for your foreigners ID card, peppered with a lovely range of questions. Last year T.O.H and myself were stopped by an officer about 300 metres from my house, after a few questions, inspections of cards and what not, I told him I was the local English teacher and my house was just over there, "I know" he said (in broken English) "you are famous" errr yeah thanks for that but really I could have actually done without you stopping me in the first place.

So on Saturday I was making my way to the local train station for a friends doooo when a police car went past, I had got to the station when I noticed the car turn around in one of the local fields; now at this point I had a vague suspicion of what might happen but no way of knowing so I carried on especially as the train was due in about 4 minutes.
I park my bike, grab my phone and then found two officers making their way over to me. Surely (I thought) I'm at the station, they're going to know I'm here for the train, hopefully I can show them my card and go.
They say hello, ask for my card and then slowly very very slowly begin to write down every single detail, very very slowly. I start looking at the train station, I tell them I'm an English teacher at the local school (that sometimes works as an instant dismissal) they start asking where I live, how long I've been in Japan (and I should point out this is all in Japanese, which I cannot speak) and then the train arrives. We all look at it, they apologise and then continue, they've written my details down, asked the odd question and surely its time to let me get on the train. Well frankly no, they decide to ask more questions all the while I'm glancing at the train waiting there.
And then the train leaves.
They ask me what time the next train is , I check (very very slowly as to make them feel guilty HA see how you like it!) and I tell them its at 6.40 ... But the last bus I can get is at 6.30, (I could ask for a friend to give me a lift in their car, but first I think a little bit of guilting (and yes thats not a word) is in order) they finish their questions and then start talking amongst themselves and then they then offer me a lift in their car!
YEAH I managed to guilt them that much.

So I get into the back of their police car (my first time in a police car I should add) hmmm plastic covers on seat, radio on dash board, small fragrance hanging off mirror; okay that last ones not true. As we're driving I suddenly get over whelmed with Cabby fever, that awkward moment where your in a taxi late at night and you feel the desire no the neeeeeeed to speak to the driver with dull, dull, dull questions, this is of course made more difficult with me not speaking Japanese. Still it did help with them turning around to me and saying "this is secret ride" they liked it when I told them about my b day and anniversary and when T.O.H got me a DS ( I find if I tell any Japanese person that they get immensely amused) I also had the joy of looking out the window at the passing people who were probably thinking "I knew those non Japanese people are trouble, he defiantly looks suspect" or some such, oh and just about resisting the urge to phone my friends and tell them "Guess where I am...."
I of course managed to hold off taking pictures but did thank them profusely. I was hoping they might give me thier card and say "if you need any more help" but a lift is a good place to start...
So if your ever in the Japanese country side and you get stopped by police see what you can guilt them into.