Right Play Wrong Actor

I always wondered what it would be like to get caught in a speedtrap...always wondered how it would play out. And recently on a trip down to Singapore with my parents, speeding down the North-South highway. It's an excellent drive by the way...green foliage on either side of the winding road with mountains in the background with mists swirling around - we got caught! Finally!!

The excitement of what will happen...the thrill of being in the front seat of this excellent play that i have been wanting to experience fully. So it goes...we pull to the side of the highway and wait anxiously as the copper strides towards us with the usual suspect of a notepad or summons pad in his hand. He fits the character perfectly - a young malay chap with dark sun glasses, smart uniform. He reaches the side of the car and that's the end of Act 1.

Act 2 begins with us rolling down our window and staring expectantly at this copper. I can imagine if the reality of bribery had a scent it would be the only smell coming from our Singapore car. All four occupants had the same anticipation. The copper says his lines as he is supposed to..."ahh....where you coming from? where you going to? you were speeding....speed trap located at so and so..."

To all these questions, my father (the driver) dutifully answered. To the accusation of speeding...my father merely nodded... End of Act 2

Act 3 - The copper calmly asks for my dad's NRIC (at this point - i'm thinking he's got this all wrong!) This is where the play starts to suck... The copper then flips open his note/summons pad and without waiting for my dad's identification begins to ask if we want to settle this summons...
End of Act 3

Intermission and Comments
Ok freeze frame! Aside - I am really pissed off with the copper by this time...firstly he's got all his lines wrong...and then the sequence of his actions are way off script! Completely ruining the experience of the much anticipated play.

Firstly, he's supposed to ask for the driver's license not the bloody NRIC! Then he's supposed to wait till my dad's handed over the identification and then flip open the summons pad to pretend to write the summons (this is meant to stress the driver to the point where WE ask for a settlement!! HE's NOT supposed to ask for the bribe!! Geez...do they not teach the rookie cops how to do this right?)

Act 4 - We agree that this is quite a shitty play with a crappy actor who has not learned his part enough and decide to end the charade with the official payoff of RM$50.00...This copper then decides to really spoil the play by refusing to bargain for more... (what is this? They are supposed to go...RM$100 coz the fine is about RM$300 but he didn't - that really took the cake!) End of Act 4

Final Act
He flips open his book and we place the substitute for a fine in it! He closes the book and withdraws his bad acting from the ambience of our car! The only saving grace was a laugh that my hubby created for me by asking cheekily where the speed camera was - was it in the center divider or was it on the left or on a bridge - and this embarrassed the bad actor/copper!

Well! What an experience - Nothing like what i have been told -so disappointing! At some point in time I was about to scream in the bad actor/copper's face - that's not what you were supposed to say! That's not what you're supposed to do! Cut! Cut!