I wished I saw this before my encounter with the pigs of Costa Mesa Metro....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA
Anyways....
After going to the gym at 24 Hour Fitness from a long work out last night, I went to my car to take a nap before I headed home. 15 minutes within my nap, I wake up to find a flash light pointed directly at my face and someone yelling at me to get out of my car. I looked around and saw the patrol car. Rose my hands up and told him I was the door to get out already.
The cop told me it was illegal to sleep in the car in the city of Costa Mesa. He said its a felony ticket (bull) to sleep in your car and proceeded to ask me a bunch of questions. He told me to go to the curb and have a sit. So I did slowly walking with my hands in plain view. I figure I play it safe after hearing about countless stories how the cops have hassled my black friends all through out the years.
The cop then signals to two other patrol cars that arrive. I'm now sitting on the curb wearing my gym clothes, shirt and running pants, on a cold late night. The cops back-ups arrive so now its 3 against 1. I mean, how much trouble can I get? I have a spotless record and no illegal stuff on me or in my car.
The cop asks me if I was on drugs, if I had any drugs, if I had any weapons, knives on me or in my car. I told him no. I had nothing to hide and figured I can't be in that much trouble. He asks me why I was sleeping in the car. I told him I was working out earlier and was dead tired and needed a nap before I could drive home. (Mind you, I've taken plenty of naps in my car at 24 Hour Fitness before after spending hours at the gym. I would have fallen asleep if I had to drive 45 minutes to an hour away from where I live now.)
The bad cop tells me to stand up so he can frisk me. He tells me to take off my shoes so they can check. I must look like someone who has hidden weapons or explosives. I'm asian so maybe they think I'm a like Naruto. He checks my pockets and pats me down finding nothing.
He then asked me if I was homeless for sleeping in my car. Now, my car is a beater, I know. It's a 1994 Acura Vigor that I use to drive during these high gas prices to save money and mileage instead of my Lexus GS 300. So him thinking they think I must be a bum for driving this piece of crap didn't bother me for now.
The bad cop asks to search my car. (Mistake number 1) I forgot about my rights in a time like this. So I told him go ahead. I had nothing to hide. No drugs, weapons, guns, bazookas, nothing.
While the two cops look through my car, gym bag, and stuff, the good cop keeps me company. He asks me about my background, where I grew up. Turns out he is also a Catholic School Baby like myself. I told him I grew up around Stanton going to St. Polycarp and then graduated from Servite High School. He went to St. Hedwicks.
He asks me what I do on my spare time. I told him I do volunteer work for the Anime Expo. He mentions Comic-con and asks if its as big as that or bigger? What the difference is between Comic-con and AX? And a million other questions about where I worked, where I was coming from, where I live, until I got tired of this and start feeling like crap.
I finally cave and told them I've gone through a lot of family problems so I don't just go home to the address listed on my licenses. It's true so they backed off a little about that and understood.
He asks me what's wrong and I tell him I just got down working out and now I'm sitting on the curb freezing while three patrol cars pull up. Of course I feel bad. I then asked him how much is this ticket that they are going to give me. He tells me that since I wasn't a jerk, I wouldn't get one. Oh that's nice to hear I tell him. He looks funny at me and asks what's nice? I tell him that I'm not a jerk.
After going through everything in my car, my wallet, one cop leaves. The bad cop finger prints my right thumb. After I was done, the good cop tells me to rub it off as it'll go away. Then they escort me to the dumpster so they can have a nice canvas to take my picture with their crappy digital camera. The camera doesn't work at first so I'm standing their shaking in the cold until this bastard takes my mug shot.
Bad cop waves at me to head back to the car. They tell me what I was going to do now and I told them I'm just going to go. They nod and wait for me to drive off while I check all my stuff to make sure it was there. I finally find my wallet laying outside on the hood.
I head home and figure I can't sleep so I head to another gym to work off my anger for another hour.
Now, I'm going to get rid of my beater for sure after all this. I didn't get a ticket which is good. I'd fight it if they gave me one.
**** you cops! Go find some criminals breaking the law instead of good citizens living their normal lives. >_<
— Mags
