The Maruti was always parked outside our bedroom window, and we were in sort of a compound. The yard was surrounded by bougainvillea hedges and there was no gate, but we felt safe enough although it was a busy suburb.
One Sunday morning, I walked past the Maruti and notices something awry - I went back to check and found that the front wheel had gone!
The theft of the wheel was bad enough, but the worst part is to go to the police and fillout the forms - you need a police report for insurance purposes.
I had been to the police before and it is not the most pleasant of experiences. It is always busy and the demeanor of the police can be intimidating. And there are the sorry sights of some of the folk who have been arrested and being processed.
I had no real problem as I was 'known' and knew how things worked. There was the usual wait of finding carbon paper and the pin to hold the sheets together. Then before the report can be handed over, there was the fee to be paid and the yellow receipt form to be collected. A chance to pay posho but not taken up by me.
The police are too busy to investigate small crimes like this and they had no transport, so if I wanted someone to look at the scene, then I would have to take him - and the less contact, the better.
Back at Sanawari, the wheel hub was held up by a brick, and that brick came from the hen house at the back of the property. The outline of where it had sat could still be seen. There was the mark where the wheel had been rolled out the gateway and down the road.
I always suspected Baraka, and I think his parents did too, though they kept quiet. There was embarrassment for them and I did not find out until much later.
Baraka had cause a girl to become pregnant and while the news was kept from us, Baraka had need of some money 'to help out with the situation'.
Thinking about it, it was obvious that he was the culprit, tying up my previous thoughts on the issue of the stolen travellers cheques.
One Sunday morning, I walked past the Maruti and notices something awry - I went back to check and found that the front wheel had gone!
The theft of the wheel was bad enough, but the worst part is to go to the police and fillout the forms - you need a police report for insurance purposes.
I had been to the police before and it is not the most pleasant of experiences. It is always busy and the demeanor of the police can be intimidating. And there are the sorry sights of some of the folk who have been arrested and being processed.
I had no real problem as I was 'known' and knew how things worked. There was the usual wait of finding carbon paper and the pin to hold the sheets together. Then before the report can be handed over, there was the fee to be paid and the yellow receipt form to be collected. A chance to pay posho but not taken up by me.
The police are too busy to investigate small crimes like this and they had no transport, so if I wanted someone to look at the scene, then I would have to take him - and the less contact, the better.
Back at Sanawari, the wheel hub was held up by a brick, and that brick came from the hen house at the back of the property. The outline of where it had sat could still be seen. There was the mark where the wheel had been rolled out the gateway and down the road.
I always suspected Baraka, and I think his parents did too, though they kept quiet. There was embarrassment for them and I did not find out until much later.
Baraka had cause a girl to become pregnant and while the news was kept from us, Baraka had need of some money 'to help out with the situation'.
Thinking about it, it was obvious that he was the culprit, tying up my previous thoughts on the issue of the stolen travellers cheques.
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