As dejecting as this picture may be to many of us, I am glad some of us choose to see beyond the ineptitude of our governments and instead focus on a gallant and dedicated Police Officer who stands in the rain and muddy waters doing a thankless job.
As hopeless as our country may be at times, it is heartening and inspiring to see that there are good Gambian citizens who are dedicated to their job and dedicated to better despite the rot they find themselves surrounded by.
I wrote about a Police Officer I used to meet in traffic and I wish to dedicate that piece to this Officer as well. And thank you to Prince Almameh James Manga and Sait Matty Jow for sharing this picture:
She stands there, in the middle of the road, with the whistle in her mouth constantly blowing, a symbol of her authority. It’s locked between her teeth and yet somehow, she still manages a smile. She turns around, gesticulating, asking others to stop and telling others to turn one way or that. She stood there, under the hot and blazing sun in her faded blue uniform, a testament that her uniform has seen better times. She stood there in the middle of the chaos, the noise, the dust and the disobeying and rude drivers. She was sweating and you can see the sweat marks under her arms as she directed traffic. Through it all, she manages a smile somehow…
We don’t notice her. She’s just a traffic police officer. We don’t notice the soles of her shoes; they’re almost eaten away. Her beret, sitting atop her head, used to be black but has since assumed a tired color of brown. Her faded skirt, faded top, faded gloves. All tired from time. I pass her all the time. I try to thank her each time. She smiles back, as if she’s used to being ignored and goes back to her job. In the sea of chaos that’s the Gambian traffic, she seemed so at ease. I wonder if she’s a mother. What goes on in her mind? Has she paid her rent? Was she able to provide for her family given the poor salary of police officers? What a climb it must be for her. Will she ever reach the summit of her needs?
We drive by them as if they’re nothing. As if their lives don’t matter. We call them corrupt. We despise them. We disobey them. We thumb our noses at them.
I’m sure she’s had her share of the rudeness and disregard. But she still comes there everyday. A thankless job. Keeping us safe. Directing traffic. Helping. Smiling. Ignored. Disrespected. Disobeyed. When I parked and waited to talk to her. She smiled and simply said: I’m just doing my job!
