As we enter Honduras for a mere 2-hour drive between El Salvador and Nicaragua, the gates of hell open and three demons are unleashed, sniffing the hot and humid air for the scent of their prey.
The first demon, agent Smith, catches us immediately after the border crossing. Tall build, broad shoulders, short hair, blue uniform, and a badge that reads “Policía Nacional”. Although we just cleared customs he wants to see a dog permit and the US car registration paper – which we don’t have – otherwise he won’t let us go forward. “It’s the law.” Our paperwork expeditor whispers in my ear that the easiest way is to give a few dollars. The response comes out of my mouth loud and clear: “No.” I state my case to agent Smith but he won’t hear anything. He slides my driver’s license in his pocket and steps into the shade. In the next half-hour I go through the procedure to get a canine permit, then walk back to Smith, paper in hand. He reads it carefully, examines the receipt for the $14 fee paid to the Department of Agriculture. Silence. Agent Smith returns my driver’s license with a look of sheer hatred: this money was supposed to be his bounty.
The second demon, Gollum, has a teammate. They both come wearing traffic police uniforms. He has a short stature, a round face, small dark eyes and pointy teeth. Insisting that our dogs must be carried in a crate inside the car, he writes me a ticket and explains that I must pay a $100 fine at the bank in the city (3 hours away) in order to get my license back. I turn to the other policeman to plead my case. At first glance this man looks normal, but his face shows no emotions at all. Only his eyes betray that hell’s fire burns inside his soul. This is Lucifer himself, no doubt. I’ve had it with corrupt cops and stupid laws: I lose my temper and shout that no one will ever visit Honduras if they treat foreigners like this. Gollum smiles calmly: “That’s right. No one.” His eyes open a window into a bottomless pit of darkness. Lucifer walks away and lets his disciple move in for the kill: everything will be forgiven if I donate a bit of money “to pay for the brigade’s gas”. I have no idea how to get out of this situation but even less intention to cave in. I can’t explain why, it has become very important to me. I wait in the shade, arms crossed. Time passes, an eternity. Gollum suddenly grabs the ticket and crumples it: “Go get your license!” I walk to Lucifer, interrupting his attempt to pressure Mai. He hands out my driver’s license and walks away. I thank him and reach forward to shake his hand. Lucifer starts to do the same but catches himself and stops halfway. Our fists collide in a gentle punch, in slow motion. The fight is over. I win.
The third demon, Adolf, is a tiny traffic cop with a balding head and a mustache. He asks to see our US car registration papers, and writes a ticket that I need to pay at the bank in the city if I want to get my D.L. back. I’ve heard this before. A paperwork expeditor invites himself into the discussion and pretends to help. I chase this giant leech off, for he only seeks his own benefit, and remain alone with Adolf, both of us hidden behind a parked truck. All my pleas crash onto a wall of silence. I walk to the car and inform Mai that the situation is looking bleak, but I still have no intention to grease this dirty cop. I come back to Adolf without any plan, ready for whatever is going to happen. I feel empty and exhausted; I just want to wake up from this nightmare. Adolf hands out my driver’s license, still holding it firmly. He looks straight into my eyes while he lectures me about respecting the law… then his fingers release the precious document.
How do I make sense of what happened today? Each of these demons decided not to harm us. Although I made it clear I was not going to pay any bribe, they could still have ticketed me. So why didn’t they? Luck would be a decent explanation if it happened once, but three times in a row? That is not a coincidence.
I think a higher force – the Universe, Fate, God, Karma, Life, however you call it – put me to the test. At a young age I was bullied and I gave up the will to defend myself. A few months ago martial arts changed my life and I vowed to become the warrior that has always lived deep inside me. These demons gave me a chance to prove that my spirit is really indomitable; to show that I am ready to stand for what’s right.
I passed the test.
Cedric, 10/10/11
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