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| Sunday, 11 July 2004 |
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Police Lore Stone deaf ! After the "April Insurrection", I was sent as Officer-in-Charge of Kalpitiya Police Station. Earlier it was a Police Post and was made a 'C' Grade Police Station when I took over. I was the first Officer-in-Charge. A brand new 'Mahendra' Jeep (Indian) was issued but as I was garage qualified, I gladly accepted it without a driver, due to a dearth of drivers. To be the OIC of a heavy Police Station and also to be the driver of the jeep was too much for me, though I initially liked to drive the 'Mahendra'. I went to the SP Chilaw one day (there were no SSPP then) Mr. L.M.P. de Silva, the renowned cricketer and bared my plight. He said, "O.K. Seneviratne, you get back. I will send you a driver soon". Superior Officers did not make empty promises in the good old days. Down came a recently enlisted driver, a father of six children who had been taken into the Police by the notorious/infamous 'Chit System'. He was a loyal man, kept the jeep spic and span, washed and polished it daily, dusted the carpets, checked the engine and he wouldn't even allow anyone to lay his hands on the jeep, lest its polish be affected. However, everything was not hunky dory for me, for the fellow always drove on the wrong side of the road and never used the horn. He was a crawler and when he went to Puttalam Courts and on the return along the main road, he turned right to go to Kalpitiya. Instead, he wentstraight in the direction of Colombo. The unkindest cut of all was that he could not hear - he was stone deaf, the reason why he did not use the horn. I came to the end of my tether, when he nearly ran into a speeding fish lorry. I escaped death by the skin of my teeth, by manipulating the steering from my seat. The next day, I saw Mr. L. M. P. de Silva at the Chilaw Police Office and told him of my escapade. All the plus points of the police driver was narrated by me, but the only thing that I could not tolerate, was his being woefully short of hearing, which I diplomatically placed before my SP. Mr. L.M.P. de Silva with a mischievous grin and told me "Seneviratne, what the hell man, what are you talking, my English Stenographer - the Black Beauty - she can't hear for a toffee. She is as deaf as a Dodo. But I am managing with her." I meekly and sheepishly got back to station as I had nothing to give in reply. Of course, I drove the jeep back. Bandula Seneviratne, Rtd. Supdt. of Police. |
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