Rude Awakenings - Forest Sangha Publications

^0 L A N D I N G 06more assertive. “I am the sub-inspector. Your robbery will be dealt with,but first I am insisting that your injuries are seen to.”Across the street at the local hospital, an orderly assiduously cleanedand dressed my cuts with a roll of cotton wool, water, and a verylarge bottleof iodine. I returned covered in so many large blotches that far moreof me was purple than white. The appropriate forms and the subinspectorwere waiting. Everything had to be put down in full, in longhand,and in duplicate. His questions seemed to take forever. Still little elsecould be done now; it was the next morning that mattered. Several timesI raised this, and each time the sub-inspector would assure me. “We willbe visiting the scene of the crime first thing tomorrow.” When the formswere finally complete, I asked him what time we would be leaving.“What time are you wanting to leave?”“Seven?”“Certainly! It is seven o’clock we are leaving for the scene of thecrime.”It was said with such assurance that we returned to the vihara feelingoptimistic. I was certain our bags must be there somewhere, and providedwe got there early enough, we might well find them. When I toldVenerable Zayanta and the manager our plans for the following day, theywere less convinced. The manager seemed particularly sceptical abouttheideaof thepolicesettingoutanywhereatseveninthemorning.Later,as he took us up to our room, he offered to come with us despite his misgivings.He was a good man, and it would be useful to have him along.When we returned the next morning, the police compound wascompletely empty except for a jeep. After half an hour a sleepy policemanappeared,crossedtheyard,climbedintothejeep,anddroveitaway.Nothingfurther happened, and by eight I was pacing up and down and gettingagitated. I felt that if we did not go soon, someone, probably the robbers,would get our bags. At my signs of agitation the manager, who had beensitting with us looking not in the least surprised by the lack of policemen,announced that he knew where the sub-inspector was staying.2 4 7