As soon as I am finished at the bank, I call my driver to pick me up. He is 5 minutes away and tell him to pick me up on the street and avoid the parking lot. Parking lots in Juba are disorganized and can lead you to being blocked in for some time.
I see the van coming and end up hoping in the side door. The next thing I know, I have a police man with a AK47 trying to open my door. I lock the door and tell my driver to go, but a car has pulled in front of us. The police man walks around to the left side of the vehicle (our van is right side driven even though we drive on the right side of the road) and hops in the front seat. He wants a ride across town. I am in the position of having a pocket full of cash, and being high jacked to drive a crazy man with a AK47. So what do I do but start an argument with him. I demand he get out of our vehicle immediately and we are not a taxi service. He tells me in the clearest english I have yet heard a local speak “I can not under stand you as my english in not good”. I continue to argue with him until finally I have had enough and tell the driver to pull over. I get out of the vehicle and open his door and tell him the ride is over. I am not a stupid white man who is operating a taxi service for police. He laughs and is on his way. I let my shaky legs get me into the van and we drive off.
Later that day, guess who we see directing traffic on the other end of town? Our buddy the police man. He is holding his riffle over his head yelling at us, waving and laughing. We wave and continue to drive.
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