Like any child, fantasies were a major part of my growing up.
As a child I fantasied about almost everything. I would usually imagine how I would love my life to be. I would often see myself living in big mansions and riding space ships. They were always wild and adventurous.
My other fantasies were always about the job I would love to do when I grow up. Like any other child this particular fantasy kept changing. At one point i fantasied about being a doctor. Another time I was a lawyer. Other times it was an engineer, musician, lecturer, radio host, banker and so many others. If I remember correctly, i think i even thought about being a native doctor, lol. The thing is, there is virtually nothing I have never thought of being.
However, despite having all these fantasies for every other job, there was that particular job I never, ever, dreamt of doing, even for a second. If I have had fantasies about a million different jobs, this job has never been one of them, it has never been an option. Guess what job. You guessed right, a police officer.
The more I think of it, the more I begin to remember how my bad feelings for this job and it's personnel started. I have had this phobia for them, even as a kid. And as I grew up phobia turned to great hatred. There are reasons for this though.
As a child, I saw, first hand, how policemen brutalise and almost killed people I know. Not once, not twice, but on plenty occasions. This formed an everlasting phobia in my mind.
My subsequent hate for this job emanated from unpleasant experiences I have had with them starting as a young adult. The first of my experience was as an 18 years old undergraduate at the university.
We were preparing for our semester exam. I had just moved to a new area. I needed to get some books from my old apartment. It was about 8pm. I had collected them and was going back when I heard, "hey stop there ". I was scared. I saw two men walking towards me. As they came closer, I realised they were policemen. I was a bit relieved but was also apprehensive,knowing their reputations.
"Who are you and where are you coming from"? I identified myself as a student and told them where I was going and coming from. Long story short, they arrested me and took me to their station where I was locked up, without writing a statement.
I was locked up in cell for 3 days till a course mate whose aunty was a very senior police officer came to my aid and I was released.
When asked of my offence, they said I was involved in burglary. Till date I wonder what would have been if I had nobody to bring me out.
That incident left an indelible mark and hatred for the police in my heart. Subsequent encounters with them only helped in strengthening my dislike. Ever since, I have never seen that reason that would make me see being a policeman as a job, no matter the remuneration or how attractive they are.
Of course , there are things one would keep an open mind about, or be prompted to say "never say never", maybe with time one would have a change of heart. Unapologetically, this job is never one of those things for me. It will never cut it for me. The hatred runs deep.
