Never tap a riot policeman on the shoulder

#31

Tonight I had the misfortune to have organised a lesson at a company whose offices are opposite O Estádio da Luz/The Stadium of Light/the Benfica football team’s home ground. Benfica were playing some match or other against some team or other and the Benficistas were out in force with their red scarves, shirts, coats, beanies etc. The match was to start at 6pm as was my lesson. The match was to end at 730pm as was my lesson.

I sprinted from the building, knowing I had a minute window of opportunity to get onto the metro and away from the scene of the match before the over-zealous supporters swamped everyone and everything with their yelling and excitement.

I could see my usual staircase to the metro but obscuring my access to the staircase was a line of 20 riot policemen. They were just standing there in a row, waiting for better days. They weren’t blockading anything in particular so I tapped one on the shoulder, smiled, and asked most politely if I could walk between him and his colleague and walk the 20 steps to my metro staircase getaway. He turned with his plastic shield at the ready and looked at me through his plastic mask. No no, he shook his head, I had to walk behind the line of policemen, round the end of the row and do a u-turn to walk the length of the line to get to the staircase which was mere seconds away. I raised an eyebrow at him and, trying my hardest to look like a teacher and not a football hooligan, I dutifully trotted behind all the plastic clad heroes, and trotted back in front of them. I caught they eye of my officious friend on the way past and smiled, shrugging my shoulders as if to say ‘Whaaaaaat was that for’. He smirked and nodded. Officiously.