Back up please

Whilst having breakfast with my daughter and granddaughters on the promenade in San Pedro a man behind us forcefully threw a bag of sugar at my granddaughter because she burped!

Of course, “one” shouldn’t burp at the table but she’s only four for heaven’s sake!  We were in disbelief, more so when he continued insulting us, saying how disgusted he was with the English and we should all “go home”.

It was only when he started pointing at his genitals whilst gushing more verbal abuse in an ever-increasing aggressive manner that my daughter said she was going to ring the Police.

I didn’t think of calling the Police even though we were physically shaking from the verbal onslaught, far worse manners than any baby’s belch.  My instinct was not to engage, because for good or bad you really never know who you might be sitting next to and I was scared the situation could escalate further.   However, the guy’s attitude changed instantly when he realised my daughter really was calling and he ran off at full speed, ending the confrontation abruptly.

It was reassuring for me to see how well my daughter handled the situation.  I’ve lived and worked in Spain for over four decades, my Spanish is almost fluent and I am often mistaken for being Spanish but I don’t have the affinity with the system that my daughter, or son have from being born here.

They are not foreigners living abroad in a foreign country as am I; they relate to this country in a way that even I cannot.  They see the Spanish Police more perhaps as I related to the British “Bobby” as a child and this is why I want to share these anecdotes.  The Spanish Police may feel more intimidating than our forces back home but they are there to help us, if we ask.

As another example during lockdown one of our cats went missing and although we were all frantic with worry it was my daughter who actively worked the social media 24/7 with all the relevant groups to try and locate her.

One night at about two in the morning my daughter woke me up to say she’d seen a post that someone had potentially seen our cat in the Boulevard of San Pedro and we needed to go immediately.

I explained to my daughter that we were in lockdown and that we couldn’t go out but she urged me to call the police and ask for permission. I thought the idea ridiculous and resisted; but she insisted.

Eventually I had to dare ring and not only did they give us permission to go, they also rang back to see if we had any luck.  They couldn’t have been more understanding or empathetic.

In conclusion: instead of feeling cautious of the Police we should feel safe in the knowledge that with a simple call to 112 we can ask for and get what might be that much needed and appreciated back-up.

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