Suspicious Activity at Canterbury Park

It seems that taking a few minutes to help your fellow man in the pitch of night is an unlikely story these days. This is exactly what drew me under the suspicion of a rogue security guard at Canterbury Park Thursday morning April 9th at 1:15AM.

Walking out of my favorite card club, a stranger asked me if I had a cell phone charger to help charge his phone. I did have a cell phone charger I purchased last week, and the inflection in his voice revealed that he was desperate, so I decided it was important enough for me to assist him.

Under the suspicion of the security cameras, we traveled onward towards my vehicle. Once I got there I started the vehicle and got out, and he placed his cell phone in the vehicle. It was then when I had a not-so-chancy encounter with a security guard.

He claimed that Canterbury’s cameras proved that drugs have changed hands. I explained to him that I was simply helping this gentlemen (who I later learned was named Mohammed) charge his cell phone. Amusingly enough, the security guard did not believe me and he saw all sorts of occurrences that did not add up.

He demanded an explanation as to why my friend went into the passenger door, and why my pupils were dilated. It was obvious that on my particular automobile, the charger was on the passenger side, and as for the second one, it is common knowledge that pupils dilate in darkness. As for him being suspicious of my pockets… that was just absurd. However, I was generous in giving him any explanation at all, since none of it was his business.

After all of that, he asked if I’d have any problem with him searching my car, and I didn’t feel like entertaining his paranoia any longer. He then threatened to call the police on me to search my vehicle. So I just smiled at him, pulled out my pocket Constitution and told him, “I know my Rights, so you just do what you feel you need to do.” He split us up, and that was the end of it. I wonder if Mohammed’s cell phone charged long enough to make one phone call.

All of this error begins from a fundamental misunderstanding of this country called America. In America, we do help each other whenever we feel. In America, we do mostly have a presumption of innocence. Unfortunately, this way of life becomes harder to practice because of those who do not understand it.