Partner in Crime

There are times as a gwailo (white person) when my services are called upon in Hong Kong. In the past I have helped with product testing/surveys for items marketed in the US and Josiah has been approached about modeling for toys sold in the states. This weekend however our gwailo head- hunter, Dawnie, had the most unusual request yet, she needed white women to be "actors" in a police line- up.

First because of Annette I said no. Then I learned my friend Jamila was going along with her kids and husband, so Annette and I tagged along, motivated by the adventure and cash. When we got to the police station we met our fellow actors for the i.d. parade (I just loved that they called it a parade). After some initial paperwork we were ushered into a small waiting room with no windows and low ceilings. We were given no explanation of the process, only that we would be given our "reward" at the end. Soon enough all the ladies began chatting and laughing. I really enjoyed the company of my 3 friends and 5 British women. We joked about who the suspect was and how we all looked so different from each other (30 year age span, all hair colors and body types).

A Chinese woman entered the room, took an unhappy look at us and started yelling at Dawnie in Cantonese. We didn't understand, but gathered she was unhappy at our hair color. Next thing we knew, she returned to the room with two bottles of temporary spray hair- dye. We needed to all look alike, so she was going to make us all. . . blonde! Happy I was a "natural" blonde, I enjoyed watching my brunette friends freak out. I looked at the bottle and pointed out the color wasn't blonde, but "copper". Even more interesting. The police station held our identity cards til the end, so backing out wan't really a option at this point. The whole incident was so bizarre I thought camera men were going to enter the room announcing "smile- you're on candid camera!" Instead, another woman entered the room with a bag full of shower caps. In unison we all agreed this was a a much better option.

Soon we were called into the adjacant room. I passed Annette to Jamila's husband (praying she wouldn't cry) and went into the parade. The room was long and narrow with windows that looked like mirrors to us in order protect the witness's identity. We sat on benches with numbers in front of us, our bodies drapped entirly in itchy wool blankets and our hair up in attractive blue floral shower caps. The suspect joined our line- up, a Eurpean brunette in her mid -fifties accused of theft. We all giggled and chatted til the witness entered and we put on our stoic, potential crimal faces. I looked straight ahead in the mirror, knowing if I caught Jamila or Julie's eyes I would errupt in uncurable school - girl giggles. I was very proud of myself for maintaining such a serious demeaner. It was especially hard to keep a straight face when the first witness chose Julie as the criminal! I'm sure our floating white faces all looked very similar to the Chinese witnesses.

Jason will be going to an identity parade next month to identify a Chinese man he caught stealing his student's backpack in Satrbucks. I doubt they'll be clad in shower caps, but I still think it is going to be pretty tricky. Another blog for another day. . .