'All your things onto the hood, please!'

As the fall break is near its end my friends return to Pécs after having enjoyed some reaxing and sunny autumn days. When Gyula called me to say that he was sitting on the train near Szentlőrinc and told me to visit them at night. I said yes immediately, I had not played poker with them for a long time.

So I got to their flat yesterday night with  a smile on the face that we were going to have a great poker party. I arrived at their flat and we started the game. I got lucky really. I had a huge straight draw (8, 9, J, Q)and I bet on the flop. The turncard (10) was bingo!! I got my straight in the first hand. The time was running and I felt tired so others did. So I came home.

While coming home  I experienced something that took the smile off from my face. Two police officers in a cop car spotted at me with a flashlight and they asked me to get closer to the car. Cops got out of the car and said 'all your things onto the hood, please!'. I felt strange. I thought it would be a usual check at late night but I was somehow bothered by hearing those instructions. I asked them what that was all about. After I put everything onto the hood of the car, one of them said it was the usual check.

Yes. In order to maintain public safety it is necessary to check people randomly on the street by ID and all other things on us. I understood the measure as it was the responsibility of cops to do. They said there were lots of thefts in the previous weeks. After that I now feel a bit better that cops have the right to make you empty your pocket and bag (cops' rights are very restricted in Hungary, unfortunately). At first, it seemed unaccostumed but after having considered the situation twice the smile got back on face.