On my way home on Thursday after 3:00 pm, the temperature indicator pointed at 43 C degrees. I saw a traffic police car with its flash lights on, pulled over behind a small cargo car on a side street next to Fifth Ring Road. I was unsure of what had happened. Deciding to return to that point meant lunch would be delayed by 30 minutes. I got back to where the police car was, and came across an unfamiliar yet happy scene. The driver of the wrecked vehicle, an ambulance, did not know how to speak Arabic, but could understand English. The back tire of his vehicle was totally destroyed, and metal wires stuck out of it. The policeman in his uniform had left his air conditioned patrol car to help the driver.

Traffic instructions indicate that for security reasons, patrol officers are not to leave vehicles stopped on highways without helping the driver by move his or her vehicle away or pull over behind them until a tow truck takes the vehicle to a safer place. This means the officer can remain seated in his air conditioned patrol vehicle until the truck arrives to the scene. But what I witnessed was unusual; I saw the policeman had left his car, and helped the ambulance driver change the damaged tire under the scorching sun.

I requested the policeman to permit me to  take his picture, as what he did goes beyond any explanations and represent the peak of humanity. For showcasing civilized behavior, the man deserved  much appreciation. This is the refined role exhibited by Majid Al-Mutairi, in an oasis where such actions are scarce, after the ignorant has convinced us that we are better than others.

I sincerely hope and wish the Interior Minister himself would call police officer Majid Al-Mutairi and personally expresses appreciation to him for his good deed, and also honors him so that he becomes  an example for others. I am willing to share a KD 500 prize in honoring him, and readers are welcome to credit this gentleman in ways they wish to. - Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Qabas

By Ahmad Al-Sarraf