LENSED

IMAGE IS EVERYTHING

23-YEAR-OLD LAS VEGAS model Brandon Ficklin. The boy isn't giving much away about himself, so I guess I'll have to fill the space with details of an incident that occurred between myself and an off duty Metropolitan police officer on Sunday. "Don't mind me, officer," I said as he pushed past me at the Tube ticket barriers. He swung back and thrust his warrant card in my face. "Don't be an arsehole or you'll be nicked," he growled, slightly manic. I stared back at this average height, average build, average-looking middle-aged loon with bemusement. "What are you going to nick me for?" I asked. "Don't be an arsehole," he repeated. "It's because of people like you that the public think so little of you lot," I answered, more than happy to voice my low opinion of the Met. And then it happened. He got right up in my face and hissed in a voice laced with hatred, "At least I'm from this country." Now that really left me lost for words. I'm under no illusions about the police, but to be confronted with such blatant xenophobia (if it wasn't barefaced racism) really floored me. Met police. Gotta love 'em. more...LENSED elsewhere...Brandon Ficklin (Official MySpace)