Yeah, the police. Pulled me over, so I was feeling a fair amount of anxiety. Accused me of being high because I was all fidgety and wouldn't meet their eyes for more than a second or two. Kept calling me a liar when I told them I wasn't on anything.
Cuffed me and searched me, and sat me on the curb (this was in front of my apartment building, so all my neighbors could see the whole thing which didn't exactly help with the anxiety) while they searched my car.
By the time they gave up on that, I'd been in the cuffs for over half an hour. They came back to me, started asking again what I was on. Then one said (bear in mind that I'm already cuffed and seated, not being uncooperative in any way) "please don't make me use force sir," and I just lost it. Couldn't hold back the panic attack anymore, started hyperventilating, couldn't speak, couldn't stand when they pulled me to my feet.
They called an ambulance. By the time it showed up, the panic attack had faded somewhat and been replaced by anger. Told them I didn't want to go to the hospital. They tried to force me into the ambulance. Started screaming at them "I'm not on anything, I haven't done s**t and you know it, now take these f*****g cuffs off and let me go!"
Took me to the hospital. Almost an hour cuffed to a gurney in the hall. Talked with a doctor for a bit. Explained that it was a panic attack, explained that they'd been threatening me (god bless him for taking my side). Was tested for drugs, test came back clean. Doctor explained to cops that I was clean, that I was mentally sound, that my reaction was due to the stressful situation I'd been put in.
I'm pretty sure that, at this point, the cops were realizing their mistake. Feared a lawsuit. So they let me go. Took the cuffs off and left. Hospital gave me bus tokens to get home.
Unfortunately, not my only encounter like this with police. Just the worst one.
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If life's not beautiful without the pain,
well I'd just rather never ever even see beauty again.
Well as life gets longer, awful feels softer.
And it feels pretty soft to me.
Modest Mouse - The View