An incident happened with me on 10^th February 2018. I had gone for a meeting in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. The parking lot was filled up. We saw many cars lined up and parked in the roadside including Diplomat’s cars.

So I also parked accordingly and left for the meeting.

While returning, a police officer approached, flagged me and asked me to stop. I downed my door window and asked him anything wrong?

He said you have wrongly parked and asked for my driving license.

While I was searching for my DL in the cardholder, I engaged with the officer and started telling the truth that I wanted to park in the parking lot but it was closed. Saw other cars parked so I also did the same.

He replied, ‘you are a journalist (looking into my press sticker in the car) and you should be knowing not to park in the roadside. What others do, you should not do’.

I replied in a humble tone, I really didn’t realise the same and sincerely uttered in English to him, ‘I apologise’.

His reaction instantly changed and waved me to go (I take it as, with a verbal warning).

My boss who was with me said, ‘you handled well’.

I murmured to my boss, the power of the simple sentence ‘I Apologise’.

I also think my West Bengal number plate was an additional benefit. The officer believed me more.

Lesson learnt!