Thursday 5 July 2007

Shotguns and Staches


There is nothing like a double-barreled shotgun to spice up the morning commute. On my walk to work, the man next to me was carrying a rifle. I assume that he is a security guard as they are everywhere in India. At offices, ATMs, restaurants, malls, stores and government offices. The only place I have not seen guards is bathrooms. Funny, as I have found toilet paper to be a rather valuable commodity here.

Like South Africa and other countries I have visited, private security services is big business. Click here to find out more. However, unlike the other countries, guards seem to carry double-barreled shotguns as often as semi-automatic weapons. I can't decide whether this makes me feel more or less safe. However, I am more disconcerted by the protocol of toting the gun around while off-duty. I keep imagining some guy bustling through Times Square on his way to work with a shotgun on his back while all the tourists are freaking out. What a scene.

By the way, the guy in the picture was NOT the security guard I saw this morning. I just liked the photo. This is Kewal Krishnan, another security guard who was famous for his 15.7 inch moustache. His stache may be more intimidating than his shotgun.

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