It was an apparently normal day. Nothing made me suspect that that day would be remembered as “the day the Mossos d’Esquadra invaded my house”. 🌞🐾 My arrest by MasTorrencito
📢 BOOM! Three cars of the Mossos suddenly arrived, surrounding my house as if they were shooting an action movie. I, inside the house, surrounded by my beloved dogs – 6 or 7 at the time, I don’t even remember precisely because they were like an orchestra of synchronized barking – I had no idea what was about to happen.
🚨 When it all began…
One of the agents got out of the car, looked at the dogs with eyes like saucers and all his courage went out of him. “My goodness, so many dogs!” he shouted. As if that wasn’t enough, he pulled out his gun, as if my dogs were wild wolves in full attack. 😂 The poor man, absolutely terrified, jumped on the table like a frightened cat.
Meanwhile, inside the house, chaos reigned:
🐕 “Wow! Wow!” 🐕
👮♂️ “Sit the fuck down, sit the fuck down!”
It looked like a scene out of a comedy movie. 🤦♂️ I, from above, listened to the hubbub, and when I came down, I couldn’t believe my eyes: an officer with a face as white as paper, shivering more than a poodle in the middle of winter, with his arms raised as if the dogs were going to arrest him.
🎵 The heroic moment:
I gave a whistle, one of those that resonate even in the soul, and suddenly…. Miracle! The dogs, all in absolute silence. 🐾 The agent looked up at me from the table with grateful eyes, but he was still shaking. I helped him down, while he stammered apologies:
– “Ostis…. I’m sorry… but, my goodness, how did they just barge in like that? It’s your house, man!”
The agent nodded his head, taking a deep breath, and muttered:
– “Ya… ostis…. But how many dogs does he have?”
– “It’s a foster home…. And normally there aren’t that many here, but today…”
Finally, with the atmosphere calmer, came the moment I was not expecting:
– “It’s you Miguel Chordi Miranda, right?”
– “Yes, it’s me. What’s up?”
That’s when they let him go:
– “We’re here to arrest you.”
😲 Arrest me? I couldn’t believe my ears!
Suddenly, the other agents surrounded me at a safe distance, as if they were waiting for me to pull a card up my sleeve.
– “But… What are they saying? Me! Why?”
The group leader looked at me, with that “I’m just obeying orders” face:
– “I don’t know, sir. I just follow orders.”
That’s when I got a little heated:
– “Warrants? What warrants? Where is the warrant from a judge to enter my private home like that?”
Luckily, the man had his papers in order, and he showed them to me. Sure enough, there it was: a warrant for arrest and transfer to the Banyoles barracks.
– “All right, let’s go to the car…” -I answered resignedly.
But before leaving, I asked them to let me close the things in the house:
– “One moment, I have to lock up the dogs, call someone to come, turn off the fire and the washing machines…. May I?”
The leader, somewhat more relaxed after the whole show, agreed:
– “Okay, but make it quick. And always with an agent at your side.”
So, as I went about turning off ovens and washing machines, the dogs would look at me curiously, as if to say, “What’s going on today? This human is really weird.” 🐕💭
When everything was ready, I went out with the agents, surrounded by curious looks from neighbors and a couple of dogs that kept barking as if they wanted to defend me. That was the beginning of an unforgettable anecdote, but well….
After the initial chaos at home, with the Mossos cars surrounding my house and the agent who almost ended up adopted by my dogs because he was so scared, we headed to the parking lot. I still didn’t understand why they wanted to arrest me, but I thought I’d better cooperate before it got any more out of control.
When we got to the patrol car, I asked in my best reasonable person’s tone:
– “Hey, can I go with my car? So I can come back faster from Banyoles.”
The officer, who seemed a bit more relaxed after surviving the “attack” of my dogs, replied:
– “Well, okay, but you have to follow us. Don’t even think of getting lost.”
🚗 The most boring trip in the world
And so began what I could describe as a funeral procession in caravan format. Three cars of the Mossos were ahead at such a slow speed that even a cyclist could have overtaken us. Meanwhile, in my car, I was thinking about everything that was happening. “A criminal gang? TETA? Me? This has to be a monumental mistake.”
We finally arrived in Banyoles, and at least there was one advantage in all this mess: I didn’t have to look for parking! I parked next to the patrol cars and followed the officers to the police station.
🚪 Entering unfamiliar territory
The entrance to the Mossos premises had that intimidating air that official buildings have. A mixture of cold echoes, flickering fluorescent lights, and the typical smell of bad coffee and bleach. I was taken to a small room, with uncomfortable plastic chairs and a metal table that reflected the light like a cheap mirror.
– “Sit here.”
I obeyed, and then the waiting began. At first I tried not to make a big deal out of it, thinking it would be a quick thing, but I soon realized that they were in no hurry. 10 minutes… 20 minutes… That seemed like a test of patience!
🎈 Breaking the monotony
At one point, having had enough of sitting around like a passerby, I walked out of the room and passed an agent who looked like he was about to pour himself a cup of coffee. I approached him calmly:
– “Excuse me, can I go out for a cigarette while I wait?”
The guy looked at me with a mixture of incredulity and exasperation:
– “Are you crazy or what? You’re under arrest!”
– “Yeah, but I’ve been waiting half my life and nobody tells me anything…”
– “Sit down and wait!”
I returned to my chair like a scolded child and tried to distract myself by looking at the ceiling, but it was insufferable. Finally, a man with stripes appeared, who entered with a firm step and a serious expression.
👮 The initial interrogation
– “Are you Miguel Chordi Miranda?”
– “Yes, that’s me. What is it now?”
The officer, who seemed to want to impress with his authority, began:
– “We have an arrest warrant for you for membership in a criminal gang.”
BOOM! What had I just heard?
– “Criminal gang? Me? What are you talking about?”
– “According to this warrant, you are linked to a branch of ETA in Guipuzcoa.”
– “What? But I lived in San Sebastian more than 25 years ago…”
The officer did not flinch and continued:
– “It says here that you met 40 days ago with CATXOPO, MUGUTERRTXA and a certain Mikel Txordi.”
I stared at him with eyes like saucers:
– “Wait a minute…. If that Mikel Txordi is me, how am I going to meet with myself? Even if he loves me very much, it doesn’t make sense.”
⛓️ Following the Tesla’s trail
The man continued with his speech:
– “He also says that he traveled in a rented Tesla and went through Donosti.”
– “That’s impossible! I went to Salamanca, Palencia, Logroño, Madrid… but I didn’t even go through Donosti.”
At that point, I decided to offer proof. I took out my cell phone and started looking for the invoices of the hotels where I stayed during that trip.
– “Here you go: Salamanca, day 1; Palencia, day 2; Madrid, day 3…”
The officer was taking notes in a notebook while I showed him each document. Finally, he asked me:
– “Send this to me at mossosbanyoles@gentcat.cat.”
📞 A break for real life
While waiting, I took the opportunity to call Ioana, the girl who was taking care of the farmhouse and the dogs in my absence.
– “Ioana, everything okay over there?”
– “Everything in order, don’t worry. Stay calm.”
Just then, the officer came back:
– “Who were you talking to?”
– “To Ioana, the girl who takes care of the dogs.”
– “Okay. They’re checking the information. In the meantime, you can go out for a cigarette.”
🌳 The mayor’s arrival: an unexpected twist
While I was outside, taking advantage of the fact that I had been given permission to smoke, I tried to collect my thoughts. The wait inside had been exhausting, and now I just wanted everything to be solved at once. I was enjoying my cigarette under the Banyoles sky when suddenly I heard a familiar voice:
– “Ostis, Miguel! What are you doing here?”
I turned my head and saw Alex, my mayor. It was hard to mistake him: tall, with his gray jacket always a little unbuttoned and that kind face that made you feel that everything was under control, even if the world was burning.
– “Well you see, Alex… I’ve been arrested.”
😲 “Arrested? For what?”
The mayor looked at me with a mixture of surprise and disbelief.
– “What do you mean arrested? What have you done now?” -he asked with a half-smile, thinking it was some of my typical crazy stories.
– “According to them, I belong to an ETA terrorist gang.”
What was a smile turned into a loud laugh, the kind that might arouse suspicion at a funeral.
– “What are you talking about, man! You, a terrorist? Don’t make me laugh! Come on, come on, what really happened?”
– That’s what I’m telling you, but according to your arrest warrant, it turns out that 40 days ago I was in Donosti meeting with some ETA members.”
– “Donosti? You? If you hardly leave your farmhouse…. Well, except to go on a trip with the dogs or some other shindig.”
🤝 The mayor takes action
Alex suddenly stopped laughing and looked at me seriously:
– “Wait here, Miguel. This can’t be. Let me talk to the boss.”
I saw him walk into the police station with that confidence that people who know they have power have. Alex wasn’t just my mayor, he was someone known and respected in the area. In my mind, I thought, “If anyone can solve this fast, it’s him.”
A few minutes passed, and in the meantime I finished my cigarette. I lit another one because, to tell the truth, I needed to calm my nerves. As I did so, I wondered if the dogs would be all right, if Ioana would have everything under control and if this wouldn’t end up being news in town: “They arrest Miguel for being an ETA member. What a scandal!”
🕴️ Alex’s return as a local hero
After five minutes, Alex came out of the police station accompanied by the officer who had previously questioned me. The latter now seemed much more relaxed, almost uncomfortable. It was obvious that the conversation with Alex had changed the tone of the situation.
– “Miguel, come here for a moment.”
I approached and before I could say anything, Alex blurted out:
– “I didn’t know you knew Alex.”
– “Well, yes, he is my mayor and… friend. And besides that, we have beers and dinner together from time to time. Why, does that change anything?”
The officer hesitated for a moment:
– “Well, yes. Very much so.”
– “Ah, right! So, if I hadn’t met him, would they take me straight to jail or how?” -I said with a sarcastic tone. Alex, who was aware of my mood, laughed again.
🔍 The diplomatic denouement
Finally, the officer clarified the situation:
– “We are verifying the information on your trip. Based on what you have shown us and what Alex has confirmed, it looks like this could all be a mistake.”
– “It could be no, dude. It’s a mistake. Because I haven’t been to Donosti.”
The officer nodded, looking at Alex as if seeking his approval. Alex crossed his arms, adopting that “you owe me” air.
– “Well, Miguel. Do one thing. Go home and stay quiet. If we need anything, we’ll notify you.”
I, half relieved but still incredulous, replied:
– “That’s it? No apology or anything?”
Alex intervened before the officer could respond:
– “Miguel, let it go. You’ve had enough trouble for today. Go home and relax. We’ll have a beer this week, okay?”
🌟 The farewell, like in a comedy
As I was leaving, Alex followed me for a moment and said to me in a low voice:
– “You know? What I find hard to understand is how they could have mistaken you for an etarra? You, that if you watch an action movie you’re already covering your eyes.”
– “You see, Alex… With friends like these, who needs enemies?”
We both laughed. I got into my car and headed for the farmhouse, thinking about how a day that started out so normal could have turned into a story worth telling at the town’s festivities.
And that’s the end of it… or at least for now. 🐾🍺
From MasTorrencito we wish you a good day and may your dogs be with you!!!!
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