COURTESY OF A PTC (Piece to Camera)

You are walking down the street. Thinking about the day gone by; how you have been fairing on in the last few months in your job. You report well. Your stories impact many. Things are not bad.

Then suddenly, something goes wrong, terribly wrong. You don’t realize that you crossed the road while talking on the phone. A city council askari is now on your side, to remind you that you just committed an offence (according to some city by-law).

Picture this; it’s 10pm. You don’t want to go to the cells, nor even sleep there. You don’t want to bribe either. You are a journalist. In fact, you cover and condemn those who receive or give bribes - officials and the public alike.

But you need to go home. You have a big story to cover the following day. You know better than to spent the night in a cell, and then tomorrow appear in court to answer to the charges.

“I’m a journalist. I work on TV. I was in the studio, several people called. But I couldn't pick the calls. I was returning the calls,” you say.

“Yeah…mmmh…I thought so…I was wondering where I saw you. You look somehow familiar,” says the askari, looking at you-suddenly realizing who you are.

“Forgive me. This will not happen again.”

They look at each other. A few minutes later, they let you go. Just like that! Courtesy of a PTC.

But let it not happen again. Donge? 

*FOOTNOTE: For those not familiar with a PTC (Piece to Camera), it's a stand-up. Where a tv journalist appears on camera, reporting from the scene...*