A Syrian citizen named Abdul Salam Fayez wrote on his Facebook account:
In the Damascus that I love, I parked my car and was away from it for about two hours. When I returned, I found this noble man standing by it.
As I was about to open the door, he approached me and said, “Are you the owner of this car?”
I replied, “Yes, I am. Is everything okay? Did it get a ticket?”
He said, “May God forgive you, man. I’ve been standing here for two hours waiting for the owner of this car because you left the rear window open and there is a bag on the seat. I was afraid someone might come and steal it.”
I said, “I am very, very sorry. I forgot the window was open. I appreciate it, but why did you stay here and trouble yourself?”
He replied, “It is our duty to protect people. I even told my supervisor that I could not leave my position until the owner of the car arrived.”
I thanked him and offered him a small symbolic reward, but he firmly refused and said, “This is my duty (as traffic police officer). It is neither a favor nor a kindness.”
Ahmad Al-Fahl (Abu Adam), one of the sons of the city of Deir Ezzor, my new friend, and a model citizen of the kind Syria needs in these difficult times.