Coming "home" from Canada where we have been enjoying ourselves mostly in the Canadian Rockies for the past 3 weeks, we were attempting to reenter "our country" at a minor border crossing (open only to 5 PM) from British Columbia to Washington State. We were prepared. Our Passports were out, our drivers licences, the vehicle registration, and reminders to each other to behave. These people take their jobs seriously and they carry guns.
The usual questions - Where are you coming from? Duh, Canada.
Where are you going? Ah.. The United States of America.
Do you have any food with you? Not illegal immigrants, weapons of mass destruction, or illegal drugs, food? Well yes, this is an RV; we have a refrigerator full of food and canned and dry food as well - is that a problem?
Just pull over there next to that Soviet Union style cement block building where that guard with the gun is standing.
We comply rather nervously not exactly sure where he wants us but the guard with the gun waves us in and commands us to get out of the vehicle, leave your keys on the seat and go into that building - we have a yellow sticker attached to our passports. In the building, not exactly sure of what we are supposed to do or where to go, another guard calls us over and goes thru the drill. This time more extensively. Food? Yes. Any fruit, meats? Yes. What kind, this and that, how about this and this and that? No. -- I'm going to look!
He proceeds to leave us standing there and we watch thru the window as he boards our vehicle to inspect. VERY CREEPY! This is not the same feeling as when in your car and they ask you to open the trunk - they (he) is going into our home, (we have been living in it for over 2 months) to look around. Sort of like the cops showed up at your door one day and said get out and then just started rummaging thru your house.
About 5 minutes later he comes out - not smiling - or giving any indication of what is up - not a word - we sit silently and nervously on the "group W" bench (oh, that's another song/movie) and await his proclamation.
Apparently he didn't find any forbidden fruit, and must have missed the 4 illegals in the bathroom and with an attempt at a smile sends us on our way - "Have a nice day. " !!??
We're -- Back in the U.S., Back in the U.S., Back in the U.S. of A
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2 comments:
When I was younger california had agricultural inspection stations at the state borders and guards that were looking for foreign produce, trying to stop the introduction of pests and other agricultural disease from other states. The stations are still there in a few places but I'm not sure whether they're still functioning or not, I haven't been stopped at one in years. Glad they didn't get hold of the illegals!
."and must have missed the 4 illegals in the bathroom ..."
And you expect to cross the border again any time soon :-)
Tyler's dad
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