After many years of working for the great Indian IT industry, I was also send to the US for training . I was to fly from Chennai to Frankfurt and from there to Chicago, My US entry point.
The flight to Frankfurt was OK. I had an aisle seat and was able to sleep once the aircraft went into cruise mode. From Frankfurt I was stuffed into an united airlines Boeing 747. Trust me, this is one hell of a big airplane. But sadly my seat was in the middle of the middle row and had aged people sitting on both sides. to add to my woes, they were not serving alcohol on this flight. Okay, no probs, I am a master at the art of doing nothing. So I sit. This flight dint have personal in flight entertainment either. They were playing some movies on a big screen up front which i was not interested in. Well I made it to Chicago in one piece.
From this point things got real interesting. Before i check into immigration, I check into the restroom. and guess what, some idiot has left a soft toy in the restroom. I double back out and call the nearest security I see. He rushes in to take a look. I till date have no idea what prompted him to take that doll and squeeze it, but he did just that. I guess Americans are not as paranoid as they were made up to be or I need to know what that officer has been smoking lately. After the rest room episode, I stand in the line to go through immigration.
The officer asking questions to me is a Chinese man. To say that he was rude would not even start to describe his attitude.
Why are you in my Country ? (his name is Lee. last I heard people of American origin were not named Lee).
I say that I was here on Business and I have come for training.
OK, Show me something to prove it;
I pull out an Invite letter printout.
I dont want to see it. My son could print that at my home.
Well, So could my son. whats the big deal ?
Show me something else.
I have only this letter to show you. (I have something else to show you, But its under layers of clothing , you sonafabitch)
I dont want to see that.
Well Do you want to talk to the SVP of my company I ask.
Why should I make a call for you?
Well you dont have to call asshole, I have a phone.
He says that I have to show respect to him and his country if I want to go in.
So here I was, after sitting my ass on a goddamn airplane for 10 hrs getting a lecture on respect from a demented Chinese circus monkey posing as an immigration officer.
OK, Then tell me exactly what you want to see
no no no, I cant see how I can let you in.
Well I say nothing.
You go and stand there says the monkey and I go and stand there.
A minute or two later the security officer who came to take the doll from restroom comes to me and asks me to follow him. He takes me to an inner office where many people are sitting and asks me to wait. He said that I might have to answer a few questions when my name would be called. A minute later he calls my name , give me my passport and says " Welcome to the US of A"
and that was that.
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