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I could post about our zany Customs officials, but then no one is probably interested.
I guess I wont bother for the moment.
quote:Originally posted by topgun:I only seem to get reaction by twisting the tails of the teenage group. This is neither fair nor very rewarding.
quote:I could post about our zany Customs officials, but then no one is probably interested.
If not, I may have to take your place and do a bit about warning signs (one of my favorite "silly" topics)...
With our totally mixed ethnic population, Our customs officials are starting to look like the original League of Nations.
Returning from a cruise out of New York this spring we had our Jollies and then some.
The crossing point was Niagara Falls, Ontario. Surely one of the dingiest spots this side of the Kasbah.
Having waited in line, our turn to perform came about.
Pulling up to the wooden box, supposedly with an officer inside I could see no one. As my eyes acclimatized, I saw an apparition.
Seated in chair tilted back at more than 30 degrees was our torturer.
His first question was. Why didn"t you stop at my Stop sign. I told him that I hadn"t seen the #*#*#*#* thing.
My eyes having adjusted I could now see real trouble. I doubt that he had left high school, let alone graduated. He sported cropped hair with a pink blaze down the center, a beard, a la Drax and those small wraparound sunglasses so popular with many professional golfers.
I have to end my story here. Our question and answer period did not end well.
I was pulled in for search and lost my usual four liters of Vodka. So much for being an overage smart Aleck.
A couple of years ago, we drove to Wisconsin for a wedding. Since we were going to take the SS Badger across Lake Michigan, we decided the best way to get to Michigan was to go through Canada. We were the "lucky" ones chosen to take the pew bows with us because we didn't have anyone riding with us.
So, here we are at Customs to get into Canada and the guy in the booth asks the usual questions (Where are you going, how long will you be in Canada....), then he noticed the big box on the back seat. "So, what's in the box"? "Pew bows" "What???" "Pew bows. We are going to a wedding" "Just what are pew bows" "Decorations for the church" At this point, he waves his hand at us in disgust. "Uh, is it ok to go?" Again he just waves his hand in disgust.
It wasn't much better crossing the border back into the US. Same thing happened.
But the best story happened to one of the guys who works in the office next to me. He went to Pennsylvania and bought about $600 in fireworks (they are illegal in NY). He put them in the trunk of his car and forgot they were there. They went to Canada a few days later and remembered he had them in the trunk when he got to Customs. He told the Customs agent about them and was surprised to get waved through. When he pulled up to the next booth, he was told to pull over and open the trunk. He did, and another Customs agent came up to the car with a bucket of water. Yup - the $600 worth of fireworks ended up in the bucket of water. Doh!
Another time crossing at Lewiston, the car died just as we got to the "box". Hubby made some smart a** remark and the fella in the booth didn't take kindly to it. I told him "next time keep your mouth shut"!
These guys are just government employees who think they are Gods and have all the power in the world.!
Haveagreatone.
Regards Peter
So although this story has a pop at HM Customs, I wasn't really angry. I'd rather have a tough Customs than a lax one.
Anyway. A few years ago I had a Renault 25 (a sedan, for US readers). After a bumpy crossing of the English Channel we were pulled over by HM Customs at Dover. They took the car apart, removing the door trim and everything -- very scary. Then suddenly they went off into a huddle, came back and apologised and put it all back together again. All seemed well until we got home to find they hadn't reconnectd the door handles.
The annoying thing was, I hadn't bought a single thing. We had simply nipped to France for dinner and hadn't bothered with cigarettes or booze or anything.
OverbearingLate teens complete with spotsarrogantOfficious
Well I never.
quote:Originally posted by topgun:Late teens complete with spots
I have no spots, and certainly no purple stripes through my hair. And I'm not Canadian so presumably I couldn't be a Canadian customs officer .
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