Today I spent the better part of the afternoon at the American Embassy trying to get my passport expanded yet again. It's the second time in a year that I have stepped foot on American ground in London. As always it's a truly unique experience. It's the only place I have ever come across in London where strangers talk to each other. When we were there last year to register the twinkies as American (secondary to British of course) citizens a lovely American women living in the arse end of nowhere, Scotland, chatted to CB for the better part of an hour. By the time we left, he knew her children's names, where they were all moving to in America, what her husband did, how long she had been in the UK, why they were leaving....Crikey! Who has time for that? Like the good Brit come American I am, I kept my head down and fussed with the monkeys to avoid becoming engaged in the life story of yet another Yank. Today was a bit different as I was alone. No one bothered trying to talk to me. Possibly because I looked like I couldn't be bothered, because I couldn't. They certainly talked to each other though. Oh, this one about his mistress in another country, that one about her passport and why it was so thick, another about what would happen when her "American" children were unfortunate enough to be born here. No I didn't chime in and offer pearls of wisdom, I couldn't be bothered.
The thing is, CB loves that about America and therefore loved engaging with the Scotland lady last year. I don't. I don't think I ever did. As a matter of fact I remember once when living in America, getting rather cross with a friend who insisted on engaging with every person on the street trying to give her a flyer or sell her something. She politely said no, but I couldn't understand why she even stopped to talk. Call me mean, call me snotty, call me what you like, but I see freedom and braver as keeping to yourself. Others obviously don't.
Why was I getting more pages added to my passport? Well, that is a story for next time.
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Ah, you're a natural Brit, really, grumps 'n' all. We're happy to have you.
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