Saturday, April 15, 2006
Airport Departure Protocol
15th April 2005
This is part of a letter written to Mum after her memorable departure from Glasgow whereby, having neglected to turn back and wave goodbye at the immigration counter, she left me waving goofily at a blank faced immigration officer.
Dear Mum
Standard departure protocol dictates the following:
1) Tight but brief embrace -- no lingering or shoulder rubbing. Enough contact to convey that the one departing will be missed without being mawkish
2) Nebulous promises to "be good" or "eat less" or "study hard"-- all of which is nothing more than customary. That, however, is left unsaid.
3) Self conscious stride to the immigration counter, knowing that the glass partition provides little protection from the scrutiny of one's blossoming rear end-- the same scrutiny which will be repeated to assess for growth upon re-entry into the country
4) The final smile and casual wave before one disappears from sight.
This is part of a letter written to Mum after her memorable departure from Glasgow whereby, having neglected to turn back and wave goodbye at the immigration counter, she left me waving goofily at a blank faced immigration officer.
Dear Mum
Standard departure protocol dictates the following:
1) Tight but brief embrace -- no lingering or shoulder rubbing. Enough contact to convey that the one departing will be missed without being mawkish
2) Nebulous promises to "be good" or "eat less" or "study hard"-- all of which is nothing more than customary. That, however, is left unsaid.
3) Self conscious stride to the immigration counter, knowing that the glass partition provides little protection from the scrutiny of one's blossoming rear end-- the same scrutiny which will be repeated to assess for growth upon re-entry into the country
4) The final smile and casual wave before one disappears from sight.
# posted by H : 4:06 AM
