Feeling welcome in Seattle
“You haven’t been to visit us for a while, sir,” the immigration officer said, flicking through my passport last week before letting me into Seattle.
I didn’t tell her that I hadn’t been made to feel overly welcome on the last few trips, even when I was simply transiting the US en route to Latin America. But I think she would have given me a sympathetic hearing. She had two qualities that were lacking in many immigration officers even before 9/11: friendliness and a sense of humour.
Her colleagues were similarly helpful. If one queue seemed to be moving more quickly than others, they lifted the ropes between queues to let passengers change lanes. Two of them, one mature and avuncular, the other young and brisk, wandered along the queues, offering help to anyone having trouble with the forms. They did the job without barking. If Seattle can do it, why can’t they all?
Enjoyed your article about Seattle. About three years ago when I lived north of Seattle, east of Bellingham, it didn’t rain for three months - first time ever that I needed to go buy an air conditioner. I first moved to Seattle from England (via Michigan) in 1958 and watched them build the Space Needle and the I-5 (Interstate). But didn’t you mean to refer to the University of Washington, rather than the Washington University? The latter is in St. Louis, Missouri, I think. Anyway, too bad you didn’t get to take a ferry to Langley on Whidbey Island - I think you would have enjoyed that far more than Bainbridge. I’ve spent the last fifty years living, twice each, in Washington and Idaho. Your article made me so homesick for the water, the lush green, the islands and the spirit of the true northwest - Western Washington State.
Ashlea
Thanks for your note. I’m glad you enjoyed the piece.
And you’re right: the reference should have been to the University of Washington.