our way back to the cinema we were about to cross a busy road when we
were stopped in our tracks, not by a red 'Do Not Walk' sign, but by a woman
walking her pet. Now, this might not sound like a reason to pause, except that
her pet was a lamb wearing a nappy. We rushed on because we were nearly
late for the movie, but before we could ask each other if we had imagined the
domesticated grazer a New Yorker remarked to us in a deadpan voice: 'that
was a lamb... in a diaper.'
By the end of the week we realised that this sight was not so unreal for
New York, after we saw a rabbit being walked on a lead down the busy
streets. As for the movie that we were rushing to see, well Love Actually
helped to ease our jetlag and homesickness. It also provided us with an
interesting view of American perceptions about the British and our country.
The US audience laughed not at the carefully scripted gags, but at more
obscure moments - such as when red buses or phone boxes were on the
screen.
Our adventures in New York concluded in a similar vein to how they had
begun, in an airport being stopped by security. Fortunately this time the tone
was more light-hearted and the person singled out was Emma - or rather her
boots. Having set off the metal detector, Emma was asked to remove her
boots. Easier said than done because these were her walking boots - which
take up too much room in the suitcase - and unfortunately they were new and
not easy to remove. The male member of staff offered advice on how to get
them off easily, remarking with great authority: