security staff that were conducting these additional interviews were armed
with large pistols. This was not the America I remembered - but then I had
only visited DisneyWorld before.
As I sat, feeling nervous but trying to avoid looking like I was trying to
hide something, I attempted to work out why the other people were being
questioned. First there was a man who was a career gambler, chatting to the
security personnel about Las Vegas and blatantly trying to smuggle his
winnings out. Next, a very burly guard took a woman who looked very uneasy
away to another room - obviously a Madame running a cartel of brothels
around the world. Several of the other people also looked like criminals – at
least to my untrained eye. And then there was me. Yes, David Thomas is a
very common name, but I believe the real reason I was taken away was
because I had not shaved for a week and therefore I too looked like a
criminal.
When my name was called I approached the extra-height counter -
more like a judge's bench - and with some trepidation I faced my interviewer.
Again I was nervous about appearing nervous, and that does not help.
However, within ten minutes I was back with Emma. Basically they just
wanted to check that we had funds to support our 13-week stay in the country.
And so I nearly blew things by saying 'Oh, we have $500 with us'.
The terse response to this from my scary interviewer was: 'That is hardly
enough for 13 weeks.'
To which I hastily added: 'Of course, we also have four credit cards. Please
do not shoot me.’
kiana
(Kiana)
#1