One day last week I had to pick up a container of rubberwood (don't
ask me, cuz I don't know) and take it to the Customs X-ray facility,
so they could X-ray the whole damned container.

They schedule the X-ray sessions, so it is necessary for us to be able
to cut line in front of all the other folks picking up containers and
get to the facility in a timely fashion. To facilitate this, and
perhaps to indicate that not all the Customs red tape has been cleared
away yet, they give us a flag to attach to our trucks. The flag is
very similar to the ones we've all seen tour bus guides using to lead
a flock of tourists around. The flag serves as our symbol of being
able cut line in front of everybody else, and thus helps prevent
having a beating laid upon us.

Anyway, I had to go to a place I very seldom go in order to pick up
the Customs inspection paperwork and to receive the flag, which is the
property of Tokyo Customs and which they collect after the X-ray. I
went into the place and a guy in his mid 20s or thereabouts came to
the counter. I told him why I was there, and he picked up the
paperwork and the flag and brought them to the counter. We compared
the container numbers on the paperwork he had and which I already had
to make sure he was giving me the right stuff. After this, he handed
me the paperwork and still had the flag in his left hand.

I stuck out my right hand to get the flag from him and he nonchalantly
reached out and gave me a good firm handshake. Affable fellow that I
am, I returned it. After about three pumps I told him I needed the
flag.

Poor guy. I guess he thought that we had reached the point in our
business dealings where gaigins always shake hands or something. I
could hear the entire office starting to tease him as I left, the
young ladies tittering away to beat the band.

I, on the other hand, had to wait until I was in the parking lot
before I could bust out laughing at him.





--

Michael Cash

"Clowns to the left of me and jokers to the right, Mr. Cash.
Clowns and jokers."

                                Prof. Ernest T. Bass
                                Mount Pilot College