United Strangers of America
I want to be two people at once. One runs away. — Peter Heller
Known to making sweeping statements, and having strong opinions, he likes to address groups of people rather than talking with somebody one-on-one. American sports, American politics, American history and American culture are his favorite topics. 🏈 💰 📚 🎭
“You are a man only in your own country,” he repeatedly tells us. “When abroad, you are just a passport.” Maybe it’s just me but that sounds like a puzzle no one can ever decipher!
Now, flying with him on business from Newark to San Francisco, I notice he uses his passport for 🆔 at the ticket counter. “You know, it’s a domestic flight. All you have to do is show your driver’s license.”
“Of course, I know. Recently I applied for a passport. It arrived the other day.”
Normally not a nosy person, I simply can’t find the right place for this. Passport, him? It’s way beyond surprising; he was born here, he is completely incurious about anything outside the U. S., and he only speaks English.
“Planning a trip to a foreign country in the near future?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Never been, and don’t ever want to go.”
“Why the passport then?”
“I’ve been feeling alienated,” he says.
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A sketch of this article was published in 101 Words on March 27, 2024.
