Generally, I consider myself quite compliant. I’m not much of a rebel or rule breaker.
Occasionally I go off the rails. With some spectacular results.
An example…
Some years ago I decided that I could leave one country on one passport and enter the next on a different passport. Who knew this is not allowed? Actually everyone… Including me.
My actions in this regard may or may not have had something to do with not wanting to pay visa costs.
Perfectly legal of course.
I got away with this three times and then I was hauled into the back office for interrogation.
The fellow was delighted to lecture me at length. Despite my sincere apologies and explanation. I had to, of course, produce my second passport because he asked me if I had been loitering on the bridge between the two countries for some months. I had not.
He felt it necessary to go through every page of each passport and examine each stamp. It became tiresome.
What do we need to do, I asked, to be able to move on from this and get on with life?
This irked him surprisingly.
Are you travelling alone he asked?
No, I said my husband and dogs are in the car wondering where the hell I am.
You, he informed me, are too British, let me talk to your husband.
Darling, I said, I lied and told that man you are my husband, also he said he’ll sort this matter that I’ve now been caught out on, with you, because I’m too British.
What does that mean even he asked? I think it means get this cheeky bitch out of my face.
My lovely man has never really let me forget this and now considers himself the better negotiator.
Whenever we have a situation to negotiate however, we discuss the plan. This is Africa. One has to be prepared.
We go in, I always think, on the same page, with the plan clearly laid out.
Inevitably, he goes off script half way through and says something gobsmacking.
We scramble through somehow. A fair amount of sweat rolling down my face considering the unexpected overshare of information.
And then he looks at me smugly… Just as well I was with you to help, he reminds me, they probably thought you were too British.
Love him.