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GLEANINGS FROM THE GROVE










    The Problem with Beanie Babies





      Paul C. Fanning, DTM



      I have crossed many borders and frontiers in              Yes, indeed, the pen was mightier than the
      my life—some actual manned border posts and  sword-and a ticket is a ticket with the fine payable
      others the imaginary line on the map. Growing  to the State of California or Nevada.

      up in Northern California, the most frequent              On a more serious note, as an adult, I did
      “border” I traveled across (and back) was the  cross between Israel and Syria twice in the
      border between California and Nevada. The  1990’s, and there were men with grim faces, no
      border station or agricultural control post was  sense of humor, and armed with semi-automatic

      some twenty miles from the Nevada state line  weapons coupled with a determined dislike of
      on Interstate 80 by Truckee, a true “spot on the  “the other side” who looked upon us tourists as
      road” to the land of the ringing of slot machines,  interlopers in the “peace” process. Flitting in and
      the “Biggest Little City in the World,” and Verdi,  out of England, Italy, Mexico, and Canada was

      the site of the very first armed train robbery in  a breeze, an easy practice until one fateful day.
      the United States.                                        Living in Alaska, and serving the whole state,
          Each state wanted to control the numerous  often involved driving (when I could, and if there
      bugs and evasive species of plants that could  were roads) with the need to get from western

      innocently cross the line into the other state.  Alaska to southeast Alaska by going through
      This was a pain in the neck (and more) as at first  Canada. These were the strangest borders I
      they only had one lane that all vehicles stopped  have ever crossed. If one was heading back to
      at. And yes, our family’s first trip to Reno and  Anchorage from Haines, you drove up to this

      grocery shopping turned out to be a disaster as  little kiosk about a mile out of Haines with a mere
      we had bought oranges—those pesky round fruits  red and white arm (then) Her Majesty’s Customs
      that harbored so many beasties and nasty things  officer (only one in the phone booth sized shack)
      (which caused us to bid them a fond farewell  would raise by hand. I did it so often that she even

      as we officially entered California). That was  recognized me! No border station on either side
      eventually resolved by a “locals only” lane that  of the Alaska lines, but about twenty miles from
      allowed one to whiz through the checkpoint with  the Alaska border was a very modern post, with
      literally “the forbidden fruit.” Whilst the border  rest rooms, parking, etc. And, of course, several

      station did not have guard dogs and officers with  excise and customs officers on duty as they
      machine guns, they were suitably armed with  checked you in on one side and checked you out
      the most lethal weapon in their arsenal, always  on the other and sent you on your merry way.
      in their left-hand pocket.                             Happy motoring, eh! No RCMP Mounties there




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