The Written Podcast: New York (Part 3) – “Yeah, You’re Not a Threat”

If there’s one thing we can learn from the American’s, it’s being organised. Here in the UK, the organisational structure within our airports is tight. It’s designed to process everyone as quickly as possible with hassle. If you don’t give them grief, they won’t give you grief, and it’s the same with Americans, but on another level entirely. They are very tightly organised. They don’t just have signs pointing where to go, they have a security officer positioned at every corner to direct people through to where they need to go. They’ve set up their own system so you listen to them. I didn’t once feel as if they were making me feel untrustworthy, but instead reassurance that I was heading in the right direction. If you don’t listen or look to where the security officers are pointing, they’ll snap at you and make sure you are going in the right direction.

Every security officer has their own role to play. If I was an officer there, I wouldn’t be worried about budgetary restraints and potential redundancies, because the role I’m playing in making sure the general public is ushered correctly, is important, and due to there being so many officers, I would only have one task to do, not multiple. We all know that having a job with multiple incredibly important responsibilities would result in an unwanted mistake percentage. Having an officer doing only one task within the factory line of tasks, it can be done to the best of their abilities, and the mistakes would decrease rapidly.

And besides, technically speaking, we are responsible for making the security officer’s job simpler. If we don’t cause any hassle, or attempt to take something we shouldn’t through customs, or anything else that goes against the well-oiled system, the security officer would have an easy job, and we as the general public who just wants to go on holiday wants that to be an easy job as well. Luckily for me, it was an easy job, and a subtly humorous job as well.

I was required to stand behind a vibrant red strip on the floor, which ran from one end of the customs gates to the other, and if you crossed over it without permission first, you’re in trouble. After a 7 ½ hour flight, crossing time zones and already feeling a little tired, the last thing I wanted to do was be taken to one side and thoroughly searched, which thankfully didn’t happen, but I did really want to get to my hotel. And I had to collect my suitcase, find and take a taxi ride to the hotel. My journey to lying down on my bed was far from over. All I had to do was get through the customs gate and I’m free to roam around America.

I watched the man in front go through the necessary checks, studying what I’d be required to do, and it appeared I’d have to have my picture taken for some record of who I am just in case anything happens that requires the need to identify me. Thankfully that didn’t happen either, or at least it didn’t happen with my knowledge. I pulled my documentations out of my bag, including everything relating to the holiday even though I was confident they didn’t need it; I had it with me just in case, and my passport, (which that was all they needed.)

It was no my time to step up to the counter. We’ve all known the phase, “stone-faced”, where they don’t have hardly any expression, well this security officer was “concrete-faced”. Literally no emotion whatsoever. Have you ever played the game “Papers, Please”? It’s about being a boarder controller at customs where you’re required to check through people’s documents to check if they’re valid or not, and either let them through or not, or go as far as detaining them if you believe they’re a threat. I have been through customs before, but not before becoming aware of the game. Even though it’s virtual and a game, being on that side of the desk is a lot to take in. The game itself does add a lot of elements most customs don’t need to be any part of, but the idea of knowing some amount of the responsibility required by this security officer made me understand why he had to be “concrete-faced”, because he was there to do a job and to make sure everything goes properly.

The conversation went as follows:

Security officer: “Passport, please.”

I handed him my passport, admittedly, nervously. Whether he picked up on that, he didn’t show me, just looked at me with expressionless yet analysing eyes. I waited for the next question, which was only a couple of heartbeats away.

Security officer: “Why brings you to America?”

Me: “Holiday,” I said, with an unintentional direct response. The security officer responded by a follow up question.

Security officer: “How long are you here for?”

Me: “Only until Thursday,” I responded, clearly.

Security officer: “Are you meeting anyone here, family or friend?”

Me: “I am not,” I said as professional as a member of the public could be, “holidaying on my own.”

Security officer: “Have you been to America before?” he asked.

Me: “I have, Chicago. This’ll be my first time to New York, though.” I answered honestly.

Security officer: “What brings you to New York?” I now realise he only asked that because I admitted to having never visiting there, and it made sense to establish as much information as possible to render me either innocent or guilty of posing a threat.

Me: “My mum and dad came here and highly recommended it, so I saved my pennies and came here, too.” Yes, I really said, “saved my pennies” to a customs official, but he didn’t react in any way. Not even a small smirk.

The security officer than proceeded to check my likeness to my passport by asking him to stare directly at him, and once I matched my few-year-old picture, he ordered me to stand in front of the camera and wait, without smiling, for him to take my picture. I did, and once that was done, asked one final question whilst finalising a few things.

Security officer: “What are you going to do whilst in America?”. It was as I’m writing this did I realise that his last question wasn’t required within the official checks, just a curious statement to keep things as light as possible whilst sorting out the paperwork his end. So I responded with the itinerary I’d had planned for my four days.

Me: “You know,” not a very professional start, but carried on anyway, “see the sights. Empire State Building, The Freedom Tower, and the National Museum of Mathematics.”

And it was at that moment this concrete-faced security officer displayed enough emotion for me to pick up on it. The moment that I, a young man, venturing into America on my own, stated that I was going to the National Museum of Mathematics, the security officer’s mouth twitched into a subtle smile and his gaze switched from being analytical to one that stated, “yeah, you’re not a threat,” and proceeded to stamp and hand my passport back. Because anyone who is going to the National Museum of Mathematics is highly unlikely going to cause chaos. I’m a nerd.

I’ll never forget that moment. I am, in no way, claiming to be the first person to make him express emotion, nor will I be the last, but it was nice to note that he noted I wasn’t a threat by wanting to go to the National Museum of Mathematics. I broke that concrete-face, which I’m sure is difficult thing to do, and therefore, subsequently, a rare thing to do.

I was free to enter the United States of America. New York here I come…

But first I need to grab my bag…

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT ARTICLE…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)