PASSPORT? WHAT PASSPORT?

My friend Gerry Miller has a wonderful blog titled Bronx Stories and can be found at:

http://1166grandconcourse.blogspot.com/?m=1

His latest entry for the 13^th November 2012, entitled Figure it out puts me in mind of an incident, of a few years ago now, involving the theme of this piece. As is usual with these things, a story goes with it. 

Some time ago, another friend was in hospital for an appendix operation which proved to be a bit more involved than the usual in and out treatment for this condition. Whilst recuperating he had a visit from his mother, brandishing a thermos with a cure-all soup. My friend, eyes to the heavens, berated his mother for her failure, once again, to listen to his entreaties not to bring him anything, as he had to abide by the dietary restrictions imposed by his doctors. He was under medical treatment and her thermos was surplus to requirements – not required, would probably keep him in hospital for longer than necessary. As luck would have it his girlfriend arrived in the middle of his admonitions. She too proffered a thermos, with the comment “Here’s the soup you asked me to bring, I hope you like it”

Communication with his mother was a bit difficult for some time, but they managed to get over it. Not long after this incident his mother died. Her funeral was packed with people, friends and relatives who had loved her and no doubt had tasted and admired her chicken soup as the best around. I did not know his mother, nor had I tasted her chicken soup, but out of respect for my friend I was among the mourners. They were an extraordinary assortment of native and immigrant Britains. The older generation were on the whole refugees from war torn Europe, its concentration camps and pogroms. One rather elderly man was drawn to my attention. He was a distant cousin, a diamond cutter. He was reminiscing on matters past and remarked "I came across Europe with no papers, if you can do that, then you know what I mean." I cannot now remember the exact context in which this remark was made, but it most assuredly was á propos survival. How many of us can claim to have crossed Europe with no papers? If you can do that, then you know what I mean.