You Can Have His Seat

Peter was British, I'm American. When we traveled in the mid-East we claimed non-controversial national identities. Usually Canadian or Danish worked well although in Turkey I claimed Danish in a seaport and a Turk started speaking what sounded like Danish to me. Oops!

For Syrian Independence Day we had been given grandstand tickets to the parade which turned out to feature Boy Scouts with rifles, and soldiers with rifles. NRA members - you should have been there.

Anyway, I arrived late to the grandstand. The parade had begun and the seats were full. An usher asked me my nationality. "British", I replied. "Oh, no problem" he replied. "You can have his seat", he said, pointing at Peter "He's an American" I declined his offer still laugh about it today. Peter had stated that he was an American that day.