stepphenwolf

It was evening and the ordeal of my 12 hours flight from Taipei had ended with a bus ride from the airplane to a very large building that I later came to know as the Tom Bradley International terminal, Los Angeles. Inside the huge building I got line for immigration, and what a long line it was. And there were so many more just like the one I was lost in. After shuffeling for what seemed like forever, with strangers bumping me, being rude with cell phone, coughing germs all over the place and doing other things people do in line, I finally was front and center. It was my turn! The INS officer official in his demeanor and smile, asked me several questions.  I smiled at him and he continued as he smiled back...in his official way, big bright shinning badge, creased uniform and bald hair cut. "Mrs. Ton welcome back to America".   I was a bit stupefied and tongue-tied.  And his official smile....and that shining badge.  A warm feeling and I realized that America has been always