Tuesday morning, I got a text from my sister the ex-mayor's wife. She asked if she could use me as an emergency contact for her passport. Of course. If she's ever locked up abroad, perhaps in a Turkish prison for sneaking pharmaceuticals (unsuccessfully) out of the country, then I'm her gal. I think, perhaps, she's more likely to need that passport when she flies to Florida for vacations. A Missouri driver's license is not good enough ID at an airport now.
Funny thing, when I got that text, I was on the way to the county health center to pick up a birth certificate for The Pony. He needs one to get a passport! He says there's an office on OU's campus that does passports. Takes the picture and everything. He just needs ID and an official birth certificate. And a social security card, and the fee, and proper paperwork. Anyhoo...it's pretty certain that The Pony will need to fly somewhere at some time, what with a degree (and hopefully career) as a chemical engineer. He's already flown to three job conferences, I think in California, and Minnesota.
Genius has a passport, because he needed one when his first employer sent him to TAIWAN on a job, during the first two months he worked for them. That was in 2018, so I know his passport is still good, and Genius can fly all willy-nilly around the country, or to any hemisphere he desires.
Farmer H still has his passport from when he was a world traveler with his old company before retirement. Germany, Switzerland, France, Wales, Brazil, New Jersey...he made the rounds! I think he said his passport is good for 12 years. So he's all set for flying if he gets the urge.
Me? I have no plans of getting a passport. I've been on a plane. No desire to get on one again. I'd have to be tranquilized! Though I don't begrudge the rest of my family their air miles.
I've never had a passport of my own. I came to Australia as a baby, on my mum's passport, which I now have locked away somewhere. But I've never left the country so haven't bothered getting one. That will change when I win the lottery I suppose. We don't need passports to travel within our own country, so I was able to fly to Perth in Western Australia to visit my brother several years ago and discovered that I love to fly. My younger daughter got her passport to go on holiday with a friend, they went to Bali and my daughter was airsick all the way from Adelaide to Sydney, then from there to Bali, and again all the way home. She's never flying anywhere ever again! Younger son is making plans for vaccinations and passport soon, so he can accompany several workmates all going to Bali to celebrate a 60th birthday. I hope he doesn't get airsick.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteI've never had a passport, either. Until recently, we didn't need them for flying in-country. New restrictions going in place any day now.
I've never been out of the country. I've been to Alaska, but we flew from Seattle to Juneau. My mom and dad drove there once, camping, through Canada. Didn't need a passport for Canada back then, but I think we do now.
It would be great if you could win some lottery money and need a passport, since you ENJOY flying. I didn't feel airsick. Flying didn't bother me back then, but now I'd feel trapped. I'd be one of those crazies who tried to open the door of the plane at 35,000 feet!!!
I could be wrong, but I think you need either the "new" driver's license OR a passport.
ReplyDeleteMy first passport photo was positively scary. They told me I couldn't smile, which I equated to frowning. I looked like I could have pushed Charlize Theron out of the way so I could star in the movie "Monster."
By the way, I'd make the Perfect Dinner Companion's + 3 (after your + 1--Hick and + 2--The Pony) because I LOVE green onion. So, you could ask for your Teriyaki chicken with extra green onion, then scrape it off, and I would thoroughly enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteSioux,
ReplyDeleteI was not aware that a NEW driver's license would be good enough ID to fly. I thought Missouri was one of those states who'd been on triple-secret probation or something, getting extensions every year, until now, when only a passport will do.
Not wanting to brag, but my old driver's license photo was pretty monstrous itself. I have seen Monster, and you, Madam, are no prosthetic Charlize Theron! Not even on your worst day wearing men's clothes to ALLEGEDLY steal a dog.
Sioux 2,
ReplyDeleteWhat a cheap dinner date you would be! Happily scarfing up cast-off onions, and FREE canned corn!
Canned corn? Uh, no. Frozen corn, fried in butter and salt and pepper? Yes? Straight from the can, with nothing added?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not. I may be cheap, but not THAT easy...
I suppose I should get a passport, although I rarely leave the park. I have been to Canada, but that was before a passport was necessary.
ReplyDeleteSioux,
ReplyDeleteSuit yourself! I'm sure I can find some random weirdo in a casino who will be THRILLED to accompany me for a can of corn. Speaking of random weirdos in casinos...story coming up in a few days on my other blog.
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Kathy,
If you want to fly ANYWHERE, I think you'll need a passport now.