A Customary Double Dutch
Now that we are well into this weekly storytelling, I am introducing stories submitted by others and it is a sincere honor to start with this story contributed by my dear friend Fons Trompenaars. Before I begin, I would like to invite you, my listeners, to send me your intercultural stories so I may include them in this Alzheimer’s supporting project and credit you directly. Feel free to fill out the form below. I cannot wait to read your stories.
Now, let’s get into today’s story. “A Customary Double Dutch”
As many around the world know, particularly in business and academia, Fons Trompenaars is a highly sought-after speaker and teacher in the realm of Intercultural Communication and Interaction. Remember him from my earlier “Lufthansa is First Class” story? He lives in a suburb of Amsterdam and regularly flies from Schiphol Airport to numerous countries across the world.
Fons has a Burgundy-born mother and a Dutch father. As such he is the walking synthesis of both the pleasure of an alcoholic beverage from time to time and being Dutch -- which we all know means that he will seek a “cost advantage” wherever he can. Good for him I’d say as a fellow Dutchman.
One day, as he told me the story, he came back from JFK New York and had bought two bottles of his favorite single malt Glenlivet with him, one in fact for half the normal price, and all tax-free of course. Knowing full well that he was only allowed one bottle to bring into the country. Can’t think of anyone ever doing that.
He had hidden one bottle in his stroller and one in a highly visible bag with the tax-free JFK logo. When he arrived at Schiphol’s Customs, they asked the typical question of “anything to declare?” Fons told me how stupid that question is as they then always proceed to check you anyway, particularly when they know your face as a frequent traveler. So, Fons answers with the proverbial “no, Sir” and shows his tax-free plastic bag with the Glenlivet bottle.
“Well, Sir let’s check your other bags, anyway” said the stern looking agent. “Okay, why don’t I open the stroller for you” while he gives them at the same time his computer bag so that they would search that one first. And while the agent is checking all the compartments of the computer bag, Fons takes the second bottle rolled in a T-shirt out of his opened stroller and slips it into the tax-free JFK bag. Next, they searched for contraband in the stroller and of course all is fine.
With his typical big smile on that Burgundian face, Fons was told he could proceed.
“Nice to see you again, Sir, and you are all clear. Rien de declarer”
That night he had a double scotch while laughingly and proudly telling his family he had once again successfully taken advantage of the tax-free airport system while outsmarting the Customs agents. No wonder there are all these proverbs in the English language about “the Dutch.”
I hope you enjoyed today’s story from Fons! It's truly an honor to share stories with you- especially those of people who are very dear to me. Next week’s episode brings us to Teheran and eventually to my hastened exit from Iran via Iran Air. Speaking of airports, sometimes it’s a place you can’t wait to leave. I was there in the year of the so-called Iranian revolution, which of course really was a Theocratic Coup d’état. One of those experiences that still makes my heart beat a little faster. But we’ll talk about that next time. See you next week, friends, with: “May Impermanence Prevail.”
Ready to share your own cherished memories? Submit your story by using the form below! We can't wait to hear your unique experiences and celebrate the power of memories together.