Part III. Supplementary reading not guilty

Going through the customs is a tiresome business. The strangest thing about it is that really honest people are often made to feel guilty. The professional smuggler, on the other hand, is never troubled by such feelings, even if he has five hundred gold watches hidden in his suitcase.

When I returned from abroad recently, a young customs officer clearly regarded me as a smuggler.

“Have you anything to declare?”, he asked looking at me in the eyes.

“No,” I answered confidently.

“Would you mind unlocking this suitcase, please?”

“Not at all,” I answered.

The officer went through the case with great care. All things that I had packed so carefully were soon in a dreadful mess.

I felt sure I’d never be able to close the case again.

Suddenly I saw the officer’s face light up. He had spotted a small bottle at the bottom of my suitcase.

“Perfume, sir?” he asked sarcastically.

“You should have declared that. Perfume is not relieved from import duty.”

“But it isn’t perfume. It’s hair oil.” Then I added with a smile. “I make myself this strange mixture.”

As I expected he didn’t believe me. “Try it,” I said. The officer unscrewed the cap and put the bottle to his nostrils.

He was greeted by an unpleasant smell which convinced him that I was telling the truth.

A few minutes later I was able to hurry away.

TASKS

Task 1. Answer the comprehension questions.

1. How was the author of this story regarded at the customs?

2. Did he have to open his suitcase?

3. What did he feel sure of?

4. What had the customer officer spotted at the bottom the suitcase?

5. Why should the author have declared perfume?

6. How did the customs officer understand that he had made a mistake?

Task 2. Problem questions.

1. Why did the customs officer examine the author’s baggage so carefully?

2. Why is it so that really honest people are often made to feel guilty while going through the customs?

3. Why is a professional smuggler never troubled by such feelings?

Task 3. Comment on the following.

A customs officer has to be a good judge of character.

Smuggler

Sam Levis was a customs officer. He used to work in a small border town. It wasn’t a busy town and there wasn’t much work. The road usually very quiet and there weren’t many travelers. It wasn’t a very interesting job, but Sam liked his easy life. About once a week, he used to meet an old man. His name was Draper. He always used to arrive at the border early in the morning in a big truck. The truck was always empty. After a while Sam became suspicious. He often used to search the truck, but he never found anything. One day he asked Draper about his job. Draper laughed and said, “I’m a smuggler.”

Last year Sam retired. He spent his savings on an expensive holiday. He flew to Bermuda, and stayed in a luxury hotel. One day he was sitting by the pool and opposite him he saw Draper drinking champagne. Sam walked over to him.

Sam - Hello, there!

Draper - Hi!

Sam - Do you remember me?

Draper - Yes, of course I do. You are a customs officer.

Sam - I used to be, but I’m not any more. I retired last month. I often used to search your truck.

Draper - But you never found anything!

Sam - No, I didn’t. Can I ask you something?

Draper - Of course you can.

Sam - Your truck was always empty. What were you smuggling?

Draper - Trucks!

TASKS

Task 1. Answer the questions.

1. What was Sam Levis?

2. Where did he work?

3. Whom did he meet about once a week?

4. Why did Sam become suspicious?

5. What question did he ask the old man?

6. Where did the two men meet?

7. Did Draper remember him?

8. What had he smuggled?

Task 2. Say what you can remember about:

1. Sam’s work

2. Draper and his occupation

3. The way Sam spent his money after he had retired

Task 3. Answer the following questions.

1. What formalities must the person in charge of an inwarding means of conveyance go through on arrival?

2. What information must be reported to the customs officer?

3. What must the customs officer on duty do with the inward documents?