Crossing the Border Today...

I just have to tell someone what happened today.

I drove my mom to Buffalo, to put her on a plane heading home. Then stopped at Target and Starbucks.

Maggie was my only companion.

While standing in line waiting for my latte, Maggie got chocolate milk all over her shoes and her clothes and had to change into an entirely new outfit.

In the shuffle of getting her warm and dry, I borrowed a plastic bag (from a discount liquor store called "The Wine Seller.....and Whiskey Too") to put her wet and sticky things in.

Next stop was the Lewiston Bridge and the Canadian border.

I approached the agent in her little glass hut and handed over our passports. She asked me questions, same as always, then she opened the van to speak to Maggie.

I believe that it was at this point that my border crossing became extraordinary.

I was bluntly instructed to move my vehicle to the inspection bay and await an officer.

I will never really understand why I attracted so much attention, and you don't want to have to slog through two hours of my own silly speculations...

But they mistakenly thought I was smuggling alcohol (and perhaps tobacco) and an undeclared brand new child's snowsuit across the border, and the agent (after an hour and a half of really crazy nonsense)

was holding my car keys and

telling me that my car subject to fines and would likely be impounded.

I feel it's important that I clarify right here that I didn't even have a drop of alcohol in the car. Though there was an empty wine case in the back, and that plastic bag full of chocolate clothing from "The Wine Seller.... and Liquor Too".

It was perhaps 15 minutes later when this same gentleman carelessly tossed my keys into my lap and told me I was free to go.

With no explanation.

I was in such a fog afterward I accidentally drove past my proper exit and right onto the Gardiner expressway at 5:30 PM....I was utterly shocked to be looking up at the CN Tower.

I guess the moral of this tale is "Clean out your car at the last exit before the border, or you will not get home in time for dinner."