Interesting Conversation

We exited the plane and began the wearisome weave through the international customs line. It felt like we were at Great America. You know what its like. You keep winding back and forth seeing the same people every few minutes as the line bends back upon itself for the millionth time. You think, 'There's the guy with the weird red shirt, oh, and the girl with really cute shoes. I wonder where she got those' As you pass people at first, there may be a small smile, or friendly nod. But as time wears on most people are avoiding eye contact, as meaningless the small talk amongst strangers who share a language as run its course, and everyone has tired of waiting.

It was in one such line that John and I overheard an interesting conversation. Let me paint the scene for you. Five guys in their 20s. All different heights, and builds. All varying shades of skin color. Some with facial hair or glasses, some without. One common thread: they all look like they are rap stars carrying electronic switchboards, and other equipment I didn't know the first thing about.

The biggest guy, all bundled up in a huge black winter coat complete with hood, starts complaining about how hot he is (it was about 80 degrees and rainy aka humid when we landed.) He goes on to say that if he knew it was going to be this hot he would have left his coat in Chicago or not brought it at all from California. He said to his buddy, "Man I'm not gonna need this at all, am I?"

His friend said, "Man, straight up, it's pretty warm. It's summer here, but it cools off at night, you never know you might need it."

To which the first guy replied, "Its summer?! If I would have known that I wouldn't have brought my winter coat. I know its summer in like Australia. Aren't there some countries where it is summer all the time?"

Another guy from the group spoke up at this point and said, with complete seriousness and without any judgment in his tone at all, "Well there is this line called the Equator and it's always warm there. The farther north or south you get depending on the way the earth is tilted it gets colder. Since it is winter in The States it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere."

"Straight up?" asked the guy in the winter coat. After his friend nodded, he sighed a pensive look coming over his face.

Maybe his friend should have made sure to tell him the line was imaginary....