The plan is that I’m to travel with my son today, to attend an international fencing camp where, ultimately, the Americans will fence the French for world supremacy. My son will be on the American team. The plan is that we’ll remain on the beautiful Costa del Sol for about two weeks, defending America’s honor. And other fun stuff.
If things work out the way they are planned, I should have access to the internet as I do normally. That’s what they told me. You might never know I was typing from a lounge chair on the playa. No, I will not be wearing a speedo. Trust me on this.
But so far, things aren’t working out exactly as planned. When I pulled out my passport this morning, I happened to take a look inside (for no particular reason) and noticed that it expired last April. Expired, as in it’s no good anymore to travel to Spain. I called the State Department, who asked me who died. I said I did. The duty officer was not amused.
So, very early tomorrow morning I will go to an expediter, who will take my expired passport and new application and a not insubstantial sum of money to the Passport officer and try to procure me a new one. I will wait around for him, folding and unfolding my hands. I will hum tunes. I will be patient. I have no choice. I screwed up. Now I must pay the piper. Or the expediter, as the case may be.
So things are in flux at the moment, but the one thing that will not happen is writing posts. When I say I’m going very early, I mean it, and there will be no time for posts. Whether there will be time later, or from Spain, or not from Spain according to how expeditious the expediter can be, has yet to be seen. I have no idea what the day will bring. But I will not disappoint my son, and I will do everything possible to make this trip happen.
At least, that’s the plan.
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The things we do for our kids.
Please tell him two things for me:
1.) “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.”
2.) “Bring back their ears.”
Good luck to both of you.
Thanks Shawn. He’s not all that big on religion, but he wields a mean epee.
Good luck, Scott, on getting the passport and getting the hell away for a while. We all have moments like this.
Thanks Albert. The fix is in and I’m now waiting for the expediter to do his thing. I told him he’s good looking and dresses well. Let’s see if that helps. Plus I paid him. He only took cash. I wonder what that’s about?
Fencing rocks!!! Given the choice between soccer mom & fencing mom, I’ll take fencing mom any day!
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to get an expedited passport. Never for me but always others.
I’ll cross my fingers that your son performs magnificently.
Have a great trip!
A very similar thing happened to Stewart Cink recently, and it turned out okay for him. Good luck with your expediting, and good luck to the offspring.
Re: “Never for me but always others.”
Actually not COMPLETELY true this. Traveled to Asia one year to a small and very impoverished country run by military that required both a visa prior to departure from U.S. plus passport not expiring w/in six months of departure from said country. Trip was ten days away when I discovered that my passport would expire just shy of six months before my return flight. Enter expediter… got my new passport and visa in under 72 hours.
I heard the competition was off.
The French surrendered.
But good luck getting overseas anyway.
The silence from our host suggests to me that the expediting was expeditious, and the expedition is on.
Have a great time, Scott. We’ll all try to save some injustice for you to handle when you get back.