HIGH FIVE and WELL DONE!
Originally Published the Week of April 4, 2022 in Western Outdoor Publications
Last week, my wife, Jill and I were in Denver.
We’ve been on the road 3 months doing the fishing and hunting expositions across the western U.S. promoting our fishing operation in La Paz as well as tourism in general to Baja.
Each week a different city. A different show.
In our booth four or five days for 8-12 hours-at-a-time. Meeting and greeting. Shaking hands and socializing.
We’ve been doing it every January to March for almost 30 years. It’s fun. But, it can also be wearing.
Long hours driving. Different hotel rooms. Too much fast food. Packing and unpacking all the booth and gear. Convention centers with thousands of people packed inside.
So, we’re at our last show in Denver. As often happens, rather than look for parking in a major downtown metro, it’s often easier to take Uber from our hotel to the respective convention center.
Dial up Uber. He’s on his way. Meet out front on the sidewalk.
It’s early. We’re half-asleep, but we gotta get to the expo. It’s show time.
Our uber driver today is Haani. He has a white Toyota Camry.
He pulls up. Good-looking pleasant young man. Swarthy. Cleanly dressed. He helps us with all our briefcases, backpacks and other things we need to drag to the show each day.
We climb in. Bonus points, the car is spotless and he’s got some light jazz playing. Nice music for the morning.
We make the usual conversation.
Jill asks, “Are you having a busy day?”
He says cheerfully, “I’ve been working all morning and usually work the whole day. But, today, I have to take a break in the middle of the day.”
“For lunch?” asks Jill.
“No. Not today! Not for lunch. Today I have a special service to attend!” replies Haani.
“A special service?”
He smiles and turns around towards us in the backseat and says proudly, “Today I will become a naturalized American citizen!”
A pause as Jill and I wrap our collective brains around that for a moment.
“Oh my God! That’s awesome!”
“Congratulations!”
“This is the best news of the day!”
Jill and I are both yammering out loud at the same time from the backseat as we lean over towards him.
We are spontaneously shaking his hand; playfully punching him in the shoulder and giving him high-fives from the backseat. I’m shaking him by his neck. It’s like he just shot the winning basket…scored the 4th quarter touchdown…touched all the bases in the World Series.
For indeed he has!
He is laughing and trying to keep the car on the road!
He is beaming and his proud smile fills the rearview mirror as he watches Jill and I bounce around his backseat pumping our fists in the air!
Haani is from Afghanistan. He has been working hard on getting his citizenship for six long years. He says it is the hardest and best thing he has ever done.
He and his wife work two jobs. Two young kids in school.
He tell us what a great country America is. He could not be prouder. Or more grateful.
Neither could we. He dropped us off and we all laughed and we wished him well with one last handshake and high-five. It made our day.
Welcome to America, Haani.
We’re gonna lift up a cold one to you and your spirit to luck and a better life!
That’s my story!
Jonathan
That's My Story 
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