At the Customs. Inspector Standish was trying to clear up a tiresome problem

Inspector Standish was trying to clear up a tiresome problem.

“Madam,” he said quietly to the haughty, angular woman whose several suitcases were spread open on the Customs inspection table between them, “are you quite sure you don’t wish to change your story?”

She snapped back, “I suppose you’re suggesting I should lie, when I’ve already told you the truth. Really! - you people are so officious, so disbelieving, I sometimes wonder if we’re not living in a police state.”

Harry Standish ignored the second remark, as Customs officers were trained to ignore the many insults they received, and answered politely, “I’m not suggesting anything, madam. I merely asked if you wished to amend your statement about these items - the dresses, the sweaters, and the fur coat.”

The woman, whose American passport showed that she was Mrs. Harriet Du Barry Mossman who lived in Evanston, and had just returned from a month in England, France and Denmark, replied acidly, “No, I don’t. Furthermore, when my husband’s lawyer hears of this interrogation...”

“Yes, madam”, Harry Standish said. “In that case, I wonder if you’d mind signing this form. If you like, I’ll explain it to you.”

The dresses, sweaters, and fur coat were spread out on top of the suitcases. Mrs. Mossman had been wearing the coat – a sable jacket – until a few minutes ago when Inspector Standish arrived at Customs inspection station number eleven; he had asked her to take the coat off so that he could look at it more closely. Shortly before that, a red light on a wall panel near the centre of the big Customs Hall had summoned Standish. The lights indicated that an inspecting officer had a problem and needed supervisory help.

Now, the young Customs man who had dealt with Mrs. Mossman originally was standing at Inspector Standish’s side. Most of the other passengers, who had arrived aboard a Scandinavian Airlines DC-8 from Copenhagen, had cleared Customs and had left. Only this well-dressed American woman posed a problem, insisting that all "she had bought in Europe was some perfume, costume, jewellery, and shoes. The total declared value was ninety dollars – ten dollars less than the free exemption she was allowed. The young officer had been suspicious.

“Why should I sign anything?” Mrs. Harriet Du Barry Mossman demanded.

Standish glanced at an overhead clock; it was a quarter to eleven. He still had time to finish this and reach Flight Two before it left. He answered patiently, “To make things easier for you, madam. We’re merely asking you to confirm in writing what you’ve already told us. You say the dresses were purchased...”

“How many times must I tell you? They were bought in Chicago and New York before I left for Europe; so were the sweaters. The coat was a gift- purchased in the United States. I received it six months ago.”

Why, Harry Standish wondered, did people do it? All the statements just made, he knew with certainty, were lies.

To begin with, the dresses – six, all of good quality – had had their labels removed. No one did that innocently, women were usually proud of the labels in quality clothes. More to the point – the workmanship of the dresses was unmistakably French; so was the styling of the fur coat- though a Saks Fifth Avenue label had been sewn unskilfully in the coat lining.

What people like Mrs. Mossman failed to realize was that a trained Customs man didn’t need to see labels to know where garments originated. Cutting, stitching – even the way a zipper was put in – were like familiar handwriting, and equally distinctive.

The same thing was true of the three expensive sweaters. They also were without labels, and were unmistakably from Scotland, in typical British shades, not available in the United States. When a U.S. store ordered similar sweaters, the Scottish mills made them in much brighter colours, which the North American market favored. All this, and much else, Customs officers learned as part of their training.

Mrs. Mossman asked, “What happens if I sign the form?”

“Then you may, go, madam.”

“And take my things with me? All my things?”

“Yes.”

“Supposing I refuse to sign?”

“Then we shall be obliged to detain you here while we continue the investigation.”

There was the briefest hesitation, then: “Very well. You fill out the form; I’ll sign”.

“No, madam; you fill it out. Now here, please describe the items, and alongside where, you say, they were obtained. Please, give the names of the stores; also from whom you received the fur coat as a gift...”

He waited while Mrs. Mossman completed the form and signed it.

Commencing tomorrow, an investigative officer would begin checking out the statement, Mrs. Mossman had just made. The dresses and sweaters would be requisitioned, and taken to the stores where she claimed they were purchased; the fur jacket would be -shown to Saks Fifth Avenue, who would undoubtedly disown it. Mrs. Mossman – though she didn’t know it yet – was in for a great deal of trouble, including some heavy Customs duty to be paid, and almost certainly a stiff fine.

“Madam,” Inspector Standish said, “is there anything else you wish to declare?”

Mrs. Mossman snapped indignantly, “There certainly isn’t!”

“In that case, madam”, Inspector Standish said, “will you kindly open your handbag?”

For the first time the haughty woman betrayed uncertainty. “But surely, purses are never inspected. I’ve been through Customs many times...”

“Normally they are not. But we do have the right.”

Asking to see the contents of a woman’s handbag was a rarity, like a man’s pocket, a handbag was considered personal and almost never looked into. But when an individual chose to be difficult, Customs men could be difficult too. Reluctantly, Mrs. Harriet Du Barry Mossman opened her purse.

Harry Standish inspected a lipstick and a gold compact. When he probed the powder in the compact, he extracted a diamond and ruby ring; he blew the powder on the ring away.

There was a tube of hand lotion, partially used. Unrolling the tube, he could see that the bottom had been opened. When he pressed the tube near the top, there was something hard inside. He wondered when would-be smugglers would come up with something original. Such old tricks! He had seen them all many times. Mrs. Mossman was noticeably pale.

“Madam,” Inspector Standish said, “I have to leave for a short while, but I’ll be back. In any case, this is going to take some time.” He instructed the young Customs officer beside him, “Inspect everything else very carefully. Check the linings of the bag and cases, the seams and hems of all the clothes. Make a list. You know what to do.”

He was leaving when Mrs. Mossman called after him. “Officer!” He stopped. “Yes, madam.”

“About the coat and dresses... perhaps I did make a mistake... I was confused. I did buy them, and there are some other things...”

Standish shook his head. What people never seemed to learn was that there had to be a ‘cut-off’ point somewhere; after that, cooperation was too late. He saw that the young officer had found something else.

“Please! I beg of you... my husband...”

Conversation 4

Act out the dialogue between Standish and Mrs. Mossman.

Стэндиш: Мадам, Вам следует внести поправки в Ваше заявление.

Моссмен: Боже мой, почему вы так недоверчивы и подозрительны?

С.(вежливо): Я еще раз прошу Вас сделать поправки по поводу этих вещей, платьев, свитеров и мехового жакета.

М.: Даже не подумаю. Более того, я расскажу об учиненном мне допросе адвокату моего мужа.

С.: Тогда подпишите этот бланк.

М.: С какой стати я должна что-то подписывать?

С.: Мадам, Вы сказали, что эти платья были Вами приобретены…

М.: Сколько же раз должна я повторять одно и то же. Я покупала их в Чикаго и в Нью-Йорке перед отъездом в Европу. Так же, как и свитера. А этот жакет – подарок и куплен тоже в США. Мне подарили его полгода назад.

С.: Но почему со всех Ваших платьев спороты ярлыки?

М.: Предположим, я подпишу этот бланк

С.: После этого Вы будете свободны, мадам.

М.: А если нет.

С.: Мы будем вынуждены задержать Вас, пока не закончим расследование.

(Миссис Моссмен заполняет бланк и подписывает его)

С.: Мы должны временно реквизировать платья и свитера с тем, чтобы отправить их для опознания в магазины, где они якобы были приобретены.

М.: О, боже!

С.: Имеются ли у Вас еще какие-либо предметы, мадам, о которых Вы хотели бы упомянуть в декларации?

М.: Конечно, нет.

С.: В таком случае, мадам, не будете ли Вы так любезны открыть сумочку?

М.: Насколько мне известно, дамские сумочки никогда не осматриваются.

С.: Как правило, но за нами сохраняется это право. Взгляните, под пластинкой пудры находится кольцо с бриллиантом и рубином, а в тюбике с кремом для рук – что-то твердое. Мы вынуждены проверить подкладку в сумке, дно и швы чемодана.

М.: Инспектор, прошу Вас…..

С.: Вы слишком далеко зашли …..