1930

An item in Bob Keene's June Thirtyteer reminded me of an incident long past, which I don't think I've ever mentioned in this column. It happened that in 1960 Liela, my late wife, and I were guests at a dinner party in Amman, Jordan, at which the other guests were a group of English-speaking Jordanian government and business officials.

You'll remember that I spent almost a quarter century in the U.S. Foreign Service, sometimes called the Diplomatic Service, sometimes other things. For six years I was on the staff of the State Department's Inspector General, two years as executive officer for his headquarters, following four years, 1958-1961, as a traveling inspector—and I emphasize traveling, as every U.S embassy and consulate in the world was supposed, by statute, to be inspected every two years. What did we inspect? Everything from the ambassador down, almost, to the kitchen sink. In fact, one ambassador, a Dartmouth alumnus, cabled the State Department, "Get these guys out of here. They're even counting the toilet paper."

It was expected that embassy officers would invite the inspectors to their homes, not just to entertain them (though it was a welcome change from hotels), but as an opportunity to demonstrate how they'd adjusted to the local scene and how well they'd cultivated influential locals.

So, back to dinner in Amman. Our table conversation had wandered onto the subject of colleges, and I mentioned Dartmouth, of course. One of the Jordanians turned to me and asked, "Did you ever meet a Dr. Francis Horn?" He had been a student of Fran's at the American University in Cairo. He took a business card from his wallet, scribbled a message on the back, and said, "Give this to Fran. Let's see if he remembers any Arabic." I did eventually deliver the card, and Fran remembered.

It might be interesting if the Horns, the Chuck Jacobses, and I could compile our lifetime mileage.

Now, to defend my boasting rights, I must tell you that I'm writing this column weeks before its September 15 deadline, because on that date I'll be cruising the South China Sea, between Nha Trang and Guangzhou.

318 Los Rincones, Green Valley, AZ 85614-2937