How Far From Washington to New York

So I walk into a shop in Islamabad to get some visa photos made, and decide to wait outside for them to be developed. Two guys outside the store start to talk to me, and ask me how far it is from Washington to New York. I start to ask miles or hours, and they also say they want Washington State. Seems the one guy, who is in his 50’s, is going to go to U of W law school in Seattle, and they are betting how long it takes to fly from NY to Seattle. I settled the bet with a 5 hours answer. I should have gotten a cut.

There is nothing remarkable about this story--and that is why it seems so remarkable. All over the world there are guys sitting around, betting about how far it is from Seattle to New York, or discussing politics, or just doing nothing. And if you try just a little, they will engage you, and the next thing you know, a country you were a bit afraid of becomes a special place.