Key to a Smile ☺♥

A few years ago, Rich and I were on a long queue going through US immigration/customs. The mood was flat. Officials were bored and seemed to be working on stern-auto pilot. The faces of travellers were weary and couldn't be bothered. Which is always the case when you are finishing up a holiday. No one is ready to go back to their humdrum lives - but not us. I have missed Australia. I couldn't get home fast enough. "Get me outta here" - my soul silently pleaded.

Anyways...

A lady immigration officer ninja-reacted to a key dropping on the ground further to her right. "Somebody dropped their key!" she called out to those who have already moved past her line - she repeated it again in a booming voice.

Me - always a sticky beak, craned my neck and looked at the key on the ground, then spoke out loud:

"It is a corned beef key!" - describing exactly what I saw.

The stern-auto pilot lady looked at me, looked at the key and broke into a smile. Then she laughed out loud: "A corned beef key indeed hahahaha!"

I do not know why it was funny but a few faces lightened up after that short statement. Rich looked at me and softly laughed too. (But he always think I say hilarious things - part of his job description as husband.)

Who would have thought that a corn beef key - which for many years as a young girl always managed to break half-way causing me grief - would make a stern-looking US immigration official crack a smile and a laugh?

No idea - but I was so happy I was on my way home.