.MTQ1MQ.MTI1ODU5

[[handwritten in top margin: (of course, showing the passport in hotels, banks, etc. is de riguer [sic] in France). ]]

dead wrong, just didn't know, so gave that sort of crap. I think the first woman got angry because she didn't know. Later, I wished I'd tore into her. When my wife's social security check was held up for several months after she'd arroved [sic] back here, I wrote and told the embassy official who finally did send the check with a feeble excuse (despite two inquiries by us while the check was lyong [sic] on someone's desk) that there was too much deadwood, particularly bureaucratic British, in the joint, that if I had my say many would be home making tea. On that same day I had to renew my passport, and while the joint didn't appear to be very busy, I was told by another woman (Maltese, I think) that I should write for an appointment to have my passport renewed. I told her that the embassy was America, that we don't write for appointments on such routine matters. I told her I was going to see someone above her (a good old American ruse), so she finally got me the new passport, but I had to be sworn by an American embassy aide (a young Jewish-American lawyer). The whole matter was due to the fact that the English are so damned accustomed to form, moreover people in authority (including many doctors) like to talk down to people they feel may not be upper class.

 As to my forthcoming visit to England, I'd have preferred to wait until next year, but as I promised to take my daughter over there years ago, am now making good on my promise.
 Hot weather seems to be coming back here after a few nice days.

Regards, Mead P.S: There was an article on Jimmy Sheridan's soapbox days, in the Chicago Trib. on June 24, an article filled with distortions, about which more later. Jimmy has great difficulty in walking, so I take him by cab when we do go out. He seems to have all of his old exuberance now, whereas last year he didn't look too good. Probably too much medication then. Hope you received the Satevepost recently.