A small angry looking Vietnamese man gestures that I should sit. He is smartly dressed. I sit. He pours me a cup of tea in a small cup with a small saucer.  He passes me the tea, and I thank him. He does not make eye contact, or acknowledge my thanks. The tea is luke warm. The guard post is sparsely furnished. He pours himself a tea, tastes it, and, finding it to be substandard, splashes its contents through the open door. Silently and without looking at me he takes the teapot and leaves the guard post. I sit in silence sipping my cold tea. Several minutes later the small angry looking man returns with a pot of hot tea. He pours me a fresh cup and gestures that I should drink. Again, he makes no eye contact, and no acknowledgment of my thanks. He pours himself a cup and sips in silence. I try to decide whether or not to ask about the stolen phone. I frame the question on a translation app on my phone. I can’t decide whether or not to show him the question. He finishes his tea and leaves the guard post without looking at me. I sit for a while, sipping my tea. And sit for a while more. I leave the guard post. There is nobody around. I stand waiting, wondering what to do next.

I have just met Mr N. He is my girlfriend’s father. We are never introduced.

His casual dismissal of me is masterful.

– Patrick Johnston