NATO in Dayton: Part 2

Inside the Dialogue Forum

By Carl Teichrib

Both K and L Streets were barricaded with a police presence, and the north end of Rubicon Street was closed, too. Driving around the south side of the block where the Raymond L. Fitz Hall backs against Rubicon, we found our one-and-only entrance into the grounds surrounding the Roger Glass Center, part of the University of Dayton. Here, a university police officer stopped our car. My partner George, an analyst on global security issues, rolled down his driver’s side window.

“I need to see your university card,” stated the officer matter-of-factly.

“We’re here for the NATO Forum,” explained George. “We’re not part of the university.”

“Well, I need to see your university ID. You can’t go in without it.”

---

---

George looked at me, then to the guard, and tried again to explain the situation. The officer wasn’t budging. While the two were drawing an impasse, I fished out my wallet.

“Here’s my ID,” I said to the guard, flashing him my card from the passenger side.

“Oh, ok. Thanks. Have a good day,” and he waved us through.

“But… but…,” George was still engaging, even as he started the car rolling.

“Just drive,” I said quietly. “No worries, just drive.”

As we left the check point George gave me a curious look: “You don’t have a university ID. What did you show him?”

I held up my card.

“But that’s your driver’s license,” my partner said incredulously. “And you’re not even from this country!”

“That’s right. Sometimes you show what you have, without showing what they want .”