The Foreign Service Journal, February 2006

I love the exchanges; it reminds me of Ed Murrow’s exhortation to my entry- level class in 1960 that the most important distance our communica- tions have to cover is “the last three feet.” As a Steamboat ambassador, I stay three feet from our guests for most of my day. On occasion, I’ve gotten in over my head, like the time I was asked to take members of the Spanish national ski team on a tour of the mountain. For a couple of hours, I chased three Olympic ski racers in their 20s through the trees and down our black diamond terrain. I was 68 at the time and had never raced anyone but my 10-year-old. It didn’t take long to realize that my skiing skills were not up to Olympic standards and that my S-4 in Spanish needed work. But at the end of the tour, they thanked me profusely for not getting in their way, and presented me with a national ski team cap that I treasure. More commonly, however, my tour is composed of families and skiers whose skills are less advanced than those of the Spanish team. Also, they come from lower altitudes and are struggling to catch their breath in the Rockies, whereas I sleep at 7,200 feet every night, ski about 100 days each season and hike the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness in sum- mer. I take some pleasure in having a 30-something hotshot from New York or Washington beg me to stop for a break. In addition to the mountain tour, we help the ski patrol clear the moun- tain at closing time. It’s a highly struc- tured operation because we don’t want to leave any injured or lost skier out there overnight to freeze to death. Nothing compares to the beauty of “sweep” at the end of the day: making your way slowly down the mountain in the evening twilight, without another soul in sight; light snow gently falling, and not a sound but the swishing of your turning skis. It’s pure poetry, a soul-stirring experience. Retirement to a mountain town is not everyone’s idea of paradise. The winters are long, the summers short. F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 6 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 53 I anticipated problems in acquiring an identity: If I am not in an embassy or the Department of State, who am I? — Kiki Harris SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE AMERICA S I NCE 1 9 7 1 2006 represents our 36 th year helping to maintain America’s fleet of vehicles throughout the world. All of us at D & M consider it an honor to have worked with all of you through these years. We are aware of the importance of your official and private vehicles, forklifts, generators, tools and equipment. We look forward to continuing this service in a professional manner. We are here to help, just ask! Gary Vlahov www.dmauto.com (516) 822-6662; FAX: (516) 822-5020; E-mail: info@dmauto.com