Small-town charm and lack of pretense are, of course, among the many great things about Longyearbyen. I just wrapped up an hour-long "exit interview" with Svalbard Gov. Per Sefland, who is departing Sept. 15, and headed over to my usual writing spot at Fruene. Turns out we both made a beeline for the coffee shop, since he arrived seconds afterward (he's a fan of the fried egg and bacon sandwiches, which are probably the most popular food item there).
Ever the annoying journalist, I obviously had to wedge in another informal question, following up on his earlier remark about more international delegations coming here by asking who's the most interesting dignitary he's met. But, like asking an athlete about his toughest opponent, the governor's well-schooled in wry diplomacy ("I think I'd better not say.").
It also seems the machine was having some kind of trouble reading his credit card. I can just see that scene with Obama: FOX News and the wingnuts claiming he' s a Kenyan Muslim leading a Nazi-like indoctrination of kids by urging them to stay in school would have made it a scandal for months.
He got the sandwich to go. I'm pretty sure that was his plan all along.
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