Confederatio Helvetica

 Do you need a CH sticker? my friend texted me the other day. We were making plans for her visit this weekend, and I had suggested a Swiss restaurant that is a favorite of ours.

I have one! I replied. Always. You?

She sent a picture of her back bumper festooned not only with the oval sticker that all Swiss drivers are required to have before entering another country, but also the crest of the canton of Ticino and a Collina d'oro sticker as well. 

I wasn't surprised, but I was impressed. The two of us met over 45 years ago at boarding school in Lugano, Switzerland, and despite the fact that I have lived in the U.S. since graduating in 1979,  I have had the sticker required by the 1968 international convention on road travel on every car I've owned, from my yellow 1976 VW Rabbit to the 2017 Subaru Outback I drive today. Maybe it's because of all the places in the world I have been fortunate enough to visit, to me Switzerland remains the most beautiful.

Over the years it's been kind of interesting who has recognized the sticker at all. Our school social worker once came to my room to tell me that she had driven into the parking lot behind me. "What's your connection with Switzerland?" she asked, and I was confused until she mentioned the sticker. "My mother was from Basel," she told me, "and I used to spend every summer there with my grandparents."

Another time I was riding shotgun in my car with my sister at the wheel. We were in Atlanta, where she lives, and it made more sense for her to drive. At a red light, a car pulled up to us on the passenger side. The man driving gestured wildly for me to roll down the window. 

Honestly? It was my instinct to ignore him, but my sister shrugged and suggested I see what he wanted.

"CH!" he cried when at last he knew I could hear him. "Switzerland!"

"Yes," I nodded.

"The most beautiful country on Earth!" he said.

"No question!" I agreed with a smile. 

The light changed, he gave me a thumbs up, and we were both on our way.

"Aren't you glad you rolled down the window?" my sister asked.