Monday, September 20, 2010

Beer For Breakfast

On Saturday we took Randy to the airport for his trip back to New Mexico, his flight was scheduled to take off at about 12:30 so allowing an hour for us to park and get inside, to check his bags and to get him headed to the right gate and another hour to drive the 40 minute trip allowing for traffic, Cindy figured we would leave the house at 9:30 OK I’m not a math whiz but this is a bit more than two hours and we are going to get there way too early I tell her, better safe than sorry she says and it also allows time for Cindy and Randy to hit the Jack in the Box for the tacos that they serve which they both love and I can’t even stand the smell of but that’s a whole other blog post.

We left right on time and made our way through Jack in The Box, the crunching of greasy tacos blended into the sound of traffic on the freeway as we made our way to the airport in record time, we found a parking spot right up front so the walk was short across the street to the terminals, I decided to use my cane since we would be making a short walk and for sure would not be going through security anyway, for those who have been here for a while remember Cindy’s run in with security in Why We Don’t Fly, well today would be my turn.
Walking across the street we are scanning the signs for the Airline Randy would be using and guess what? It was no where to be seen, a gentleman who works there asked if he could direct us and to make a long story short his reply to where the airline was included pointing in the distance and saying about half a mile that way in the other terminal, heck I didn’t know there was another terminal so we opted to take the shuttle rather than pay two parking fees and we were off to the correct terminal again in record time, entering the terminal there was absolutely no line and Randy’s bags were checked and gone in less than five minutes, he was directed to the security check point at the top of the stairs with the warning that it was still over two hours before his flight was leaving. Cindy asked if we could go and sit with him to wait and we were told absolutely not, we said our goodbyes and walked toward the door when the lady called us back saying that she could make an exception for us, this required our ID’s and her printing out a non passenger ticket for us to go upstairs with Randy, this I was not expecting or I would have emptied my pockets in the van but hoping that since I was not flying that my pocket contents would not be that big of an issue, Wrong!

I emptied my pockets into the required basket, removed my boots and had my cane taken away and replaced with a bright orange one until I could get through security, Randy and Cindy were already through when my #8 OT Old Timer Pocketknife and my Nail Clippers an actual give away item from the old Fuller Brush Company were tagged as Weapons Of Mass Destruction and were immediately scheduled to be disposed of, OK now this ain’t happening I told them, heck we are just seeing him off can’t you just hold them for a little bit till I can say goodbye, Nope they will have to be disposed of, I pick up my things and put them back in my pocket, I am placing my boots back on and ask for my cane to be sent back to me, Randy is holding his hands up wanting to know what is happening, I tell him I have to go back downstairs because of my knife and clippers and I would either go back to the van or wait for his Mom downstairs, he says OK and walks back to the Plexiglas divider between the secure and non secure area and gives me a hug, you would have thought we had just robbed a bank because we had made contact between the areas and Randy was immediately removed from the secure area and directed back to the line going into the secure area, he then had to be rechecked, removing his pocket contents, boots the whole nine yards along with instruction to not make contact across the divider again.
Waiting on the Plane
A security guard came to me because I was obviously going the wrong way in the line, making a stand not giving up my weapons of mass destruction to be destroyed, asking what my problem was I told her I just wanted to see my son off and needed someone to hold my pocketknife, she said if I gave it to her that I would not get it back and I needed to go back to the lady who had given me the ticket to come upstairs and have her hold it, Cindy had made her way back out by this time and down stairs we went to get the same reply from the ticket counter, next choice was to either give up my stand, leave or take the bus back to the van a half mile away and empty my pockets there and catch another back, we passed the information counter and Cindy told the lady there our predicament to which she glared at me saying, “The last time I flew out of here I was by myself and they took my knife from me, I’ll hold your knife for you” her glare showed me that her fellow workers having no compassion for her gave her the compassion to help me make a point of not giving up my possessions. She took my knife and clippers too because you know they are sharp and considered a weapon and we headed back upstairs.

By this time with all the walking we had done and me on a cane rather than my crutches my blood sugar had dropped to the point that I really needed to eat, Randy popped off that what we really needed after all of this was a beer and when my senses started coming back I was sitting at a table with Randy and Cindy eating a Schlotzskys Sandwich and drinking a draft beer that only cost me about thirty bucks the approximate cost of replacing my knife had I given it up, realistically I enjoyed the sandwich and beer with Randy a whole lot more than shopping for a replacement knife, I know beer for breakfast may not be a good thing for low blood sugar but it sure tasted good with that sandwich.
Lunch at the airport
Cindy got some time with Randy while waiting for his plane to come in and I got my so called weapons of mass destruction returned on my way out, next time we come to the airport we will know which terminal to park at and for me to have empty pockets before entering whether I am flying or not, Cindy didn’t have fifteen lighters this time nor did she make any statements about blowing up planes, it was Randy who got kicked to the back of the line for hugging me and I who made a stand on an issue that is really serious but was not one where I was hiding anything in my shoe.
Cindy with Randy right before his plane left

18 comments:

  1. Jimmy! What an ordeal!! You criminal, you....

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  2. Gracious Jimmy.. I got exhausted reading this.. in a good way.. por you.. talk about needing the patience of Job and TWO beers.. You always tell your stories so well..

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  3. Beer is good any time, day or night.
    I am sorry you had to go through this.
    Remember in the old days, when flying was FUN?

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  4. This is hilarious...my hubby had the choice of his pocket knife being confiscated or mailing it to himself...because it was sentimental, he paid more to have it mailed than the monetary worth of the knife! When I was a haridresser, I had to go to the courthouse for something, and happened to have my haircutting scissors in my purse...yeah, same deal!!!!

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  5. Hey Betty, I was just waiting for the cuffs to come out Ha Ha

    Thank You Lynne, I did get more walking done than I intended and patience seems to get me further than none, Two beers coulda worked :)

    Yes Sir Joe, but if you have one before noon you have to call it coffee Ha Ha I do remember when flying was fun, better to drive now.

    Suzi, I'm with Dirtman, I would have mailed this one had it come down to it, I'm all for security just not a fan of it being taken to the limit when it's not necessary, like your scissors they could have been held and given back.

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  6. Gosh, some of this security gets totally ridiculous at times....and the Security Guards just love it!
    Yes, if it came to it, I would have mailed it to myself too!

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  7. Yes Alice it seems some of them really love it and are going to go out of their way to show you who is Boss.

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  8. Oh my. What a fuss. This is a reason to buy a motor home and travel, right? I hope to do that one day. I hate to fly and I hate the fuss. I am happy you are all calm and relaxed now. You guys have fun and enjoy. I loved reading your story. You are a great writer and photo taker.

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  9. first off, the beer...
    We used to always say, "it's five o'clock somewhere!" Now we always say, "it's 10 o'clock (am) somewhere!"

    you are a better man than I am. I probably would have escalated the whole "security" part of it into something much bigger. I just can't stand people who have a little bit of power acting like they are god. I'd have probably told them to go back to their previous job at Mcdonalds...or worse...

    good post Jimmy! stay away from airports...

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  10. Jeeseh! What an ordeal.
    Glad you got a beer at the end of it all!
    :)

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  11. Thank You Luisa, I am honored by your words my Friend, I always loved to fly but in light of the problems with security makes me love road trips even more :)

    Hey Pat, With the 10AM mark I wasn't too far off so it worked out well. Yes Sir I have respect for authority unless they are on a power trip and throw common sense out the window, makes you wonder if they were the kid who got beat up in high school Ha Ha

    Thank You Sir, Flying may be quicker but driving is more fun.

    Hey Dawn, The beer was a well deserved one I am thinking, Randy had a good idea there.

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  12. I hate airports of any kind. I just can't find anything good to say about them. It is an ordeal it seems even when you are not the one traveling. I think in this case you had the breakfast of champions...beer! I hope it took the edge off at least.

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  13. Hey Susie, Since the increase in security I am like you in that I hate going to the airports, especially when the security people take their "powers" to the limit like this.

    Breakfast of champions along with the company and beer was the best.

    I knew you would understand my dear Friend :)

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  14. Stupid airport security. I had to check my bag because I tried to bring a jar of fig jam aboard the plane... I can empathize. I thought nail clippers were allowed though...

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  15. Kristy, Must have been some pretty serious fig jam Ha Ha, sad thing is I wasn't even trying to get on the plane, should have let Randy carry them :^)

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  16. Things have gotten ridiculous and it's not just with flying. When we visited the St. Louis Arch last time a security guard came up and asked to look in my purse (yes, a mom with two kids age 11 & 9, did I look like a terrorist?!) and I was worried she'd confiscate my boy scout pocket knife. Luckily she overlooked it. Go you for making a stand! And kudos to the lady who helped you out.

    And beer is totally a breakfast drink. =]

    ♥Spot

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  17. Hubby would have went insane if they told him they was going to destroy his Old Timer Pocketknife! That is just crazy! There is no reason why they can't hold on to it for a while.
    I'm so grateful we don't do airports!! What a hassle!

    Glad no one got in trouble and Randy was on his way.

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  18. Hey Spot, I am surprised you didn't get questioned on the Boy Scout pocket knife, security is a good thing unless common sense is thrown out for a power trip.

    Heather, We would have really had a problem had they confiscated mine too, I was proud to meet the lady who held on to it for me.

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