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Airport Security

By: Andrew & Donna Hanasik
My wife Donna recently went to visit her sister and brother-in-law in northern Florida. She flew out on a Sunday afternoon and was to stay a couple of days to catch up on family memories. I flew out on the following Wednesday afternoon to meet her in central Florida to spend a few days in Orlando and catch the first event of the racing year at Daytona (Budweiser Shootout). The time spent in Orlando was great, Daytona was a wash out (could not stay and catch rescheduled race), and after much walking in Orlando and seating in Daytona, it was time to return home. We had only packed carry-on bags, so there was no luggage to check in. When we went thru the security checkpoint, one of our carry-on bags was stopped in the x-ray machine. The guards were discussing the contents of, or better yet a particular item within this bag. One of the guards brought the bag over to us and asked us to remove all items within it as the x-ray machine detected something that looked like a “dagger” or a “double ended knife”. Well as it was my wife’s bag, she took all of the contents out and we found nothing the even remotely resembled anything like what they had said was showing up on the x-ray machine. The guard asks us to put the items back into the bag then he took the bag and ran it thru the x-ray machine again. Well they stopped it again and described the item this time as an “eagle with wings outspread”. My wife face turned red as she explained that her brother-in-law had found this item and though that his brother-in-law (myself) would love to have it. Donna had put this item into her carry-on bag on Wednesday when she left her sisters place with the intent of surprising me with it when we returned home and had forgotten about it. The Guard brought the bag over to us again and my wife opened the front compartment and pulled out an AERO BIRD emblem about 8 to 9 inched long metal item that look like an “eagle with wings outspread”. The guard looked at us with a funny look like “what’s going on here”. My wife explained (with a very red face) that we have a 1964 Thunderbird at home and her brother-in-law though that Andy would really love this Thunderbird emblem. Then the guard ask us if we had a “54” or a “64” Thunderbird? My response was a 1964. I did not ask if he was mistaken with the term “54” or if he knew that the Thunderbird were not produced until 1955 model or was just testing us and a response of “54” may have resulted in a trip behind the security desk for further integration. Well the guards accepted our explanation and we were allowed to proceed on to await our plane and return home with the Thunderbird emblem.

P.S.

Those security guards really do have a tough job. Moving as many people as possible through checkpoints and still maintaining the security of the flying public. I would rather spend extra time in line and watch as people complain to the security guards because they forgot to take the watch out of their pocket setting off the alarms than getting to the waiting area early and just have to wait longer for the plane to arrive. In addition, who want a malcontent getting onto your flight and doing something much more serious?

HERE’S TO THOSE SECURITY GUARDS