| Screener: |
Is this your laptop, sir? |
| Rick: |
Yes sir, it is. Is there a problem? |
| Screener: |
(Stands; Line comes to a stop; Whispers.) Yes. There is. |
| Rick: |
Um, okay? I took it out of my backpack like I was supposed to … |
| Screener: |
You did. But what did you do then? |
| Rick: |
… I don’t understand? |
| Screener: |
You put your shoes into the bin — on the laptop. |
| Rick: |
Yeah. Was I not supposed to? I just figured it was a waste of a bin … |
| Screener: |
Do you know what sneakers look like in one of these machines? |
| Rick: |
Absolutely no idea, sir. |
| Screener: |
(Lowers voice even lower.) Plastic explosives. |
| Rick: |
!!! |
| Screener: |
Yes, sir. Explosives. |
| Rick: |
!!! |
| Screener: |
You see how this might be a problem, sir? |
| Rick: |
Um, yeah. |
| Screener: |
That’s why we ask for your laptop in a bin by itself. No extra wires or cables or anything else. |
| Rick: |
I see. |
| Screener: |
When we see something that looks like sophisticated electronics and something that looks like plastic explosives on the same screen … |
| Rick: |
… you get a little twitchy. Yeah, sorry about that. I had no idea. |
| Screener: |
Most people don’t, sir. That’s why I prefer to take the time and explain things. |
| Rick: |
Well, thanks, I guess. |
| Screener: |
Have a nice flight, sir. |
Published by Rick Osborne
I am a web geek who has been doing this sort of thing entirely too long. I rant, I muse, I whine. That is, I am not at all atypical for my breed.
View more posts