Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Ted...Here in Phoenix they are on high alert for mischievous looking people... ;-) Steve > A note in the changing airport security saga. One must keep relaxed and > roll with it. > > I walked through the metal detector frame. beeeep! "excuse me sir would > you come over here and lift your foot?" the polite security guard in the > Phoenix airport asked. > > "Sure thing." Sat down wand went over shoes, "Please take your shoes off > sir." Did so, they went through another scanner. Meanwhile my white > stockinged feet were swept with the wand. Shoes returned and had to walk > through metal detector again. > > "Beeeeeep!" "Sir would you take your belt off, please. And walk through > again". "Beeeeeeep again! Meanwhile I'm trying to hold my pants up and walk > at the same time. "Sir would you step over here please." Two more guys > enter the scene, one with my bionic ear control and little pack of 4 > batteries that went through the scanner in a tray along with gear shoulder > bag. > > "would you tell us what this is for , sir?" "My bionic ears." They look > puzzled, "my hearing aids." They look at my ears. > "Oh." Can you turn them on with this control please?" "Aahhhh they're on > or I wouldn't really be able to hear you." I smiled, they didn't! > > "Oh ." says he. And takes the wand sweeping it on each side of my head. > "Beeeeeep....beeeeep!" then hands me the aid control and batteries."OK sir, > would you please step over here." Now new guy has all my exposed film which > I asked could they please do a hand check and if that was a problem, then > just put it through the scanner and I'll be on my way to plane. The original > guy had indicated it wasn't a problem and passed the clear plastic bag with > about 80 to another. > > Now with my belt returned to pants I could at least pick-up my M7 to > shoulder. My wife was guarding gear bag. > > So young guy and I walk behind a screened area where there are a couple of > scanner type machines. He takes large tweezers, grips piece of cloth and > swabs it inside the plastic bag of film. Place cloth in machine... all > looks good. > > Now he reaches into the bag, takes a handful of film and begins to examine > each roll, carefully examining the end caps of the cassette to see if they'd > been pried off. I'm beginning to think I may get the plane the next day, my > wife is looking concerned and at her watch.... we still have lots of time... > that is, unless he looks at 80 rolls of film one at a time. > > Finally halfway through the bag he does another swab with cloth inside the > bag, finds nothing and says, "Thank you sir, have a nice flight." Smiles and > walks away. I smile and say, "thanks." > > Oh well that's life in the new world. ;-) > ted > Ted Grant Photography Limited > www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html