Extra mag thread reminded me of airport incident-long story
Let's travel back in time to 1988 when I was pregnant with #2 (child that is for the newbies, I have 4 so they are numbered for reference.)
Anywho, I was, at the time, a substance abuse counselor and living in Germany. One of the continuing education courses I had to take was only offered at Ft. Sam Houston, TX (BAMC). I packed a suitcase and placed it in a larger suitcase for the trip back to the States. I was going to take advantage of my travels to do a little Texas size shopping. The second suitcase would be available to be packed for the return trip.
Spousal unit requested boots and I was going to get a pair for me as well. Fitting items since I would be in boot country. Shopping at a mall as opposed to the PX (military shop) was great and I found boots. Welllll, spousal unit decides we both need cowboy hats, so I returned to the mall and was able to locate his and hers matching chapeaus.
Since it had been a couple of years of being overseas, my parents drove down from Missouri to visit the last couple of days I was there. The day of my return flight they took me to the airport on their way home.
We arrived at the airport with me now lugging two large suitcases filled with goodies. Alas, the hats would not fit into the luggage. Being the clever person that I am, I wore them both, placing my hat upon my head and the spousal unit's larger hat on top of mine.
I was met at the curb by a skycap who offered to assist me into the terminal. I had no small bills/change for tips so I asked my parental units if they might have anything. My mom reached into the glove compartment where she had a stash of change balled up in a paper towel. She handed it to me, we said our farewell and they were on their way.
Skycap and I entered the airport, arrived at the counter and I opened the paper towel to give said gentleman a handful of change.
Picture this, a very pregnant woman, wearing two cowboy hats preparing to board an international flight. As I opened the towel a .44 mag hollow point hits the floor and rolls, what seemed like forever, across the tile. I picked it up and handed it to the skycap explaining he could have it as well.
I approached the counter where I was politely asked to step into a small room I didn't even know existed. My luggage was completely unpacked, strip searched and alerted to the baggage handlers. You see, not only did I have ammo roll across the floor, I had packed a double bell alarm clock. It was still ticking. I needed to insure I was up each day on time. That big, noisy thing always worked even if the electricity failed.
Flight was uneventful and I landed safely in Frankfurt. When I called home to let my parental units know I had arrived safely I profusely thanked my mother for being a .44 Ruger Semi-Auto Rifle gun toting woman.
Anywho, I was, at the time, a substance abuse counselor and living in Germany. One of the continuing education courses I had to take was only offered at Ft. Sam Houston, TX (BAMC). I packed a suitcase and placed it in a larger suitcase for the trip back to the States. I was going to take advantage of my travels to do a little Texas size shopping. The second suitcase would be available to be packed for the return trip.
Spousal unit requested boots and I was going to get a pair for me as well. Fitting items since I would be in boot country. Shopping at a mall as opposed to the PX (military shop) was great and I found boots. Welllll, spousal unit decides we both need cowboy hats, so I returned to the mall and was able to locate his and hers matching chapeaus.
Since it had been a couple of years of being overseas, my parents drove down from Missouri to visit the last couple of days I was there. The day of my return flight they took me to the airport on their way home.
We arrived at the airport with me now lugging two large suitcases filled with goodies. Alas, the hats would not fit into the luggage. Being the clever person that I am, I wore them both, placing my hat upon my head and the spousal unit's larger hat on top of mine.
I was met at the curb by a skycap who offered to assist me into the terminal. I had no small bills/change for tips so I asked my parental units if they might have anything. My mom reached into the glove compartment where she had a stash of change balled up in a paper towel. She handed it to me, we said our farewell and they were on their way.
Skycap and I entered the airport, arrived at the counter and I opened the paper towel to give said gentleman a handful of change.
Picture this, a very pregnant woman, wearing two cowboy hats preparing to board an international flight. As I opened the towel a .44 mag hollow point hits the floor and rolls, what seemed like forever, across the tile. I picked it up and handed it to the skycap explaining he could have it as well.
I approached the counter where I was politely asked to step into a small room I didn't even know existed. My luggage was completely unpacked, strip searched and alerted to the baggage handlers. You see, not only did I have ammo roll across the floor, I had packed a double bell alarm clock. It was still ticking. I needed to insure I was up each day on time. That big, noisy thing always worked even if the electricity failed.
Flight was uneventful and I landed safely in Frankfurt. When I called home to let my parental units know I had arrived safely I profusely thanked my mother for being a .44 Ruger Semi-Auto Rifle gun toting woman.
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Nowadays, you would be on the No-Fly list. 0 -
Back when I travelled for business......late 90's...... I actually made it through security and onto a plane with a 12 ga shell in my computer briefcase (I can only surmise that it fell off of my home office desk when I was packing up). 0 -
What a difference. There was a time when I was doing extraditions and flew on commercial airlines armed, now I can't even carry a small pocket knife.
Times, they are a changin.0 -
when I returned home from Viet Nam with 2 war trophy rifles I carried them onto the plane and handed them to the flight stewardess. 0
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