Finally arrived here in Detroit but not without some trouble in Elmira. I've had the worst time with security lately. I got pulled out of line in Kansas City two weeks ago as I had forgotten I had a mini multi-tool in a remote area of my pack. Elmira missed it. Denver missed it but not Kansas City. Needless to say, I "surrendered" it but got to keep the case. How useful...an empty mini multi tool case. Hope I get another for Christmas...
Nothing of mine made it through security this morning except my PolarTREC issued laptop--thanks PolarTREC!--and me--thanks mom and dad!. My shoes were pulled out due to the small change purse I had mindlessly put inside. Both my briefcase and backpack were pulled out as well.
"Ma'am do you have anything sharp in here?" (Same pack as the one with previous "issues".)
"No!" I replied chortling...probably not a good idea.
Foot in mouth
I knew the rest of the story. He did not. I literally was racking my brain but knew that I had taken my Leatherman out last night...or had I?
As he started to unpack me, I realized that he was after the homemade jams--gifts for Stacy and Bob. With both bags completely unpacked now, clothes and other sundry items strewn about (and taking up half of the counter), he had to see if his supervisor considered my jams a threat to national security. They're considered a "liquid". Trust me. They are not "liquids", and they are certainly not a threat to national security! I almost offered him one, but quickly thought otherwise as I had no desire to be "detained" for bribing a TSA official. (That's probably a felony, isn't it?)
Needless to say, the jams were approved to travel, but I was left to repack-AGAIN! Do you have any idea how many times I packed and re-packed and re-re-packed last night and VERY early this morning?!?!? In all seriousness though, THANK GOD I decided not to put the jams in a small stuff sack...with my "unmentionables"...at the bottom of my pack. Can you imagine that little re-packing scene???
Embarassed