The Smaller Story
Having just read a news article in USA Today, I feel the need to comment.
It seems yesterday, a woman waiting to board a plane at Newark Airport discovered that she had left a butcher knife in her pocketbook. She had already gone through the security checkpoint, and fearful that she might be considered a terrorist, she immediately turned herself in. The security folks promptly removed the Xray guard from his post for retraining. The woman explained that she had forgotten to remove the butcher knife from her purse after she put it there "incase" while going on a blind date a week earlier. She was not charged, the knife was removed, and she went on her merry way back to North Carolina.
Now ... the big story, and the big picture is that the woman got past the security Xray machine with a butcher knife in her purse, and was about to board a plane, post 9/11/2001. But that's not so much what troubles me here.
The smaller story, and the smaller picture, is that this woman went on a blind date, apparently feeling so threatened beforehand that she may require slashing someone's throat, chest, back, or family jewels. Call me stupid, but if I were going on a blind date and was concerned enough to toss and butcher knife into my purse? I WOULDN'T BE GOING ON SAID BLIND DATE! What the hell does this babe bring with her to the dentist office? A howitzer?
I used to carry Mace with me. Well, not Mace exactly ... I carried a small black canister of CS gas, issued by the government to all mailmen. Somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody I knew decided I should tote this stuff around with me because of the area I worked in and commuted from late at night. It seemed like a good idea to me, what with my special brand of luck and all. But that was different. I wasn't heading out the door to be wined and dined by someone I clearly thought might need a shot of CS in the eye over the course of the evening!
The other thing that gave me a chuckle (thank you Ed) about this article is the image of this "security retraining" process. It must be very involved. They probably sit the guy behind a monitor and flash on the screen an Xray image of a purse with a butcher knife in it ... over, and over, and over, and over for about two hours ... then send him back to his post.
I don't know about you, but I feel more secure in the fact that the guard missed the image than the fact that people are going on dates nowadays armed with butcher knives!
Just makes me wonder.
It seems yesterday, a woman waiting to board a plane at Newark Airport discovered that she had left a butcher knife in her pocketbook. She had already gone through the security checkpoint, and fearful that she might be considered a terrorist, she immediately turned herself in. The security folks promptly removed the Xray guard from his post for retraining. The woman explained that she had forgotten to remove the butcher knife from her purse after she put it there "incase" while going on a blind date a week earlier. She was not charged, the knife was removed, and she went on her merry way back to North Carolina.
Now ... the big story, and the big picture is that the woman got past the security Xray machine with a butcher knife in her purse, and was about to board a plane, post 9/11/2001. But that's not so much what troubles me here.
The smaller story, and the smaller picture, is that this woman went on a blind date, apparently feeling so threatened beforehand that she may require slashing someone's throat, chest, back, or family jewels. Call me stupid, but if I were going on a blind date and was concerned enough to toss and butcher knife into my purse? I WOULDN'T BE GOING ON SAID BLIND DATE! What the hell does this babe bring with her to the dentist office? A howitzer?
I used to carry Mace with me. Well, not Mace exactly ... I carried a small black canister of CS gas, issued by the government to all mailmen. Somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody I knew decided I should tote this stuff around with me because of the area I worked in and commuted from late at night. It seemed like a good idea to me, what with my special brand of luck and all. But that was different. I wasn't heading out the door to be wined and dined by someone I clearly thought might need a shot of CS in the eye over the course of the evening!
The other thing that gave me a chuckle (thank you Ed) about this article is the image of this "security retraining" process. It must be very involved. They probably sit the guy behind a monitor and flash on the screen an Xray image of a purse with a butcher knife in it ... over, and over, and over, and over for about two hours ... then send him back to his post.
I don't know about you, but I feel more secure in the fact that the guard missed the image than the fact that people are going on dates nowadays armed with butcher knives!
Just makes me wonder.
posted by Weary Hag at 8:38 AM
5 Comments:
Carol,
I had often thought to bring along a butcher knife on some of my blind dates: yeah, to cut my own throat!
But, regarding that lady at the airport... hmmm, maybe JACK THE RIPPER wasn't a Jack, after all!? ;-)
*You are a joy to read!
Well! I'm glad I'm out of the dating game. How did she describe herself to the potential beau? I'll be wearing a red rose and a butcher's apron?
Maybe romantic restaurants need metal detectors too, or at the very least signs stating "Leave your weapons with the cloak room."
Oh, that is WAY too funny. I can't imagine ever thinking of bringing a butcher knife on a blind date. Might have helped that one time...just kidding.
There are some crazy people out there. Wow.
I enjoy your posts. Thank you. It's always a great moment to see a new post and know that I'm going to enjoy the story. You have a great talent Carol. Thank you for sharing it with the blogosphere.
Beth
Very interesting. Probably would have come in handy for this crazy psycho... would have made the job, well...a lot smoother I guess...
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Oh, my goodness. I can't believe it. If you don't trust the blind date, don't go on the date. Or, oh, I don't know, get some of your friends to go with you.
Can you imagine being the guy who met her reading this article? What's he got to think? I bet he's really not going to call now.
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