It was the oval tubular chamber where you step on the yellow markers for your feet and hold your hands over your head. This time I was asked to do something I’ve never been asked to do before. The agent asked that I pull my pants up tight. From my perspective, it was a weird request. My slacks are always at my waist.
I had an immediate flashback to hearing a song sung on American Idol by a “wanna-be contestant” during a tryout audition. How many years ago could that have been? I’d guess at least ten to twelve years ago. The song included the lyrics: “Pants on the ground – Pants on the ground. Looking like a fool with your pants on the ground.”
My pants are generally snugger at my waist than I would like. In response to the agent’s request, I pulled on my trousers as requested, but they didn’t move. They were already snug. Perhaps I get points for going through the motions as ridiculous as the request seemed.
Exiting the screening device, I was asked to turn and face the other direction while the security agent rubbed the back of my shirt with his hands. That, too, seemed weird. I’m not sure how any of that ensured personal safety for air travelers.
Clearing security, as I walked toward Terminal A, I quickly glanced at one of the displays for food and beverages on my way to the gate. I was hungry. Actually, I stopped at the stand. I first looked at a very small bag of chips, but ruled them out because the price was three times what you could purchase the very small bag for elsewhere. Who’s really to say?
I purchased a quart of Borden’s Chocolate Milk at the grocery store last week. It was about the price of what I paid for a gallon of chocolate milk six months earlier before my doctor prescribed a dairy-free diet. The quart of chocolate milk was for a friend convalescing at home. I would have purchased a gallon, but the quart was all they had,
Before I left the over-priced snack stand, my eyes fell on a large chocolate candy bar. I didn’t pick it up to look at the price. For starters the brand wasn’t Hershey’s. Secondly, I suspected it cost more than I wanted to pay. I wasn’t going to participate in that kind of price gouging.
I located my gate and took a seat. It wasn’t crowded, I was well over and hour and a half early. I then noticed a text message from SWA announcing a delay in my flight. Great! Now I had over two and a half hours to wait. I started to go back for the chocolate candy bar even if it wasn’t Hershey’s. Chocolate is a great stress relief amenity.
I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before, but at our board meeting on Monday, one of our board members from Milton Hershey School in Hershey, PA gave each person present a gift-box of Golden Almond Chocolate. I remembered putting my unopened box in my backpack.
I quickly checked my backpack and was pleasantly surprised! The unopened box of Golden Almond Chocolate bars was still in my backpack. Now with the realization that I had over two and a half hours to wait before my flight, I gave myself permission to open the box of chocolate and scarf down a huge candy bar all by myself. It was so good, that I also did the same with a second candy bar. That left three other chocolate bars in the box. If I know what is good for me, I better share them with the General.
All My Best!
Don