felt up by the State - a ranty little post

OK, I know there are a lot of people in this world who have it worse off when it comes to the Transportation Security Authority. But a combination of one-way flights, a job of constant travel, and my propensity to be selected for the ‘special people’ line at the airport in general had me on the brink this morning.

First off, I have to say “limited pat-down” my ASS. Whatever dude is patting me down manages to get what little handful I have left after chest surgery firmly grasped. I try not to be cranky, I know it’s not entirely their fault, but DAMN.

Then, to top it off, I thought this morning that I had made it through when I was abruptly taken from the boarding line back to the blasted security area and put through the ringer again. Bleah.

It probably didn’t help that I realized on my way to the car rental counter that in my haste I forgot that I NO LONGER HAVE A DRIVER’S LICENSE because it’s some where in Columbus Georgia and hence could not retrieve my rental car. Yep, totally stranded at Raleigh-Durham airport, where there is no mass transit on Sundays. I thought I’d wait it out for one of my gracious hosts to pick me up with my friend/her housemate Brooke Dubose, who was supposed to arrive from a New York flight at 1:15. Nope, no such luck. Her flight was delayed several hours, and finally after winding up in a sleep-deprived, low-blood-sugar, tormented daze I staggered out to the taxi stand and coughed up the $40 to go to Chapel Hill. At least the weather was nice, once I actually made it out of the airport.

After half an hour of nausiated weirdness, I got a falafel sandwich and a coffee and all was better with the world. Brooke wouldn’t arrive until 4:30pm, and we’d both had 6:00am flights. At least I now know that it wasn’t just The Universe vs. Max.