Thursday, November 13, 2008

Surreal Experience

I'm sure security guards have heard it all when people try to explain that they didn't understand the rules or how what they have in their bag doesn't apply. Yesterday when I was going through security they took my bags aside, this happens periodically so I didn't think anything of it. As the agent was going through my coat he took out a bottle of water. I didn't even know it was in there as the heavy winter coat had just come out of the closet for the first time that morning. The conversation went something like this:

Agent: "Liquids aren't allowed"
Me: "I know, I wasn't aware it was in my coat as this is the first time I've worn it since last winter."
Agent: "I have to throw it out."
Me: "That's fine."
Agent: "Would you like to take a sip before I throw it out."
Me: "No - it's at least 6 months old!"

It was almost as if he was reading from a script and wasn't listening at all to what the answer was instead was just moving on to the next line in the script.

As I related this story to my coworkers over dinner we were laughing about people trying to sneak things through security or not realizing that the rules applied to them. I honestly had no idea this bottle was in my coat. However at the Dublin airport today a couple of gentlemen ahead of us were a trying to take through a full bottle of champagne and whiskey and were arguing with the security staff over their inability to do so.

1 comment:

Amy said...

Well that's really all it is you know; security theater. You just happened to catch one of the more surreal acts.