Complications on a plane trip
By Marianne Bianchi
Date Modified: 10/13/2009 12:03 PM
E-mail article | Print version
Plans were recently made to visit daughter Beverly and family. They live in New Jersey. Since she and her husband are parents of three little granddaughters, we decided it would be easier for us to travel east than for them to come west.
Flying isn't routine in our lives and so we decided it might be wise to make a phone call to the airline to get updated information concerning luggage weights, changes in cost per piece and other issues.
I was especially concerned about the best place and and size for toiletries. The decisions involved a carry-on case vs. underneath, among other things.
The lady I was finally able to speak with -- after going through the normal "Press 1 for this, Press 2 for that, Press 3 for....'' -- wasn't particularly cheerful. On the contrary her monotone voice and one word answers sounded rude and boring. I finally decided to explain my real reason for calling.
It was about a year ago when I flew alone to New Jersey at the time of baby Julia's birth in hopes of helping out a bit with her as well as visit Lydia and Justina, then ages 2 and 1. Whenever we visit our out-of-state children the gift they appreciate the most is some good old-fashioned German sausages made in our own community.
Thus, the this trip was going to be no different and we would take some sausage along. On my previous trip, I had packed several dozen frozen sticks of summer sausage in thick layers of newspapers, then plastic and finally in-between clothing a carry-on.
Let me tell you, that was the wrong thing to do. Perhaps it was the metal clips on the ends of the sausage that set off the alarms.
I knew immediately I was in trouble and the suitcase would be inspected.
As I told this story to the lady on the phone, she seemed to lighten up.
"You mean you set off all the whistles and bells just for some meat?''
I assured her that they all had went off. Then I proceeded to tell her the worst, and most embarrassing part. That the meat was in-between my clothing -- which included a few unmentionables. Plus, I could see it on the monitors as it was pictured.
Do you have any idea what sticks of red summer sausage look like on their X-ray screens?
Everything had to be removed from that suitcase.
Well, that lady started to laugh and laugh and laugh. Although it wasn't a bit funny to me at the time it happened, I soon had to join in and neither one of us could stop. There also was a light side to this.
Another worker in security obviously noticed my predicament and frustration and assured me it was nothing unusual. She explained that it was hunting season. She said that many folks were transporting meat -- just not in their carry-on cases.
As for the lady on the phone, perhaps she was just having a bad hair day. Whatever it was, I was glad to brighten her day.
Why do I have the feeling that everyone in her office at the airline heard about the lady from Minnesota who had sett off the alarms and for whom security had been called -- just over some meat.
After the end of this call, my day certainly got better!
Well, you can be assured that on this next trip the meat we took to New Jersey went in the luggage tagged to go underneath. No whistles or bells went off. The rest of the trip went smoothly as well.
I have a feeling you'll hear about it in the weeks ahead!