Home Sweet Home
 
A word of advice friends, don't travel on a Thursday afternoon in the summer. Almost missed my plane because the security line was so long it snaked into the next terminal. Took almost an hour to get through and I heard later that I was in the fast line. The other one, wherever that was,  reportedly took two hours to get through.
 
It's a funny thing when you're in a line with so many folks freaking out about missing their flights; it's kind of like going through a natural disaster together, you bond with the people around you.  We polled our neighbors to find fellow flightmates and there was much cell-phoning to check flight status and alternate arrangements. Of course, all flights were completely booked and the anxiety level was rising as the departure times loomed closer.  
 
The Chicago crowd was well represented and there was much speculation on what would happen if they all missed the plane. They were plotting a mass march on the ticket counter to demand compensation if they didn't make it. I located several comrades for the Balti run. They  were relieved to hear the internet was reporting a ten minute delay on the flight since it was not showing on the terminal screens. Still we would be cutting it close. I considered taking a tranq but we decided to employ my Red Sox theory and just believe we would make it. We did.
 
In the end, everyone around me made their flights, even the Chicago bound, when at the critical moment they finally opened a second screening station.  I might mention this sort of thing has never happened at any Southwest gate I've been through. That's why I fly them. There is rarely even a line.  At this airport they shared the security gate with a major carrier and I understand the screeners just changed from a private company to TSA employees. Read into that what you will but I'll tell you one thing, when I went through that gate a month ago I was much more thoroughly screened. No one even looked at my feet this time. 
 
In any event, it was a long trip home and I'm wiped out today. I'm off to take care of business for the moment but I'll be back later tonight when I get a chance to catch up on the news.