Carry On, My Wayward Son

Among the things one should NOT try to carry on to an airplane...

A BRICK!

Going through security at IND this afternoon, one of TSA's finest nudged into the x-ray line ahead of me because she needed to re-scan a bag sans the red building brick (estimated weight: 5 pounds!) she was holding. Looking closely, it appeared to have been engraved with a name or some other sort of inscription, so it didn't appear that the gentleman was trying to sneak a weapon on board, but it still wouldn't fly.

Literally.

The shortsighted fellow had to call one of his relatives on his cell phone, then take the brick back to them at the entrance to security.

I thought I had seen it all when a fellow traveler at DCA had tossed two foam-rubber (but nonetheless real-looking) hand grenades into the bin.

In that case, the security guard simply confiscated them, but then asked, "Was there a trade show or something, because we have more of these back there..."

So I ask: who was the shorter-sighted in that case? The traveler who tried to carry them on, or the vendor who -- when considering what tchatzkes to give away at a trade show where 95% of attendees flew in -- decided on hand grenades?

Vote now; operators are standing by.


Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.



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