Sometimes, it's absurd humor.
There is a near-disastrous story surrounding my return California Christmas trip
that I was never going to repeat. But, what the hey!
These two splendid bottles were carefully wrapped to accompany me home by Mark Nadler,
the family vino aficionado.
The one on the left is a Brian Benson Cellars, Kandy Red.
The beautifully waxed Belle Glos is the
tastiest Pinot Noir to hit the pallet.
The moral of this story is NEVER ASSUME.
Never assume - when traveling - that I have any idea what to do.
After checking in at SFO, I asked the gentleman if I should check my parcel or send it through. It's $35 to check a second item so when he said, "I'd just carry it on," I decided - dat-gum it - to do just that.
But the check-in person did not realize that the parcel was wine;
two mid-range-expensive bottles of delicious liquid vino.
The operative word here is liquid.
For some mind-lapsed reason, I did not remember that nary a drop
of liquid can pass through the fine filter of the TSA scanners.
It occurred to me just as I was removing my shoes in the security area.
"Maybe they won't notice!" I mused.
"Is this yours?" inquired the security gentleman.
After he reviewed the decade long law that forbids an oz of liquid passing through the pearly gates,
I became starkly aware of my dilemma: Miss my flight or kiss the red goodbye.
I decided to wind back through the security labyrinth, check-in the red parcel,
and work my way for a second time through the long-line security check.
It was a smidge nerve wracking.
The line seemed frozen in time as the minutes ticked away.
But no worries, my departure gate was
the closest to the security mouse-maze.
No wait, the gate was the LAST one in the tarmac. At the very end.
Nearly off the edge and onto the runway.
Run! Or at least jog. (Where's Mitt when I need him?)
HAPPY ENDING!
My flash-frayed nerves were reposed with a nice glass of White on the flight home.
Kandy and Pinot are safely in the entryway rack.
L'chaim
6 comments:
Oh my goodness, mom! I can't believe I missed this blog entry until now. I have to say, choosing vino over being on time – you are my mother. I would've made the same risky decision. :)
Miss you!
Thanx for not passing judgement on the goofiness of trying to carry-on 2 bottles of wine. What a bloomin' goofball! Shows how seldom I fly. It probably never occurred to Mark that he needed to say, "Don't try to carry this on." Never assume I know squat about what I'm doing. Especially traveling. :)
I miss you too, Danielley Beth.
Haha awesome.
This is great storytelling, cm! I was a nervous wreck just reading it!
Love it!
Naomi Omi (had to be anonymous and simply sign, because I don't know how to get an ID to post on your blog, let alone carry two bottles of primo vino onto an airplane)
YEAH! Welcome aboard, Naomi my Omi! Yes, anonymous is fine. Even my son comments anonymously on occasion. I think a google account is required for posting with an identity. I know who you are, and so does God. I guess that's all that matters. The God part. :)
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