By Meaghan J. Hinder
“Don’t look so worried miss,” the Australian man in his 70’s said as he searched through my backpack. He carefully took out every item I had jam-packed into my carry-on. A long line of people behind me waited, anticipating the same embarrassment. I’ve been using this particular bag since my first day of college roughly two and a half years ago. Ask me how many times I’ve emptied it.
I guess it was written all over my face, I was worried. How could I not be? I don’t even know what’s in there. Apparently at some point I purchased crayons; He pulled the remnants of a 12 pack out of a compartments I didn’t know existed. “Oh, yep, that’s just a mini travel deodorant that must have melted,” I said. He smirked. I could tell he secretly loved his job at that moment.
He had a kind face and a scruffy beard that looked like salt and pepper was sprinkled on his skin. The shiny plastic nametag gave Rupert the power to embarrass any person he felt like. First me, then another young girl: “Uhh yes, you there, come along. Come around here I thought I saw a liquid in that purse on the screen there.” So he searches through her bag and takes out condoms and birth control pills. She sweats as her parents peer over her shoulder. Turns out there’s no liquid in her bag. This man on his airport-employee high horse humiliates innocent people day after day.
Suddenly, I spotted the purple corner of a small cardboard box Rupert is taking out my bag. Before I could plead with him, my glow-in-the-dark panda puzzle was revealed for every eye to see. I didn’t say anything, just remained still and wondered, on a scale of one to ten, how weird these people think I am? Meaghan, I thought to myself, why would, as an intelligent 20-year-old college student, you bring an ages four and up activity halfway around the world? Before I had time to answer myself, Rupert declared, “Well that’s something I didn’t expect to see miss.” “Well Rupert,” I said “there’s a whole lot more where that came from, I’m sure.” I was right.
With that he removed a leather-bound journal, a neck-rest, highlighters, broken hair-clips, an expired gift-card to a porn shop (gag gift from my 18th birthday), a Virginia Tech cap, Tylenol PM, an extra pair of socks, and, last but not least, an extra pair of grannie panties, in case my luggage was lost. “Happy?” I asked. “Dumbfounded,” he replied.
First time seeing the Alps from the plane!
Rupert then re-packed my entire bag. Surprise, surprise, there was nothing dangerous or forbidden there for him to remove. What a conspiracy.
I walked away with blazing red cheeks but also, a newfound confidence. Who I am includes glow-in-the-dark puzzles and grannie panties, so be it.
Meaghan Hinder, a Virginia Tech student of communication, studied in the CIMBA undergraduate program in spring, 2009.
“Don’t look so worried miss,” the Australian man in his 70’s said as he searched through my backpack. He carefully took out every item I had jam-packed into my carry-on. A long line of people behind me waited, anticipating the same embarrassment. I’ve been using this particular bag since my first day of college roughly two and a half years ago. Ask me how many times I’ve emptied it.
I guess it was written all over my face, I was worried. How could I not be? I don’t even know what’s in there. Apparently at some point I purchased crayons; He pulled the remnants of a 12 pack out of a compartments I didn’t know existed. “Oh, yep, that’s just a mini travel deodorant that must have melted,” I said. He smirked. I could tell he secretly loved his job at that moment.
He had a kind face and a scruffy beard that looked like salt and pepper was sprinkled on his skin. The shiny plastic nametag gave Rupert the power to embarrass any person he felt like. First me, then another young girl: “Uhh yes, you there, come along. Come around here I thought I saw a liquid in that purse on the screen there.” So he searches through her bag and takes out condoms and birth control pills. She sweats as her parents peer over her shoulder. Turns out there’s no liquid in her bag. This man on his airport-employee high horse humiliates innocent people day after day.
Suddenly, I spotted the purple corner of a small cardboard box Rupert is taking out my bag. Before I could plead with him, my glow-in-the-dark panda puzzle was revealed for every eye to see. I didn’t say anything, just remained still and wondered, on a scale of one to ten, how weird these people think I am? Meaghan, I thought to myself, why would, as an intelligent 20-year-old college student, you bring an ages four and up activity halfway around the world? Before I had time to answer myself, Rupert declared, “Well that’s something I didn’t expect to see miss.” “Well Rupert,” I said “there’s a whole lot more where that came from, I’m sure.” I was right.
With that he removed a leather-bound journal, a neck-rest, highlighters, broken hair-clips, an expired gift-card to a porn shop (gag gift from my 18th birthday), a Virginia Tech cap, Tylenol PM, an extra pair of socks, and, last but not least, an extra pair of grannie panties, in case my luggage was lost. “Happy?” I asked. “Dumbfounded,” he replied.
First time seeing the Alps from the plane!
Rupert then re-packed my entire bag. Surprise, surprise, there was nothing dangerous or forbidden there for him to remove. What a conspiracy.
I walked away with blazing red cheeks but also, a newfound confidence. Who I am includes glow-in-the-dark puzzles and grannie panties, so be it.
Meaghan Hinder, a Virginia Tech student of communication, studied in the CIMBA undergraduate program in spring, 2009.
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