First, An Update And Gratitude
It's been a few years since my wife has traveled to Mexico to visit her family, namely her sisters and aunts. Because her work requires she put in the vacation time request well in advance, we didn't know at the time she would also be having hernia surgery prior to leaving.
So, since August 20 when the procedure was performed, she has been off work. Fortunately, between short term disability and taking another week of vacation time she hadn't planned, we're in good shape financially. And, due to skilled surgeon's hands, a healthy body and some divine providence, she is well on her way to mending.
She had an appointment with the surgeon prior to leaving for Mexico that basically gave her the green light to return to work without restrictions the first of October. In the meantime, she is to continue to take it easy. I'm hoping it will be easier for her to do that in Mexico with her family than it would be here where she might be tempted to do more than she should.
But let's face it. The reality is, she's likely to try to do more than she should regardless of where she is.
Thank you to everyone who has known about this who has expressed their well-wishes. It's interesting to note that as it currently stands, more of you have asked me about her than people I have actually known for longer and met in person who probably should be asking about her. I'm not sure why that is. It is what it is.
That's Just The Background
As the title suggests, this post is meant to be about our experience at the airport so she could even get to Mexico.
Image source—Unsplash
Just let me further preface it by saying, since 9/11, I have struggled with the whole thing of enhanced security. My wife, along with one or both of our sons, has made the trip to Mexico many more times than I have, and so the times before 9/11 I used to wait with them at the gate to actually watch their plane taxi to the runway, and if I was really fortunate, watch their plane take off. It was an amazing amount of comfort to be able to do that.
There is nothing comforting about waiting along a barrier or enclosure to see if she or the others are getting through security okay without being subjected to scans, pat downs, palm sprays, or worse.
And just for the record, any time I've flown, I'm apparently a prime candidate for scanning and spraying. So far, I've not had to endure a pat down.
I certainly want to be safe when I fly, I don't like feeling like I'm some kind of terrorist or criminal, and I'm not all that convinced, given the past opportunities since—the underwear bomber in particular—that the measures imposed are even all that effective. Not when they can be circumvented.
My Wife Is Apparently A Security Risk
Normally, my wife makes it through with flying colors. Often, she only has to go through the metal detector. This time around, apparently something she was wearing in her hair (she had it up with some kind of pin or clip) made them stop her. I didn't see it happen, but she said she was patted down on one arm and the opposite leg. Not both arms. Not both legs, or the rest of her. And what that had to do with her hair, once they knew what it was, I don't know.
My wife is all of 4' 8", and at 58, she has been white haired for several years. Without her glasses, she looks like the Mexican grandma from Coco. Not Coco herself, but her daughter. With her glasses, she just looks cute.
I understand that you can never be too careful, and yes, I want everyone to be safe when they travel, and no, I don't want the bad guys to ever get aboard under any circumstances. I also know Mexican grandmas, while feisty and not to be trifled with when it comes to eating their food or behaving, are not known for blowing up commercial airliners or crashing them into skyscrapers.
It didn't help in this case that they had one TSA officer helping the longer line of a few dozen people while another sat waiting for the pre-screened folks to show up.
Security Versus Personal Freedom
Apparently, innocent until proven guilty only goes so far. And I know the U.S. isn't the only country who has the extra security measures. And maybe it is because of the heightened awareness at the airports that there hasn't been another incident like 9/11. Instead, the terrorists have been consigned to mass shootings or running over people in rental trucks. I take no comfort in any of those methods over piloting airplanes into tall buildings. I just hope we don't have to continue to give away our rights to person and property, along with privacy, in the name of safety.
And I also hope that it never comes to a repeal of the second amendment, or the first, or whatever other constitutionally-backed recognition of natural law or God given rights we're supposed to have, and wish were more highly regarded everywhere around the world.
I long for a day when once again I will be able to accompany my wife to the gate, sit with her while we wait for her to board, so I can watch her safely off. In the meantime, I'm not holding my breath that the circumstances required to make such a thing happen again, whatever they may be, will ever come to be. Not the way most of the world is going.