TSA 1, Kati 0

So... I learned a valuable lesson on this trip. That would be that no one who works for TSA has a sense of humor. At all! Let me explain...

I traveled in uniform. With orders. And a military ID. Got through TSA at Little Rock just fine. Cleared security at Atlanta just fine. Then I get to Norfolk. This is a military city, you'd think they would know how to do this... So here's the scene (and I'm SO not making this up!):

TSA: "You need to remove your boots"

Me: Why?

TSA: Because there are steel shanks in them

Me: And?....

TSA: "You're military - they train you to use those to kill people"

(Um? Huh? What? Now remember, I've been flying for 24 hours. I'm tired, I'm hungry and I'm flat slap-ass crazy at this point. So you'll have to forgive me for what comes next...)

Me: "No ma'am - they train us to kill using our pinkie finger, 3 ounces of Visine and the Draw 4 card from the Uno deck. But you're in luck - I left my Uno cards at home...:

Did you know that the loudest words ever spoken in an airport at "I need a female assist and a supervisor at Lane 2"?!? Yeah...

So while Prince Ali Fabulous is He Ali Abawa floats by on his rug, three women and their 19 children stream by in their Burkahs, 72 virgins and a man just short of leading livestock gets through, I'm off to the side. My uniform top (and boots) is off, I'm standing butt cheeks akimbo and being patted, wanded, frisked and lectured. Oh, and they took my Visine! And searched my bag for the Uno cards that I CLEARLY stated I left at home.

Ugh - some people have no sense of humor!