Joy from people

There are so many times in my life where I meet someone on the street, overhear a conversation, or observe people interact that just makes me smile.

After my last post I headed to the security check point at the Redding airport. At this airport at this time of day there was one and only one flight leaving. So the personnel on staff at the time was limited. In front of me were two elderly ladies and we were all standing in line to give a man our ticket and I.D.

The officer asked for the first lady's identification.
"I already showed you my I.D. over there, don't you remember?" she told him and pointed. Apparently the same man was at the luggage check area.
"I know you did ma'am, but I need to see it again please." He said gently.
There was short stall while the lady opened up her bag. Anyone else would have tried to hurry- but she slowly looked all the while talking about how much of a bother it was that she had to take it out again. She showed it too him and went on to the next spot.

The next lady must not have heard or saw the last interaction- although I was positive that they were together.
"Can I see your I.D., and boarding pass ma'am?" He asked her.
"But I already showed you my I.D." She said a little more grumpy than the lady before. The officer must have not wanted to hold up the line for he said okay and let her go through. A little profiling happening in front of me- or he just decided to trust his own memory.

Well further on we got to the carry on luggage check. The woman official standing next to it asked the first lady for her ID. So she had to dig into her bag again. After showing it she then had to put it back somewhere where she could find it. So before putting her bag on the conveyer belt she ruffled through it to store her papers. She was then instructed to remove her shoes and let them go through the check. She had two pairs in the bucket- I'm a little unsure where the other pair came from.

I couldn't believe it when she walked through the check point and the system went off. I thought, "Hasn't she been through enough?" She looked like she just needed to sit down rest.

"You can come and sit over here ma'am." another man ushered over to a seat. (Thankfully)
"I need my shoes." she said simply. A couple people went over to the track and grabbed one of them.
"No the brown ones." she motioned them back. They brought them to her, she put then on, and then they started to wand her.

Meanwhile the other lady had to take her I.D. out after all. I felt a little bad for both of them- although my shoulder was a little achy from holding my laptop case so long. The lady being scanned had not taken off any of her jewelry or watches or anything. I thought that they might not be used to going through security.

All my things went through smoothly. I have become an expert at whipping my belt off and removing my jewelry. I usually wear flip-flops so I don't have to do the shoe thing. (For some reason they wanted me to take those off this time.)

-Now I'm rambling. After I went to sit down I noticed they still were searching the first lady and they pulled the second lady's bag for inspection. The first was having trouble with her jewelry and the second had left some liquid medication in her bag.

At the end they both seemed just fine for their ordeal. After all they had to wait at the gate like all the rest of us.

I share this story because it made me laugh. At this point I am unsure if my mirth is right or not. (Laughing at other expense?) I just love elderly people and this twosome was quite a match for the Redding Airport security. Make me think there should be a book or cartoon about a twosome such as theirs, traveling the world together- holding up security lines. (Unless I am wrong in my estimation and they weren't together?)