The paperwork for the adoption was finished --I had a date to pick up P and W and decided it would be good to visit my parents in Oregon. As they move into their eighties...shorter and more frequent visits are easier.
Two days before my departure (October/2005):
Dr. M fell of his bike --somewhere near 14th street and chipped his 2 front teeth....he looked funny, but the whole incident was unnerving. But that is a different story. While consoling him the night before my departure, the temporary dressing on my completed root canal fell apart and the tooth cracked. It was still attached to the gum and the dentist told me to see someone in Oregon and have a new temporary put on. I held it into place with my tongue which gave me slightly slurred speech, but I don't talk to people on planes....
Exhausted from the late night hospital visit with Dr M, tormented by the dental challenges, relieved that the adoption had gone through, I headed to LGA for an early evening flight, a stop-over in Minneapolis, and a 11:30
arrival at PDX.
On the second leg of the trip, the plane was empty - they upgraded me to first -- my knees like that. I ate a sad dinner, had a couple glasses of wine, kept the half-empty wine glass and fell asleep.
I woke-up at landing... the glass of wine down the front of me...and a bit disoriented. I exited the plane, went to the men's room and headed out to my ride. As I passed through "security" I realized I'd left a bag in the overhead. I asked the 20 something gentleman at the x-ray machine, "Please may I retrieve my bag?"
His response, "I'm sorry sir, you can't re-enter the area."
I chuckled to myself: This government, out of fear, has put inexperienced children in charge of our lives.
"And what would you suggest I do to retrieve my bag, Sir?" He responded with, "I don't know, but you can't go through here." I spotted a TSA gentleman on his mobile phone, I headed in his direction. Amused by the silliness of it all, I explained the situation.
His response was, "Have you been drinking, Sir? You smell like you've been drinking, may I see your ID?"
I took off my backpack and started to unzip it. He asked me to stand back, he would get it out of my bag. I had no idea where in the backpack it was. He opened the main compartment to find a months supply of HIV medications...in unmarked bottles.
"What are these?"
I responded, "None of your business. Are you not looking for a wallet?"
Wrong answer.
He grabbed me by the shirt collar and belt-loop and threw me against the wall. The situation was out of hand, I quickly realized it was serious... "these are my medications, for HIV "..... with a force never experienced, I was thrown to the floor, arm twisted and foot on my head. The TSA agent was screaming, "DONT SPIT! DONT SPIT!" and calling for back-up.
---------I have to stop----------I'm getting ill--------------I'll continue this post later------------------
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