TSA Restraint at Puerto Rico on Vacation

Going through the airport TSA in Puerto Rico, I was checking out with any problems. As I was putting my shoes back on an getting my purse, jacket and my carr-yon, I noticed that I didn’t see my pink carry-on.

   “Where’s my pink carry-on?” I asked the girl who was wheeling me around the airport in the wheelchair I was in.

   “They’re keeping it for inspection,” she said.

   “Why, I don’t have anything illegal in it. You asked me before I put my bag to be scanned and I told you I didn’t have any meat that I’m taking out of the country.” I spoke.

   “Well let's see what we have in here,” the inspector said.

He took my carry-on and scanned it again with the wand and it beeped loudly.

I was amazed, here I am wondering what I could have in my bag that is causing all of the unwarranted inspection?

   “What’s up Walt?” one of the security guards said. “Need my help securing the bag?”

   The inspector ran the bag back through the x-ray for an additional look. This time the alert alarm came on for them to be cautious of what could be in the bag.

   “Miss, you need to come with me,” the security guard said forcibly pulling me out of the wheelchair.

   Good thing we was at the airport two hours before our plane leaves. I was then ushered into a security room with no windows, just a door and I could see a red light flashing in the corner. I assumed it was a camera recording the situation.

   “Take a seat please,” said the TSA Security Officer. The name on her badge was Lt. Sarah Miller.

   “What’s going on Lt. Miller?” I asked.

   “Miss, the scanner found something illegal in your bag and I’m giving you a chance to tell me what you are smuggling from here.” she said.

   “Nothing,” I said. Like I told the young lady that was wheeling me through your airport, I don’t have any meat, drugs or anything illegal that I would be smuggling from here.”

   “There has to be something that you are hiding in your carry-on that the system picked up,” she said.

  On her walkie talkie she called for the TSA agent to bring my carry-on to her. My pink furry Hello Kitty bag that my granddaughter let me use was brought into the room.

   “This is your last chance to tell me what you have in your bag,” she said. “Is there a secret compartment that you need to tell me about before I look?”

   “This is my granddaughter’s bag, she lent it to me for this trip, I have no idea if it has a secret compartment.” I spoke. “Go ahead and look.”

They took everything out of my carry-on. After taking everything out an examining each item in the bag, they found nothing. On the button of the bag lay an aerosol can. I forgot I had put it in my bag at the last minute. My friend gave it to be so I wouldn’t forget to take it with me. I bought it at the beginning of our trip so when we went to the beach, we wouldn’t be ate up by the sand mites everyone was talking about. So I went to the drug store and got this small can of bug spray.

   “Here, don’t forget to take this” she said. I just took it and dropped it in my bag as we were leaving out the door to the airport.

   “WOW!” I said, I explained everything that happened to Lt. Miller. She held up the can of bug spray and went on to tell me that aerosol cans are flammable on a plane and that they could explode and are not prohibited from all airplanes. Here I am in Puerto Rico trying to get home from a lovely vacation and I am being detained over a can of bug spray.

   “I didn’t see that one coming!” I spoke. I just stood there and laughed. I just knew my friends would leave me here in Puerto Rico at this airport all by myself. I was so relieved that I wasn’t be charged with anything and all they had to do was throw the can away. You never know how to react to something like this. I thought my cataplexy was going to kick in and I wouldn’t be able to express myself because I wouldn’t be able to move. My friend never saw that side of me. Although I have told her if anything like that happens, I showed her what pill to give me in my pill case and not to panic I’d be okay. I just felt so relieved and what were they doing, standing there laughing at me.  

   “This wasn’t funny,” I said. “This could have easily been you and I would have left you here fending for yourself or waiting on the next plane to the states, and you know that would have been extra money. But I know you’re rich and you can afford it.”

   “Girl, you know we wouldn’t leave you here at the airport by yourself. We all would have stayed and kept you company. We all came together, and we all will leave together.” Carmen said.

   “You have good friends Lt. Miller said.” “I wish I had friends like that. Next time pay more attention to what you are packing in your bags and don’t let anyone give you anything at the last minute.”  

   “Yes, I learned a lesson, and this won’t happen again. You can bet on it. I know my granddaughter will be happy that you didn’t have to tear up her favorite Hello Kitty bag to pieces. I can hear her now, telling me with an attitude I won’t get nothing of hers again. You know how teenagers are about their possessions. They can mess up yours but not there's. So I'll know the next time to look before I leap into anything and make sure that when I go through TSA again at any airport I'll make sure that no aerosol cans or anything that is not legal is in my bag. Don't take nothing at the last minute from so call friends.

The End