Last week I was traveling through Houston and I had several reminders of the times while I was delayed over in the Houston Airport.  I was layed over for about three and a half hours as I flew back from Las Vegas to Atlanta.  An automated message kept playing on some type of timed loop over the intercom.

The message reminded all that were present in a very friendly but slightly stern female voice, "We would like to remind you that any inappropriate comments or jokes may result in your arrest."

Now I never saw anyone arrested for making jokes about bombs or weapons or strange white powder masquerading as powdered sugar.  However, I did see two airport employees lose it.

One poor lady, rather short and kind of slumping from late middle age, came out a service door.  The service door led to one of the very lengthy terminals.

I was sitting on the floor across from the opening charging my cell phone in one of the very few active and available outlets.  (many outlets were available, but the airport turns off power to these outlets such that energy pirates like myself do not make the energy bill for the airlines too expensive.)

When I sat down initially there were two swinging doors in front of me.  About 5 minutes later a team of 3 TSA personnel showed up.  They set up a folding table outside the door.

The lady walked through it carrying a folding cooler for lunch things and they proceeded to detain and search her on the spot.  She complied with little fuss.  After it was over, she walked over by me, sat down in a chair and phoned her supervisor on her cell phone.

She began to break down in tears about the search, complaining that the TSA would no longer allow her to bring her lunch to work and that her medical condition (undescribed) forced her to bring a cooler with multiple types of soups.  The TSA supervisor thought she was lying and asked to speak to the supervisor on her cell phone to provide his version of events.  It was very strange and slightly surreal like something out of the movie Brazil.

I got a little uncomfortable and started to walk away just as a Mexican janitor came through the door with a garbage can on wheels.  They detained him and searched him and I could hear him asking as I walked away, "Am I being detained for arrest again?"

I left for my gate comfortable in the fact that the TSA had not been covering those doors most of the day, but had managed to find two worth while dangerous types coming through the previously unprotected door.  I'm very happy that my government is so efficient and on top of things.