Brennan's First Brush With The Law

Hi all,

Mark here. Brennan and flew to Georgia to see the University of Georgia Bulldawgs play the mighty whatever they are's from the University of Central Michigan. It was Brennan's first flight, and first football game (as well as my first UGA game in about 14 years.) I grew up a mile from the university stadium and bleed red and black. It is the only team I follow in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health...

Brennan was chirpy with excitement about the airport experience, and I was explaining it as we went: confirming tickets, navigating the airport, doing the automatic ritual strip for security. When we were waiting for our suitcases to pass through the x-ray machine to us, I noticed the machine operator was giving some guy's bags a serious examination, moving the conveyer belt back and forth. Then he took out Brennan's bag and repositioned it on the belt for a look from another angle. Finally, he sent the bag through, walked over, and asked with an "I-mean-buisiness" face "whose bag is this?" "His." (I boldly pointed at my nine-year-old.) "Do you know what's in this bag?" he asked. "No," I said, and reached for the zipper to open it. He snapped at me not to touch the bag, and gingerly zipped it open, stone-faced. Then, he reached in, picked up Brennan's light saber, held it up for another security guy to see, and burst out laughing. I never before that moment noticed how very much it looks like a pipe bomb! With bateries and a retracted telescoping blade, bumps and dials and odd buttons all over it. Whew! I had no idea Brennan had packed it. I think I'll check his bags from now on.

Mark