Bill Butler's Airport Security Shoe Story

Another Billy Butler anecdote.. Summer 2003

Two weeks ago I haul boat in a marina on a small island 2 miles off the Eastern coast of Puerto Rico.. I put in four days scraping then the following week apply 6 coats of paint to the bottom.. finish job and launch last Friday.. head back to San Juan... clean up.. rest.. then go to airport to pick up new crew.. Mick, 13 arriving from Miami in custody of AA.. pick up my slip/pass and am told to pick him up near gate 9.. inside security.. the TSA gang worse than the Gestapo.. shoes, belt et al in the basket.. skip is then prodded EVERYWHERE with the danged rod.. finally passed the test.. me in shorts and all.. I pick up my stuff less shoes.. the gal stuck the shoes in her little machine.. wow!!.. they went to a bigger machine... holy cow!!!!!! then they disappeared for 15 minutes.. the ole skip knowing that any kind of fuss would bring the A-Team.. I stand.. barefooted.. in my holey socks.. and the shoes show up with one huge guy.. who looks me in the eye and asks, "Do you take heart medication" no .. do you take any type of medication for arthritis, and on and on.. the answer always NO.. AND THE LIGHT BULB GLOWS BRIGHT... Oh I say.. they shoes have been aboard my boat while I scraped and painted my boat!!!!!!!!!

And I was released to pick up my crew Mick with whom I head out to sea tomorrow..

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