Despite all the reports and blog posts recently my TSA experience today was pretty tame. Just the normal metal detector and bag X-Rays, no one even tried to grab my junk. Uneventful flight went something like this; watched a crappy movie, quick nap and then I decided to read a little Gladwell on my Kindle.
A few chapters in to my book the captain announces our approach to Atlanta and asks for all electronics to be turned off. Normally I leave the wireless off on my Kindle to conserve the battery and this time was no different. As I have my Kindle sitting in my lap and tells me I need to turn it off. I tell her it is off which she shrugs off and moves on. About this time I look around and there are multiple people still reading their dead tree books so I figure I can keep reading.
This time the Steve Slater wannabe gives me a snarky, "Uh, that needs to be turned off." I tell him is off and that it is only really "on" when you turn a page. "Oh so it is always like that, 24/7?" he responds. He then puts his hand out and asks for it. I oblige as I have no desire to be considered "a threat" just because this dude has never heard of Kindles. The gentleman slides the switch on the top which turns on the screensaver. He slides it again and we are looking at the writing again. I can see he's getting frustrated when he notices at the top right corner of the screen it says off. Normally this would be where the bars are on wireless devices but, as I said earlier, I leave the wireless off. Now the flight attendant is trying to press the "off button" on the screen. I try to hold it back but a small chuckle escapes. He looks down and gives me the evil eye like I'm playing some practical joke on him when I tell him it is not a touch screen device. Then he hands it back to me and demands that I "stow it or lose it."
Maybe next time he sees a Kindle he'll just keep on picking up trash huh?
;)
