I’m packed and ready to go. I leave in an hour, but a bit worried about the flight. I’ve packed all my toiletries in my luggage. The only carry on item I have is my laptop. The new restrictions don’t bother me. They’re necessary. However, I am concerned that The Office of Homeland Security hasn’t done much about checking luggage before it goes into the hold beneath passengers. I’ve googled “luggage in the hold” and got information on Rapiscan, a company that makes machines for screening checked luggage. But, what exactly has the Transportation Security Administration done to make sure all hold-destined luggage is checked? Is this a LOOPHOLE in security! I have done a good bit of research on this question and it doesn't look good.

As to the rest of the trip, it should be easy. I will drive myself to the Palm Beach airport, a 9-mile drive, and park the car in long-term parking. My bag is one of those things that have built in wheels, so I have little or no totting to do. The walk will do me good. I do have one layover in Atlanta. Once again the walk will do me good. I just hope everything is on time, and I don’t have a mad rush between flights. My old legs can’t handle a pell-mell dash across Hartsfield-Jackson International, jumping in and out of that tram system. Adam said that Philadelphia International entails a lot of walking, but he will meet me at the luggage pick-up area and help from there.

One friend here at the condo said, “Aren’t you afraid?”

“A little, but I refuse to allow the terrorists to prevent me from seeing my grandson,” I said.

“Well, he said, you won’t catch me flying any time soon.”

And, with immobilizing fear such as that, unfortunately, the terrorists have won.


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