Blade Runner

Considering that I am writing almost after 3 years, this is not the best post to start with . However, since this incident happened, I have visualized myself writing this post. So, I thought it best to write it up and release mind space for other ideas. Here it goes:

Around 3 months back, within a span of 3 weeks, I made 3 to-n-fro visits. The first visit was to Bangalore for a client meet, while the other two were to Hyderabad for job switch related activities. Each of these visits required me to present the best face - trimmed and cleanly shaven - to the client / interviewer(s). Luckily, each of these trips spanned less than 48 hrs. This allowed me to groom up on the day of the flight or the day before and still be in a presentable condition the next day. Since each of these visits got scheduled quite closely, I carried the same travel bag around. The only change used to be clothes that I would carry for the particular trip. The rest of the contents were as is because I probably was very lazy to unpack.

Surprisingly (or ironically), on my last flight back to Delhi, the security personnel @ Hyd airport raised an alarm. They said that I was carrying some shaving blades or the kind. I confidently refuted their claim and opened up bag and showed the toiletry bag in and out. Not convinced, the security people asked me to put the bag through the X-ray machine once more. Again the alarm! This time they made me remove all contents and put my clothes, bag and other items in 2-3 different trays. They gave me back the bag and clothes; and then just put the toiletry kit in the X-ray machine. Again the alarm! I argued with them that it was a small kit and I had already showed them the in and outs. One of them searched the kit thoroughly to his satisfaction and still could not find any blades. Then another one stepped forward and conducted another search. Surprisingly - and embarrassingly enough - he fished out a blade from some hidden zipping.

While they triumphantly showed me the blade, and I tried to laugh it away, I was shell shocked. I had not breached any security measures for which I would be prosecuted; but the point was that I had carried the same kit five other times aboard a flight (in a span of 3 weeks and the last time being just 48 hrs ago). For once, I thought that the Hyd airport security personnel possibly wanted to inflate their "catch quotient" and might have intentionally put the blade in my kit. Then again it struck me that possibly they may have tightened their X-ray screening parameters. Finally, I settled down with a fascinating thought, "What the hell! I am a Blade Runner!".