AIRPORT

My Chinese Sausage was almost confiscated by airport security. I was pulled aside by a man in uniform and asked to search my bag. With a gloved hand the man shuffled through my carry on bag yet found nothing. Confused, he returned it back to the tech guy in charge of the x-ray machine. A red flag went up again yet the gloved man couldn’t figure out what it could be. Then finally after re-examining the video he found it.

“Ah Ha! Here is the problem!” and he raises my pack of Chinese Sausage in the air.

“What?! My Sausage?? Are you really going to take my Sausage?”

My heart just stopped. My trip to Austin was a long awaited one that has been booked and rebooked. I’ve packed and repacked my life into one suitcase and a carry on bag. Its not easy trying to simplify your life into one suitcase so when you finally do decide what goes with you and what stays there is a possessiveness that overcomes you when someone threatens to take it away like stealing a baby from its mother.

UH UH, DO NOT MESS WITH MY SAUSAGE. Everything in my bag was carefully chosen. The sausage is a staple in my culture. If you ever leave home for more than a couple of days, you always pack one in your bag as a just in case. A just in case there isn’t a China town near by or a just in case you are starving and there is nothing to eat (cause that’s gonna happen in Austin), or a just in case you’re just simply home sick. The sweet and saltyness of the Chinese sausage with some steamed white rice will always do the trick. Anyways back to gloved man who has my Sausage in his hand holding it hostage. Seeing the fear in my face he said he won't take my Sausage but he did see something he has to confiscate: my Bath and Body Works Hawaii scented lotion. Now that was also ridiculous because it was only half full so it should have met the minimum liquid requirement for a carry on but most importantly, how can anything with the title “Hawaii” be a threat?? Alohhhaa!

Whatever, I didn’t want to argue. I just got my sausage back. Which right now was a bigger relief. You just can't go far without your emergency sausage stash. My mom would be very concerned. So good-bye Hawaii lotion, I’m sorry you have to stay behind. I will just have to pick up another bottle in Austin. I’m sure those men are lathering it up back there in the break room right now.