We landed at SFO, which is essentially the future. Its smart lines, recycling bins, modern design/industrial strength furniture, and filtered air all played to the various high end stores we passed on our way to baggage claim. Of course, your mom and I did take a moment to use the facilities, wash our hands, and dip them into the Dyson air blades for a quick dry.
Some day, ALL airports will be like this.
We gathered our stuff and waited for Aunt Laura outside. The air still a bit crisp, you and your mom went back inside. I waited in the cool San Francisco air and watched a security cop start to write up a ticket for an abandoned Volvo. The driver came out with some bags and was closely followed by his wife and daughter. In theory, the driver could have pretended not to see the cop. He could have just started loading his car. Because then when he 'noticed' the security cop, he could have pretended that he had just seen his family through the window and went to help them - and did NOT really leave his vehicle.
Even that's not a fullproof out. But it's better than yelling at the cop. The driver could have been nicer. He could have asked the security cop to give him a warning - after all, it was Xmas. But ignorance off the law is no excuse, and if you act like a jackass, you will be treated as such. Remember that.
The guy got a ticket.
That said, this whole incident is a bit gray to me because airports were not always a police state. Post 2001, it's now possible that the Volvo is full of explosives and will destroy the part of the airport where people go to retrieve their suitcases.
Really, that's low hanging fruit. Who wants to destroy baggage claim? Better they should monitor the BART. Some holy roller with a back pack full of C4 and a one way fare from the West Oakland to Embarcadero will ruin it for everyone.
(To anyone reading this, I NOT a terrorist - and I only know C4 from TV. Or maybe from one of the Lethal Weapon movies.)
Your mom texted me she was going to change your poopie diaper. And then a minute later Aunt Laura pulled up. It's good you finally had a poopie, but this was going to get tricky. The security cop was clearly working this stretch of the American Airline terminal. I watched him amble toward Aunt Laura's car. I nodded in his direction and started to get out your car seat. The thing is, Ruby's car seat was already in the back seat.
"What are you doing?" asked Aunt Laura.
"Pretending to put in Nola's car seat."
"Can't she just use Ruby's? Wait, what?"
"Pam is changing Nola and this cop is going to write us a ticket."
I continued to pretend to put your car seat in. I pretended to reach in to find the LATCH. I pretended there was no LATCH and I would have to use the seatbelts. Aunt Laura went around to the other side to pretend to help.
"Should I move my hands around a little?" she asked.
"Yeah, maybe pretend to take out Ruby's seat."
Either the restroom was in the United terminal or you had a giant blow out. It was taking a very long time and eventually we couldn't pretend any longer. We looked liked mimes without makeup. I started to put your seat back in its bag - which ALWAYS seems to take forever. Now it was slipping in like the most perfect glove. The cop sidled up to the car.
"How's it going?" he asked.
"Think we're just going to use the other car seat. Just going to put this one in back."
"Hi," said your Aunt Laura coming around from the other side.
Your Aunt Laura has a great bedside manner. She used to be a hostess at a restaurant when she was still a teenager. And now, as a professional photographer, she makes complete strangers feel comfortable in front of her camera even when they are naked.
She smiled and pushed her long hair back.
"This has to be a hard job. Especially today, huh?"
The cop smiled and pointed to me.
"Yeah, I think he saw me write up a ticket just a few minutes ago. Got yelled at and everything."
"Oh, that's so hard," your aunt continued.
"My wife is changing our daughter's diaper," I said. "She should be out any second."
"I can drive around if you want," Laura volunteered.
"No, you're fine," said the cop putting his pen back into his shirt pocket.
Finally you showed up with your mom and everything was fine. Again, why anyone would want to destroy baggage claim is beyond me.
We got onto the highway and headed across the bay.
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