The return trip Sunday ended up being surprisingly uneventful.

Since the AAgent at DCA informed me we might have similar problems with the watch list upon our return from Miami, I took my two friends to the airport at 4:30 a.m. to check in for their 11:38 a.m. flight. On a whim, I typed their PNRs and names into the self check-in kiosk and...miracle of miracles...both friends' boarding passes printed out without even an SSSS. I was prepared for the worst, and brought along the telephone number of the FBI's Miami field office in case we ran into any unforeseen difficulties proving the innocence of my friend who had been "flagged."

Too bad we had checked out of our hotel so early; otherwise we could have returned and gotten some sleep before heading back home.

I flew US Airways out of FLL due to price but when we all reunited later that day at DCA we laughed about the unpredictability of the process. I have no idea why my traveling companion's name was so suspicious on Friday but raised no flags two days later.