Was flying to LA a few days ago, and flying out of LGA, as opposed to my normal route of EWR-LAX. Going through security at the Northwest gate, I took my laptop out and ran it through... Screener on the other side, after I walked through - young man, probably in his 20's or so...

"Dude, you a Simpsons fan?" (I have a few stickers of Homer on my laptop, lets me ID it easily, and puts clients at ease that I'm not some stiff PR consultant).

"Yup. Love the show."

"Me too, it's the most brilliant show on TV. Homer your favorite?"

"Yeah, he's just the commonality of all mankind."

"I agree - I wrote a few papers on the Simpsons in college."

I asked him where he went, he went to a community college in NYC. All this while I was getting my stuff together, etc.

Finally, I asked him - "you got an address? I've got some Simpsons stuff from the last Western Show (a cable trade show) I'll send you if you want..."

His eyes lit up like it was Christmas. He couldn't grab a pen fast enough. He gave me his address (lives in the Bronx - hellish commute, I'm guessing 4/5 to Times Square, PABT bus to LGA. Ugh - 2 hours each way min...)

He shook my hand as he gave me his address, and thanked me for being "cool." (Which, at 32, is always nice to hear...)

I mailed him off a bunch of stuff yesterday.

So... End result, I guess - they're not all bad. (Not that you'd know, from reading the posts on here...) ;-)

Really decent guy, just trying to earn a living.

I'll say it here, and then let all of you anti-TSA people gang up on me... Hate the game, not the player. Although I think the majority of us on here know better, in that we don't hate the individual TSA people, but the system as a whole. That's understandable.

Anyhow, keep an eye out at LGA and see if one of the TSA guys is wearing a Simpsons pin of Homer going "D'oh!"



-Peter

Thanks for the kind words on a screener.

Now just sit back and wait for the trashing of the screener with "how dare he talk to you like that"

"He should be fired for taking items from you"


A little small talk made your experience better. It was very nice of you to send him items. Don't think it is wise for the screener to give out his home address.

Wait TSAMGR! I don't think we heard this one yet...

"Oh My! The TSA screener accepted a bribe and allow the passenger to get through! He was bought off!"

Nice post, geekfactory!

Hey TSAMGR, Simpson's stuff? Everyone knows donuts are the bribe of choice.....;-)

Looked to see if I saw anyone in TSA that made me think of a TSAMGR type in LGA the other day.....

Not LGA, I'm not that crazy ;-}

I've also seen more and more TSA agents not afraid to show a sense of humor. Maybe somebody told them that they no longer need to act like the Gestapo. Undoubtedly, there are some

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5781907/site/newsweek/

on a power trip, but I'm sure the vast majority are good people earning a living doing a thankless job enforcing some silly rules (e.g. take off all shoes).

The screener referenced in the article was just doing his job and was trying to quickly get through the wanding so the gentleman could sit down. (personal knowledge, not assuming)

There's a screener in Terminal 2 at ORD who is the spitting image of the Comic Book Store owner, right down to having almost identical voice intonation!

Hee, The Simpsons is a great show! Good to see screeners have good taste in TV programs.

My favorite part is the three-eyed fish that swims around the chemical plant, lol.

^

Dealing with the public is not easy, especially travellers. I always talk to the screeners, give them a smile, and wish them a good day. Mine may be the only smile they see, but at least they get one.

Thank you for that.

I agree, making small talk seems to be the trick with almost any airline screener. I think part of the reason why they may act they way they do is from the repetition of doing a somewhat thankless job.