How I lost my lighter and my pen at the airport:
Arrived in plenty of time for the flight that ended up leaving 2 hours late (thanks Southwest-- your rows are so crowded by the way, that if you drop something on the floor there's not enough room to bend and pick it up).
Got through security with my usual pat-down (no extra rads for SP) but forgot to bleed the Jetflame beforehand. TSA x-Ray guy noticed it and was very cool -- after the other agent threw it away, he let her go get it and handed it to me to bleed out the butane so I could take it with me.
I reach for the nearest thing to bleed the valve-- a rollerball pen. Pop the cap. Hit the valve with the tip.
Here's where my lack of sleep after 4 days at IPCPR caused my knowledge of basic physics to fail me.
As soon as the butane hit the rollerball, it drove the ball up into the ink shaft. Now it is no longer a pen; its a well of ink with no stopper.
And that butane is still jetting up into it like a sonofabitch.
I'm wearing a new white t-shirt, and by some miracle not a SINGLE DROP OF INK hits it.
Shoe, TSA tub, lighter, and hands are covered instantly.
Dripping with ink.
I wish I had pics but it was impossible.
Laughing, I drop the pen and lighter in the trash as I cup the pool of ink in my palm. The other TSA hands me wads of paper towels and sprays down my hands with windex, which helps immensely. Except for my nails, it all comes off.
It's been 24 hours and still...
Arrived in plenty of time for the flight that ended up leaving 2 hours late (thanks Southwest-- your rows are so crowded by the way, that if you drop something on the floor there's not enough room to bend and pick it up).
Got through security with my usual pat-down (no extra rads for SP) but forgot to bleed the Jetflame beforehand. TSA x-Ray guy noticed it and was very cool -- after the other agent threw it away, he let her go get it and handed it to me to bleed out the butane so I could take it with me.
I reach for the nearest thing to bleed the valve-- a rollerball pen. Pop the cap. Hit the valve with the tip.
Here's where my lack of sleep after 4 days at IPCPR caused my knowledge of basic physics to fail me.
As soon as the butane hit the rollerball, it drove the ball up into the ink shaft. Now it is no longer a pen; its a well of ink with no stopper.
And that butane is still jetting up into it like a sonofabitch.
I'm wearing a new white t-shirt, and by some miracle not a SINGLE DROP OF INK hits it.
Shoe, TSA tub, lighter, and hands are covered instantly.
Dripping with ink.
I wish I had pics but it was impossible.
Laughing, I drop the pen and lighter in the trash as I cup the pool of ink in my palm. The other TSA hands me wads of paper towels and sprays down my hands with windex, which helps immensely. Except for my nails, it all comes off.
It's been 24 hours and still...
Makes you wish the day would just hurry up and end.
