Kyle's Home!

Last week, Kyle took his first unaccompanied flight to visit his cousins in Oregon and Washington.

When Q took Kyle the airport, he had to get an escort pass that allowed him to accompany Kyle all the way to the departure gate. Q told me that when they went through security, the TSA searched Kyle's backpack, which was full of video games, Special K bars, and chargers for all his gadgets.

Apparently the older woman watching the x-ray machine couldn't tell a Wii-mote from a detonator. Odd, considering that said Wii-mote was being carried by a 13 year old boy. She took it out and showed it a younger male co-worker, who told her the device was fine.

The terrorists have won.

Then Kyle's flight got into Portland early. As a result, there was nobody at the gate when he got off the plane. I am so glad he had that cell phone (he would not have taken this trip without it!) Anyway, Kyle was able to call Q, who called his mom, who was en route to meet Kyle.

As for the trip itself, Kyle said he had fun. It's difficult to to get too many details out of him because he's a teenager. The fact that he's related to Quinton, makes it doubly hard to get him to talk. I have an easier time getting Lucas to give me excuses as to why he can't empty the recycling bin.

Anyway, I know Kyle had fun with his cousins. They played video games, went to the beach, rode bikes down the middle of the freeway (I'm still trying to figure that one out), went shopping, went fishing, and played more video games.

Kyle's flight home went well. I was able to get an escort pass and meet him at the gate. There was one moment of anxiety at baggage claim, however. We stood and waited for his suitcase. And we waited. Before long, all the passengers from the Portland flight had left the area. Kyle's bag was nowhere to be seen. I did NOT need this $#!t.

So we set out in search of the lost baggage counter. As we walked between two baggage carousels, we noticed a lone black bag lying in a carousel that had been used to unload bags from a Santa Fe flight. It was Kyle's suitcase!!!!! Apparently some flighty f#(%up had yanked the bag, realized it wasn't his, and replaced it in the wrong carousel.

I'm so happy to have my boy back home. Jango missed hanging out with him. And I missed having someone to unload the dishwasher. :-)