Travel Indignities

Dear You,

Back in Rochester after the flights from Seattle to Atlanta and home, I'm newly reminded of the indignities of travel in the modern world. All my reading life I've enjoyed stories of travel. Even though I have been very few places (and never across an ocean), I've had the vicarious pleasure of trips to France, to South America, to Egypt . . . oh, lots and lots of places, on ships and trains and planes. And I think those long-ago travelers would be horrified by what we've done since 9/11.

Everyone shuffling through those dismal lines at airports, past a uniform who checks the passports (to get to Seattle???) and peers into their faces before scribbling something on the boarding pass . . . and not a complaint! At least nothing audible. The screening -- shoes off, belt off, oops, the shampoo bottle is bigger than three ounces. Confiscated! Yes, but you can have as many as two books of matches (will three bring down an airplane?).

Each time they spot a police car, a relative jokingly cautions his daughter, "Act Natural!" Then he laughs and tells me, "You know, it's not paranoia if they really ARE looking for you!"

Isn't this the Orwellian problem we face today? "They" really are looking for us. All of us, even if all we really want to do is get to Seattle and back with our favorite brand of shampoo.