TSA Found A Weapon In My Purse This Morning and Called the Police

I spent the weekend visiting my mom in Spokane and flew back early this morning. All was fine and good until TSA pulled me aside and called the police! 

Thursday night, I flew into Spokane from Boise to see my mom. Spokane is my hometown, but I was planning on seeing mom and not doing a whole lot with people I knew back in the day. I threw a bunch of things in a suitcase, grabbed my purse and flew out of town. There were no problems at all on the way there.

On the way home, however, it was a whole other story.

This morning's flight was really early because I wanted to get right to work and in on time for the morning show. I was still half asleep once I got to the Spokane airport but I've traveled so much that I mindlessly took off my shoes and made sure all liquids were accounted for. Same thing every flight.

That is until TSA specifically came to me carrying my purse and asked me to meet them at a screening area at the back of security. I sat at a table while the man asked if there was anything sharp in my purse. I innocently said no. but then started running through what could possibly be seen as a weapon. Was it a pen? A keychain? Maybe I had tweezers with me. Clearly this was a serious issue because the guy checking my purse was not joking around and kept staring at me as if I was lying to him.

I stood with hot stomach waiting for this TSA guy to find what he was looking for. He questioned me and then we discovered that what he was talking about was my self defense cat. Like an idiot, I basically had a device used to stab people in my purse. FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO JAIL!  The man said he was calling the police and that I would be questioned, they needed to take a photo of the object and I would need to fill out paperwork.

I was not half-awake anymore. I was full-awake and wondering what would come first: I would stop shaking or I would mess myself completely.

With dry pants and an even more dry mouth, the police officer told me that I was carrying something illegal in the state of Washington but wanted to note that it was a great self defense tool. The compliment on my shopping skills didn't calm me at all.

I had a choice at this point. I could either allow my weapon (MY WEAPON) to be confiscated or I could be charged and fight it in court.

Guess what I chose?

Get that weapon as far from me as possible! I felt like a criminal, but I hadn't done anything wrong.

Until the plane took off, I was looking over my shoulder just waiting for the police to decide that what I had been carrying was even more dangerous than they thought and now they were going to arrest me.

I would make a horrible criminal.

Now I'm back home in Boise and I think I'll stay for a bit and let my nerves calm down.

I mean, seriously, WHO does that?!?