Taking a home suitcase on an Airline

[fmblizz]

While at a phonograph show in Orlando, I picked up an original fire alarm pull station from the Victor Talking Machine Co. Being that I was a career firefighter as a profession I just had to have it.

Keep in mind that this was PRE 911 and I don't even think TSA was invented yet.

I was very exited about my find/purchase so I decided it was best to put it in a gym back and use balled up news's paper as padding since it was always to be in my possession under the seat in front of me on the plane.

Well that didn't go well...

Of course security at the time picked up on this massive block of cast iron with some electrical components inside on their X-ray machine and I think I recall some bells going off. Needless to say, this quickly got the attention of some supervisors.

They pull me and the gym bag out of line and had me open it as I tried to explain exactly what I was trying to bring onboard the aircraft.

Next order of business was the cotton swab wipedown for explosives.. You guessed it, it tested positive and now I'm off with a pissed off wife and my firebox to a special room. By now there are 4 or 5 security officers huddled around asking question. It seemed like I repeated my story about the fire box and what exactly it's important's was to me a dozen times by now.

The fact that my story was consistent and hopefully making sense, I think my saving grace was the fact that my wife still had some type of advertising for the Orlando Phonograph Show in her purse,, that coupled with the fact that I made a statement something to the effect that I'd have to be crazy to bring something explosive on an aircraft that I was going to be flying on. I thought maybe I would get a few chuckles out of that statement but that didn't happen.

Long story short, we barely made the flight and we were finally able to board with the alarm box. Also I'm still married to the same person.

After doing some restoration and fabricating a wooden mounting board, I still have the firebox proudly displayed on the wall in my house.

blizz

[Jerry B.]

bizz, Great item and a wonderful story. " Also I'm still married to the same person." I hope you regularly buy your sweet wife flowers. If it's been some time, but some today.

Jerry B.