Code Orange

I think of the Homeland Security Advisory System as an interesting, colorful addition to the information landscape out there. I mean, how sweet, we are code yellow, that is such a warm friendly color – how can that mean ‘Elevated’? And it always seems to be orange and above at the airport. That’s the way the system goes – green – low, blue – guarded, yellow – elevated, orange – high and red – severe. It is a rainbow of response levels, more like a circus of circumstances than any indication danger.

I had the entire system driven home to me when I flew home recently, I had a layover in DC, perhaps this was a difficulty because it never seems to be anything less than orange at airports. The DC airports are of course the most security conscience (I suppose that is as it should be) Anyway, after spending close to an hour in one line, a kind older man checked my boarding pass and license and said I was good to go. I put my boarding pass back in my coat pocket and I was ready to board.

The next step was going through the metal detector. Ok, I made sure to wear new socks so I wouldn’t embarrass myself with my old, holey socks and I wore my flats to easily remove them. I slipped off my shoes placed them in a bin, opened up my two laptops and placed them in bins. Then my luggage, my coat and my purse. All in separate bins – all sent on their way to the other side. I lined up and one of the guards said, “You’ll need to take off that sweatshirt”. I did have a tiny little tank top that was too small for me, my midriff bulge hanging out under the top – I felt very cold and naked but no matter I would be through this soon.

“Boarding Pass”, the large tough looking guard said to me.

“But that other man checked it.” I offered. It seems that checking boarding passes is a several step process as I discovered, because on entering the plane the pass is checked again.

My boarding pass, along with all of my possessions, my money, my two laptops and most of my clothing where all on the other side. I, with no shoes and no shirt was on this side feeling rather cold, pretty worried and completely like a delinquent. I asked for my purse but the pass was not in there. Then my sweatshirt – no boarding pass – where was that thing. They told me to sit on the floor and let others pass. I scrambled through my meager possessions, feeling very much like an idiot and a criminal. Others that where more organized – the lucky few that had there boarding passes -- passed.

Finally, I thought of my coat, “Give me my coat I asked.” All the while I craned my neck to try to keep an eye on my possessions while searching for the pass. I retrieved the boarding pass, made it through the line and quickly grabbed my twisted remnants, threw on my shoes and made it to the waiting area.

I blended, no one said – “There’s that woman that caused the huge delay”. I bought a coffee, smiled nicely at the ladies across the way that smiled nicely at me. I read my magazine and played some Spider solitaire.

Don't get me wrong, I think that the system is good. Sure, it is easy to poke fun but ultimately it is simple for a reason -- I like the fact that it is purposely simple so that even a child can understand that there are elevated levels of danger. Even if someone visits to our country and speak no English, I think they would be able to understand the simple straightforward color system. Just as our street lights are blatantly simple, so is this system and that is a good thing.

FYI, it was only code orange that day, thank goodness it wasn't code red!