Coming Home

My travels to Scotland were fairly uneventful, apart from a few minor things.

First, I’d like to complain about airport security again. I finally got my teeny tiny swiss-army-knife-type thing taken away (bought it at Claire’s, can barely cut anything with it). They found it in the x-ray machine. And I’ve been on about 5 flights now from the US to the UK and back, and it hasn’t been found yet. I could complain about it being taken away, but… aren’t they supposed to find all knives immediately? What if I had wanted to stab someone’s eye out with it? I could have done it (but not really, as my knife is a flimsy little thing and I wouldn’t do it anyway). They call themselves high-security, they look and feel like high-security, but it doesn’t really seem like they are.

On a brighter note, I watched the latest and last Doctor Who episode till autumn on the plane, since I’d got it saved on my computer before the flight. Was epic beyond words, and I won’t say anything more.

I had a slightly frustrating experience with a newsstand worker in the Philadelphia airport. The guy before me in line was buying a bag of almonds. The shopkeeper saw that he had glasses that were sold at his shop, and asked the customer if he’d bought them there already. The man got angry that the shopkeeper hadn’t remembered him and was insinuating that he’d shoplifted them. He dug out his receipt for the glasses for proof, then put back the almonds and left.

I was next in line, with three snacks. He charged me $17, which seemed high, but I knew snacks at the airport are expensive. I bought them and went to sit down. Then it hit me that the price was more than it actually should have been, even with tax, and so I took out my receipt and saw I’d been charged for that man’s almonds. I went back, wanting my $4. There were more customers now, so when I asked him about it he asked if I wanted the almonds–probably the easy way out for him. But I insisted, and so had to wait for everyone else to buy, and then let him do a return for me. He seemed rather out of it this whole time, even in his demeanor. Not paying attention to who bought what in the last couple hours, not watching that he’s not charging for something extra. Not a good way to work.

Good thing was, I left for Glasgow from the same concourse I arrived in from Phoenix, so I didn’t have to go through security again at Philadelphia airport. I get tired of doing it at every stop.

When I landed, after I got in the taxi, I realized I really feel at home here. I feel like I’m in a much different point in my life than the last time I came back, after Christmas. I know the city better and I’ve taken more taxis, to begin with. Then of course, I’ve made much stronger friendships, have a job and new flat lined up, and a boyfriend to see again.

Life is good.