Years ago on a trip to the UK, I went through Gatwick and security had been stepped up back then (it was still years before Pam Am 43 and 9/11). I had a ship-load of photo equipment and was carrying on the camera bag so I had the whole thing open and the film in a see-through plastic baggie in hopes that I could get a hand inspect on it so it wouldn't go through the x-ray machine. I almost literally had my pockets turned inside out when I got to the inspection point.

So here comes the security person and I swears to God that they had hired Mother Riley...this woman was virtually a dead ringer for the old movie character.

"What have you got here, dear?"

"Just my cameras and film, ma'am...could I get the film hand inspected so it doesn't go through the x-ray?"

She basically just glances in my camera bag and waves me through.

"Aren't you nice to have everything open."

"Well, ma'am, it looks like you all have a hard enough time here so why not make it a little bit easier."

"Aren't you nice...go on through."

"Thank you."

...and literally dozens of people behind me start mumbling and bitching that they're getting frisked and I'm just walking on through.

So Mother Riley got pissed off and REALLY put the first few complainers through the wringer just to re-establish her authority.

From this we learn two things:

1. Be polite...go along to get along.

2. Do not, under any circumstances, screw with Mother Rilry...even Dracula learned that!

Best

AA