Probably twenty years ago but after 911 I bought flight tickets to Reno for a convention and then a few days later realized I had used my American Express Card which actually has a different first name on them than my D.L or Passport and I thought that might be a problem and so called Delta to change the name on my ticket and told the customer rep on the phone, making a joke, that I did not want one of the TSA agents taking me in the back because of the difference...

In flying out of Reno early in the a.m. I had stayed up the night before a little too late and it seems still had some metal in my pocket and set off the alarm going through security and had to step back ... found the spare change and put it in the basket and started back through and the agent standing by the walk through metal detector stoped me and said if it went off again they, point off to the side somewhere, would have to search me. So I checked again and still had my watch on... went through all clear and gathered my stuff and started off in the direction he has pointed.. and I'm not making this up... there was a huddle of 5 female TSA agents listening to another female TSA agent giving them instructions and as I walked by she gave me the most evil & disappointed look I've ever seen... I think I ruined her day when the metal detector did not go off that second time.

To fight the doldrums.......

Meet Walter, the newest member of our family:



He's a red heeler mix, and the biggest baby you've ever met .

Hoping things get sorted for you sooner, rather than later, Dave.

Haha, he looks like a Walter. Congrats Pond, a beautiful guy!

Things sound some positive. Get your butt home soon Brother.

quote:

Originally posted by dave7378:
Just too much time to think. I just want to go home.

You're handling it well. And you will be home and we'll celebrate with you. I know it can't come soon enough, but you have friends here and you can talk to us whenever you want.

How are the libraries there? You can pass a lot of time in books.

Is there a trial date set yet?

I hope your atty has asked for the charges to be dropped so a simple settlement can be reached and you can head home soon. Every one wins. That would be best.

Praying it's all over soon.

quote:

Originally posted by bigpond73:
To fight the doldrums.......

Meet Walter, the newest member of our family:



He's a red heeler mix, and the biggest baby you've ever met .

Hoping things get sorted for you sooner, rather than later, Dave.

Oh man that is great. This is part of my problem, I miss my dogs. I have a nine month old rescue at home that I'm sure just can't survive without me

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by dave7378:
Just too much time to think. I just want to go home.

You're handling it well. And you will be home and we'll celebrate with you. I know it can't come soon enough, but you have friends here and you can talk to us whenever you want.

How are the libraries there? You can pass a lot of time in books.

Thanks, I'm good for the most part. Ups and downs like any other person. I have been doing a lot of reading, helps keep my brain occupied. My 2nd day in the holding cell one of the inmates gave me a James Patterson book to read, Alex Cross Run. Man, what a treat. Like a lifeline to sanity. I'll never forget such an act of kindness. Doesn't seem like a big deal but it was huge because it helped me pass the time. It also showed me that I had little to fear from the guys I shared that space with which going in was my main concern.

My attorney has sent a letter to the prosecution asking them to drop the charges but won't know how that was received until Tuesday. Until then I am reading, working out and enjoying my wife's company. I've been married for almost 30 years and my marriage is only being made stronger. Have to look at the bright side of every shitty situation.

Thank you for the support. Means a lot.

Good to hear. Someday you will have a story to tell your grandkids.

Glad to hear you sound/feel a little better.

We had one of our guys spend over a year in China over some airsoft "ammo".

One of his takeaways was that having people have lunch or dinner with him lifted his spirits immensely. If Dave is going to be stuck for a while, any member here planning a vacation or trip anywhere near him should plan a side trip to see Dave and his wife and just shoot the breeze for a while. I'm sure it would mean a lot.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Anything- funny stories or stories about when you got into a legal bind (with a focus on positive outcomes), words of support, anything at all.

Thanks Para.

When my boys were little, like most little boys they always had and carried with them lots of “weapons” in case of zombies or other monsters.

We were flying somewhere and were going through security when the alarm went off as one of my sons passed through.

The TSA agent pulls him aside as I circled back to see what the problem was. The agent proceeds to pull out - I kid you not - seven knives of various shapes and sizes out of my sons coat and pants pockets.

After she was done, she asked if that was it. Of course not, he had one more in his backpack.

She looks at me and I shrugged and gave her that “what can you do” frazzled parent look. To her credit, she started laughing and didn’t turn it into an incident. She confiscated everything and that was the end of it.

But, I will never forget the look on her face as she pulled one knife after another out of his pockets.

About 1975 me and a buddy went to Texas for a while. We had a good bit of cash from running a Christmas tree sales lot, both single and had no obligations until mid March so we headed for south Texas.

Crossed the border in Matamoras and proceeded to get drunk and headed for boystown during daylight - bad idea. One of the lovely ladies rubbed my butt and wanted to go fuckee - I said gonna shoot pool now, we fuckee later. Walked down the boardwalk 20 feet (think old west w/mud streets) and about 4 guys that looked like cab drivers surrounded us.

They were cops and they frisked us - I had a Case XX Buffalo in my back pocket and that was enough to get me off the street. Went something like this: "Senor, you big and strong, why you need a knife?"

me "I'm a produce man and I work w/ a knife, I carry it every day and didn't know it was a problem"

Federali "Senor is sharp like a guillotine - why you need a knife?"

Went round and round a couple times and then they took me to the boystown jail, a mud plaster room with a hole in the wall to pee out and a pile in the corner where the previous occupant had wiped with a Baby Ruth candy wrapper. I was the only prisoner and the guards were friendly.

My buddy didn't get locked up so he took a taxi back to town (about 3 muddy miles) and went to the big jail/courthouse. Several hours passed and I was still locked up. I'd ask "when you gonna let me out of here" Guard would grin and say "Senor, maybe 5 minutes, senor your friend..."

My buddy made friends with an english speaking prisoner at the main jail and he became my advocate. After about 10 hours they came and got me in boystown and took me to the main jail where they took most of my money, about $50, kept my knife and let me go.

Next day we went back across the border and I bought about a dozen switchblades then we packed up and headed for Key West.

quote:

Originally posted by furlough:
We had one of our guys spend over a year in China over some airsoft "ammo".

I've spent a lot of time in China. About 14 yrs ago I was visiting some friends in Chengdu and the husband was a big Airsoft nut. He had done some work in Pakistan and really took to the gun culture, but couldn't bring any real guns back to China. He did, however, get full-auto AK-47 and M-16 Airsofts and was very proud of them. I'm not sure as to their legality in China. He insisted we take them up to the roof of his apt high rise and shoot beer cans, could not understand why I thought that was a bad idea.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick Lee:
I've spent a lot of time in China. About 14 yrs ago I was visiting some friends in Chengdu and the husband was a big Airsoft nut. He had done some work in Pakistan and really took to the gun culture, but couldn't bring any real guns back to China. He did, however, get full-auto AK-47 and M-16 Airsofts and was very proud of them. I'm not sure as to their legality in China. He insisted we take them up to the roof of his apt high rise and shoot beer cans, could not understand why I thought that was a bad idea.

Yeah our guy was based in Hong Kong. He had been back in the States for a few weeks and went Airsoft shooting with his son. His buddy, being a good guy, stuck the leftover rounds in his bag without him knowing.

They were in a side pocket. He never knew about them, flew around for two months and went through security all over the world but one night in Guangzhou the Chinese saw the "rounds" and lost their shit.

Why this happened - this was in 2019 when the Hong Kong protests against the Chinese were in full swing. And he posted on Facebook support for the Hong Kong protestors. Also he was a retired O-6 (full Colonel) from the Air Force. So the Chinese held him literally as a hostage for over a year. The Chinese were sending a message.

I think Dave is more low-profile so I'm hoping his process is quicker.

Wife and I leaving wine country via Sacramento airport. She gets through security fine but the walk thru detector alerts when I go through so off to the side for me. Cant imagine what it is, wearing nylon thin shorts and can feel nothing in my pockets. TSA guy wands me and my left rear pocket has the culprit. TSA reaches in and smirks as he hands the problem to me. Wife is 25 feet away as I holler look what it was as my arm extends to the air with a tinfoil 2 pack of Tucks Buttwipes.

Flying to Michigan to go deer hunting, I pack my clothes in the pelican case with my Marlin 1895 ABL in 45-70. At the ticket counter, I declare my firearm and the ticket agent says I have to show her it's unloaded. I open the case, remove half my clothes (the ones in the case), go to grab the gun to operate the lever, and she says I don't have to touch the gun because she can see that is unloaded just by looking at it.

Same trip in Detroit on the way home, I again declare my firearm. She asks if there's anything else in the case, so I tell her my clothes and 20 pounds of deer sausage and jerky. She says I can't have the deer sausage and jerky and calls TSA over. Seriously, the gun is OK, but the deer sausage and jerky, that's where we have a problem? The TSA guy gave it a pass.

I bought my truck in TN. For an extra $100, I take my then 6 year old son on the airplane and for the 1,000 mile road trip back. Going through security at the airport, I show the guy my driver's license and our tickets, the guy looks at my son and asks him "Is this your father?" My son looks at me then replies, "Nope, never seen him before in my life."

Hang in there, Dave.

A relaxing pic of our Aussie after a long tiring day of trying to herd her beagles around.

Dave stay strong.
we are all pulling for you in our minds and hearts.