The cat's out of the bag

We arrived safely in atlanta. The "whole row" concept worked flawlessly. this is a good thing to remember for future flights! We both slept well for quite a bit of the flight. It was freezing again, so I wore my fleece jacket throughout and was fine.

After the tiny breakfast on the plane, we got off the plane. After a long wait at passport control, we breezed through customs (the joy of not having any checked luggage-clearly not an option for the mission trip however).

In Atlanta, you then have to go back through a security check to get to your next gate. A guard waved us to the last line which was short. We were standing there with our bags ready to go. through the machine when we heard a piercing scream. We looked through the screening area in our line and a man and a woman were struggling on the ground. Our immediate thought was that there was a huge incident with a damaged bag or that someone was just generally freaking out.

Well, it was none of those - it was WAY better. A couple had brought their cat with them on the trip to the US. For those that don't know, you have to take the cat out of the carrier and hand carry through the machine while the bag goes through the xray (apparently not a good idea for Fluffy to get exposed to xrays!). Well, apparently the cat (let's call him Diablo) had enough with being in a stuffy bag for who knows how many hours and wasn't having any part of going back in.

Dude and girl were struggling to put Diablo back in. The scream (multiple and repeated at great volume) was from dude because Diablo was clawing and scratching the mess out of him.

After much struggle and screaming (and probably cursing) and one time where I thought the cat was free and ready to continue its (short) reign of terror on the greater atlanta airport area, they got it back in.

Not a picture of the real Diablo, but a good approximation - equally as scary. We didn't think that either the TSA security nor the people would appreciate their picture being taken - besides, we were so shocked....

Dude was bleeded from multiple Diablo wounds and blood was on the floor. So, they shut the security line down and had us move to the next one over (which, to the TSAjs credit they opened immediately). This allowed us to observe the ongoing saga.

Dude (and girl-she had some collateral damage as well) were cleaning their wounds. The couple were speaking Hebrew according to Tito, so we didn't know what they were saying during the fight. However, after research, Tito and I have pieced the coversation together for your enjoyment:

Diablo: screw you guys, I'm not getting into that stinky bag again. Here, see how you like this (chomp)

Dude: Ow! Your stupid cat bit me! Control him, woman, and get the foul feline back in the bag where it belongs.

Girl: come on snookums-get in the bag for mommy.

Diablo: snookums, huh? My real mommy wouldn't make me get in the bag. I didn't want to come on the trip anyway. Here's a little bite and scratch for both of your this time (chomp and slash)

Dude: (screams like a little girl). If you don't help me get this cat in the bag, I will strangle it right here in front of all of these witnesses. I told you not to bring the cat in the first place!

Girl: let's argue later - just get the cat in the bag.

Dude: (screaming uncontrollably by this time) I have shoved your stupid cat into the bag. I should have zipped his tail in there like I wanted. It would have served him right. Once I get the blood off of me, you are on your own. (To the tsa agent). Do you have any bactine? Or some guaze? Maybe some morphine? (Stalks off angrily)

Well, there you have it. A first hand account (cut me some slack-we have been travelling for a long time and my mind is a little warped).

Dude did stalk off and leave the girl with the cat after he wiped himself free of blood. Tito and I think that the cat is toast as soon as they get to their destination.

We had no further incidents and are on the plane to houston.

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld.