Catch-22 at HNL

The other day I had to go to the airport and retrieve some stuff. Security has been ramped up, and a good thing too. But I had a little -- ahem -- problem.

To enter the airport if you're not a ticketed passenger, you need to surrender your driver's license at the security office and get a clip-on pass while someone vouches for you. Done. The stuff was acquired, put in a cardboard box and carried out to my car in the parking lot. OK.

Then I tried to return to the security office to retrieve my license and turn in the pass. Wrong! A security guard ran up and commanded me to get in my car and leave. All he saw was a car left unattended with a mysterious box in it.

I couldn't believe a security guard was ordering me to drive a car without a license, much less leave the airport with one of their treasured security passes. But he was adamant, if illogical, and I drove away, an unwilling scofflaw.

I did what any good terrorist would do. I circled the block and parked. Then I quickly switched the pass for my license and left. I felt vaguely criminal, and I'm not sure why.

Burl Burlingame

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