Black Shirt Wand.

... is what the screener said as I was about to pass through the metal detector.

We've all had "The Moment." You know what I'm talking about. when you look at something & realize it's not right. That you somehow messed up somewhere. You're hoping you're misreading it, but deep down inside you know you did & you realize exactly what you did all at the same moment.

That's what happened to me this morning. I was checking my flight departure info. The time wasn't quite right. Then I noticed the day said "Tuesday" and the date said "20" not "02" like it should have. Everything replayed in a single instant. I had typed "2" into the date category. instead of 2, the Delta website gave me the first "2" which was the 20th, not the 2nd. (I should have typed "0"). All the flight numbers were the same, so I apparently wasn't looking close enough and my brain saw the 20 as 02. So I'm booked on a return flight 18 days from now.

After a lengthy discussion with the Delta person, the $450 ticket difference, for which she wanted to charge me $368, ended up being $120 more. "Will that be Visa?"

Which brings us to "black shirt wand." If you book a same day flight, you're flagged for a special extra screening at airport security.

When I showed the TSA person my boarding pass, I was ushered to a different line. I put my stuff in a specially marked tub. Went through the metal detector, and the guy who had just taken my stuff said to the one at the detector "black shirt wand." (I'm wearing a black shirt in case I haven't made that clear) After a pat down and special search of my backpack, I'm through. Ahead of everyone else I'm with ironically enough.

I wanted to title this post "Yew Eediot!" since I feel like an idiot for booking a flight on the wrong day...

Anyway, so I'm on the first flight ok. Of course, I'm not on the second flight, increasing my layover from one to at least 3. Maybe I can sweet talk someone at the gate to getting me on the earlier flight....

Wish me luck! (or "providential blessings" if you prefer)

Rob