On one of our trips this year, we had to go through one of the new Security machines that puffs air on the passenger as you walk through. I'm not exactly sure what it's supposed to do, but I think it is able to detect whether or not you have explosive residue on your body.
I had never seen one of these things before, so I said to Frank, "Let's check it out." We got in the line headed to the machine. We saw a businessman enter a little swinging door and stand inside a thing that looks like a giant white phone booth. Suddenly, we heard a loud "POOF!" and a green light went on and he exited the other side. I halfway expected that he would have disappeared after that "POOF!"
Frank was up next and leisurely strolled into the machine. When it went "POOF!" he nearly jumped out of his skin. The thing really startled him, and Alex and I thought this was hilarious.
Then it was my turn. I tried to be cool about it so Alex wouldn't get scared, but the "POOF!" was much louder inside the thing that standing outside. I jumped and nearly lost my glasses. Alex thought this was the funniest thing since Spongbob Squarepants met David Hasselhoff. The security guard was barely suppressing her giggles, so I laughed, too.
Alex went in prepared for the big poof, and stuck his fingers in his hears. The cold air blast startled him, and he jumped, too, which, I have to admit, was pretty darn funny.
I'm pretty sure that the main reason for this new machine is not to catch terrorists, but to entertain bored security agents. At least they get a giggle every time an unsuspecting tourist gets "POOFed".
If you're traveling with young kids, the thing might scare them due to the noise and the air jets, so don't get in this line unless you are told to do so. I wouldn't volunteer for it again.
