random truths – Day 1,053 (Friday) – pre check

The pre-vacation tasks are being ticked off the list. Once Winston’s dog boarding was booked, it was time to move onto other tasks that had been set aside to deal with the holidays and such. Anything to improve the chances of traveling with ease.

The TSA Pre Check online application was completed early in the week. The website was consulted for locations for the in-person interview and fingerprinting. There were open appointments in North Andover as soon as first thing the next morning, but I selected a Friday early afternoon appointment and booked the afternoon off for a half vacation day.

At 12:30, I bundled up and speed walked to the garage in the frigid, Arctic temperatures and wind. It was a 24 minute ride past the beautiful old houses on Andover Street and a shopping plaza with a Kohl’s that I decided to visit on the way home for some of the amazing clearance bargains I keep reading about in my Facebook feed. I arrived at the Staples in North Andover about 20 minutes early and headed inside. 

The clerk at the TSA Pre Check In check in desk asked my appointment time and what documents I had with me. I answered with “1:30” and “passport.” It seemed my name wasn’t on his list, but whatever he was saying was unintelligible under his mask. I pulled out my phone to check for the confirmation and was immediately scolded that phones were not allowed in that area and I had to step away. I made it three steps away and he called me back, mumbling something about lunch, did I have on earrings, and I should have a seat. I sat, slightly confused, and wondering if my appointment ever actually scheduled.

A guy being helped at the tablet had papers and ID cards and something more complicated than TSA Pre Check and the tablet froze after his finger prints and before his payment. He was told to sit and a woman there for TSA Pre Check and a passport was processed. After her, the system was rebooted.

Three more people arrived to check in. All the women were asked about earrings. One woman asked about earring thing and Mr. Mumbles said there couldn’t be anything that would reflect light for the facial recognition image. She paced, and said something about needing to meet the school bus.

I was out of there at 2:00 after the system reboot, people ahead of me, and my own processing. I decided to head to a thrift shop on Main Street I saw listed online, but there was a giant “Closed” sign in the window. From there, the navigation system took me home a different way that didn’t pass Kohl’s.

After that, the rest of the afternoon was hot cocoa, microwave popcorn, and Chesapeake Shores on Peacock while the wind blew hard outside. The heating system has been running non-stop and all I can hear is the air flow and what I imagine is the gas meter racking up usage. It’s probably good that I missed visiting Kohl’s today.