Welcome to Israel. In Philadelphia?

 



With a six hour layover in Philadelphia, I walked to the international terminal to relax until my flight to Tel Aviv. I went to my gate, A19, and was very impressed by the spaciousness and the comfortable seats. To top it off, I could clearly hear the pleasant classical music from above. The hall was quite. I ate a delicious peanut-butter/honey sandwich and did some people watching. I was content. Then, out of nowhere, this guy, bland colored uniform and balding, comes scurrying frantic brashly telling me "can't you see this terminal is closed". At that point I was tuning my guitar and talking on the phone. I hobble with all my stuff to the gate opposite the walkway, my cell phone pressed between ear and shoulder. The same man begins to set up a makeshift Security Center around where I was sitting. Maybe a compound is the more appropriate noun. Anyways, in five minutes, he has set up these walls that enclose the gate, a mini interrogation room, ropes, security equipment, computers ect.. He then wheels out this poster that says "You'll love Israel from the first shalom". I haven't heard the first shalom yet- all I know is my solace was disturbed by a hyper-efficient Israeli guard with arms raised in a permanent "ayyayyay!"

Oh well, it gave me an excuse to post something................................