Stereotypes are awesome.

--

Gatwick airport, lady at security checkpoint asked if I would allow her to test my hat. ‘Asking’ at an English airport is a very British courteous formality. Even so, I consented happily, seeing no trouble in this. She took me and the hat to a little counter and swiped my hat with white cloth.

‘Just checking for explosives, you see?’ She placed the cloth in a futuristic detector.

In my mind, images of an explosive straw hat (old Q’s design maybe) going out in a ball of fire, Hollywood slow-mo, shards and debris everywhere. I was very caught up by this vision. So when I said -

‘Wow. That would be so cool’ I wasn’t exactly thinking about what I was saying. The lady gave me a sideways quizzical look. The machine rung, vindicating. She returned my hat, I tried to explain, ‘No, that wasn’t what I meant’ but all I got in return was:

‘Uh-huh. Have a nice flight now.’