A Participant's Observation

Over the Presidents Week/"Spring" break, I arrived at JFK for a trip to join my family for several days. It had been nearly one year since my last visit to the airport, and I noticed a change almost immediately. For example, at the the curb-side check-in area, the airline no longer accepts cash to give to the baggage handlers; only a credit card or a check for the $2 fee will do. Since there's no charge for indoor counter service, I opted for that because it seemed simpler.
I observed my fellow travelers at the Security section. It's interesting, in a sad way, how everyone knew the drill: shoes off, all items in the plastic bins, and setting the containers onto a conveyer belt--all done as quickly as possible. I was told by my relatives ahead of time that, despite media reports about body checks and scanning, they experienced no changes or problems. Still, I was a bit apprehensive; I was once pulled aside because something innocuous looked suspicious on an x-ray machine. A girl in front of me had to walk through the body scanner machine twice because she beeped. Thankfully, I passed through this portion of my journey uneventfully. I asked a TSA agent if I could put away my ID (it's just too easy to lose) and he said yes without hesitation. I tucked it in my packed handbag.
As I passed through the gate and into the passageway leading to the aircraft, two TSA agents were stationed there. A tall male said nothing as I walked by, but his female colleague asked for my ID. As I searched for my drivers license, I said that another agent assured me I wouldn't need to show it again, so why the request now (after I'd already handed in my boarding pass?) She said, almost gleefully, that it was "random." I found that as unsettling as it was annoying: Was it really random? Does a woman traveling alone seem suspicious somehow? With my handbag stuffed to the gills, I just couldn't locate my ID. I said that I had it earlier (obviously). She said, "Hmm, getting through security without ID, that's pretty serious." I envisioned missing my flight and upsetting my family who were waiting at my destination's airport. Ultimately, though, I found my license and all was resolved. After I landed and opened my suitcase, however, I saw a printed notice from TSA, informing me that my suitcase had been checked, randomly. While I'm glad I arrived safely and enjoyed my visit, based on this experience, I think there's a lot to be said for "staycations."