One thousand, four hundred, and forty-four days ago (but who’s counting on all thumbs or all fingers?), I typed — with all thumbs and fingers — a post titled Day 922: Thumbs, which included a discussion of thumb-related phrases including “all thumbs,” “thumbs up,” and “thumbs down.”
Yesterday, I was all thumbs at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, as
- I was so focused on removing liquids or semi-liquids that might be more than three ounces from my bag that I forgot to remove my laptop,
- security gave me a thumbs down and sent my bag through twice, the second time without zipping it up,
- I didn’t noticed that the bag was unzipped,
- people told me everything was falling out of my bag after I picked it up, and
- I got so flustered I dropped my laptop on my toe.
I’m glad to report that all thumbs and all toes were all okay, even if my dignity got temporarily damaged. After all that happened, I hung around the scene of the crime and said all this to myself:
See! You were trying to avoid feeling shame about doing the wrong thing by taking out those items from your bag, but you missed the obvious one! And what you feared came true: you did the security thing wrong, people got annoyed, strangers noticed your mistakes, things fell out of your bag, you were exposed, you looked like you were all thumbs (and maybe like a crazy old lady), but you know what? It doesn’t matter! You survived and you’re flying home to those you love! Hooray!
And I celebrated by grabbing, with all thumbs, the #1 Best Airport Grab-and-Go Dining in the Country (which turned my thumbs orange).
It’s time to thumb through all my photos from yesterday, when I was feeling all thumbs (but lots of heart, too). By the way, I thought “thumbs up!” when I was taking one of these pictures. Can you guess which one?
Here‘s “All Thumbs” by Mark Casstevens:
I’ll reply to all comments later (using all thumbs if I’m on my iPhone).
Thanks to all who helped me create this all-thumbs post and — of course! — to YOU, for visiting, here and now.
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 
Airport security is a flustering situation when you’re using all fingers trying to put the right stuff in the proper bins and all your toes bared to the detection machine after slipping your shoes off, I think, Ann.
Thank you, Mark, for all the thoughtful, right stuff in this comment.
👍🏻
Thank you for the thumbs up, Dr. Del Castillo!
I hope people were understanding since everyone has trouble with airport security. And since opposable thumbs are one thing that made human evolution possible being all thumbs just means you’re more evolved.
Thank you for your more evolved understanding, Chris.
My heart goes out to you … and all of us who have had security mishaps! It’s a right of passage to survive with a smile on our face 💕
Your heart puts a smile on my face, Val!
Whew…. that is some ordeal going through security!~ Glad you came out ok on the other side!
Your empathy always helps me feel more secure, Lisa.
❤ ❤
Airport security…it’s all been said. I love that thumbs up balloon. I’ve never seen one of those. Glad you’re home safe!
Thumbs up to this lovely comment, Lisa!
Going through airport security can be stressful and annoying and embarressing but is a must do when flying
We do what we must do, Joanne.
I suppose it makes sense to have a hitch at the airport when posting about thumbs
Thumbs up for that pun, Derrick.
Pingback: Day 2404: ACT | The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally
Wow! I hope that your laptop survived landing on your toe, and I hope that your toe survived, too. (Kind of your toe to try to break the fall.) I hope your sense of humour allows you to remember that, statistically, every 5th airline customer going through security makes a mistake with sorting out their liquids or electronics and every 66th drops their laptop on their toe. One in every 4,000 passengers drops their bag of duty free vodka, making the airport smell like a distillery and disappointing their uncle who is waiting for the gift. And, one in one point two million passengers puts their kid on the wrong plane and sends him to Gander with only an egg salad sandwich.
I feel much better now, Maureen, thanks to this graceful comment.