On Monday November 28th, I head for an HSBC building to conclude a financial affair of mine. The clock was precisely 1:45 p.m., and the weather was too hot to handle in the black leather I was in. Nothing too kinky, think not much of the matter.
As I approached the door, I read a sign that delivered explicit apologies from the management of the bank to their clients. The motives behind such a posting on the portal became clear in a moment. I walked past the first door and then I was stopped by a man in a uniform, whom I took to have the bank’s security as his profession. I did not mind being stopped, I minded something else.
The uniform man then indicated the presence of a uniform woman who was situated close by, he made some gestures with his hands, and probably with his voice, so that I understood that there is something to yet be done before I can go about my business. Again I say, I did not mind that. I realize the importance of security and I am for the freshest safety-related measures in Amman.
I got to the woman, who had a hand held detector, and I smiled at her. She carefully slid the device over my body, with focus elaborated on my waist, and then she asked me to open my big black bag. I opened the bag, expecting her to go through my personals, and possibly intimates, with care and dignity. I was mistaken. The woman literally stripped the inner folds of my bag with her hands, she made a joke about my chocolate, then another concerning the small old navy shoe that I often play with, and I was stunned at this. I smiled at her, because I did not wish to make a scene.
The woman laughed it off and told me she was “kidding” with me. I was so taken aback by the surprise of it all that I said nothing, and smiled on. In general I am not a person who welcomes such impulses of familiarity from absolute strangers, and certainly not from strangers with a hand in the bag and a joke about one’s chocolate.
I admit that now when I look back at the incident, I regret not having been to the office of this woman’s superior. I am not sure whether or not such a step was necessary, do I come too harsh for contemplating the advance?
I faced that same kind of familiarity the last time I went through customs to fly…The security agent mde jokes about the wine I was transporting and that he would have to confiscate it…then he laughed and said he was only kidding…I think it is more acceptable to be familiar in the United States because we are such an informal culture…it still bothered me a little though…
HSBC (The world’s local bank) one of the biggest banking groups over the world, they are (The Mother Company) from UK. And you know the last threat from Abu Mos3ab. But if you want my opinion, it’s not an excuse. They can use some electronic gates like the airports, or they can find some other techniques.
when I was flying from amsterdam to amman last May I was stopped at the checkpoint where the carry ons are scanned in the xray machine thingy. So far i had gone through 2 of these checkpoints on my journey so I wasnt expecting anything here except now they wanted to see the laptop that was in my duffle bag. So i unpacked it. Normally they would use a toothbrush-like device to wave over it and check it but this time one of the gaurds noticed the stickers I had on the cover: “free palestine”, “jordan first” and “Israeli Crowd Control” (with the picture of a bullet. He asked me about the stickers and i said they were just stickers. So he called another gaurd over and together the unpacked my whole loaded duffle bag and kept saying “we dont have to answer your questions” and “this is standard” while other people stared on. I had nothing to worry about so I took a seat while the gaurds, now at least 5, gathered around to see the stuff I was carrying. They even unwrapped the tape I had placed on a bottle of body wash and opened it to smell it. Both male gaurds sniffing it like two monkeys and asking me what it was.
It took them 15 minutes.
I’m guessing it had something to do with the stickers, but my beard and skin color didnt hurt.
everyone has one of these stories to tell. security check elegies.
I am impressed by the stories my readers are telling. It is true that I do not feel “special’ anymore but I enjoy them all the same. Keep them coming!
in school the gym teacher searched me for cigarette’s.
Well this is expected, i went to HSBC the other day and the guy grabed my notebook bag and it was about to fall so i shouted at him. But then again these guys are not trained! What is worse than the attitude is that 99% of terrorists can bypass useless security guys. I’d say remove them!
Hey,
I know it’s kind of a late comment, I wanted to comment on this when I first read it, but for some reason, didn’t. But now when I’ve seen Tololy online, I told her I’d commend. Mind you that I probably won’t sound as sophistaced in my reply, writing skills-wise, but what the hell, here goes nothing.
I DO think you’re a bit harsh, you know, going to the lady’s superior, but then again, as a girl, you might have felt a bit uncomfortable with the ladies actions, but then again, mind you that it might’ve been professional search, having to examine *all* of the contents in your bag, but I’m not sure if she was being pofessional or just *clumsy*, but maybe you should give her the benefit of the doubt. The fact of her joking about some stuff is kind of reltive, that wasn’t professional, but then again, it’s not forbidden, but might be a bit *frowned upon*. Personally, I make jokes when I’m benig searched or having my stuff examined, you know, the lame joke of “The bomb is in my left pocket”, some times I get a laugh, some times I get a scorn, but that pocket is never searched for some reason. Anyway, I’m not a blogger so I don’t know if I’ve written much, but I guess all what I’m saying is that there are two sides of the spectrum here, some people joke with security officers, so some times they do the same, give them a break, they’re called *security* officers, they deserve to eb cut some slack, if they’re doing their job properly, that’s all. Good night Tololy.