True story.
I had to fly with a friend from Salt Lake to San Jose on a short overnight trip once. This was just a few months after 9-11. My friend had flown very little in his life and was something of an innocent in the ways of the world. He was an artist who had shoulder bag that he kept his art supplies in - things like pens, markers, ink, sharpener, glues, etc. He had had this bag for a long time, so many little things were stuffed into various little pockets and corners. However, since this was just an overnight trip, he figured that this was just the right size to use as luggage so he emptied out all the art bits, and used it for clothes, toothbrush, etc. This would also allow him to have just a single carry-on and to avoid checking any luggage.
So. We are in line at security and dutifully removing all watches, jewelry, glasses, etc., and we had made sure we were not carrying any problem items (liquids, pocket knives, etc.) and all that. I sailed right through the checkpoint with no problem. When he followed behind me, the guard held him up for a moment and said he had to look in the bag. "No problem" I thought, this is just a random routine check. Well, the guard starts getting a bit more nervous and calls over his supervisor. He gets real worked up and they call in more backup. Everyone is getting agitated, and they are looking at my friend very susiciously. Did I mention my friend was from Colombia and kinda dark skinned with black facial hair?
I'm trying to ask "what seems to be the problem" and the security guys are all amped up and telling me to back off, and my friend is looking at me with a "I have no idea" expression.
So, what was it they found in his bag? Well, it just so happens that deep down in one bottom fold there were still some of his artist supplies that he missed when emptying the bag to convert it to luggage. And it just so happens that those supplies were box cutter blades. Fifteen of them. Yes, actual box cutter blades. Not just "a knife", a sharp edge, or some other form possible weapon, but the very thing that the 9-11 hijackers had used for their evil deed.
Oops.
You try to explain to four or five security guards, their supervisor, and a couple of armed National Guard guys that "really, these are just art supplies!"
In the end, they believed the story. It was so stupid and ridiculous, and my friend was so perplexed himself, that it was obvious to them that this was not an actual terrorist bent on distruction, but in reality a guy who did something REALLY stupid. Of course they confiscated the items in question, but they let us on the plane and we made our flight.
Fun times.
s6