You may recall that TSA people in San Diego in November inquired about my tzitzit by asking an odd question.
Flying back to New York from my winter vacation, I went through security in Austin with no problems. I gathered all my stuff up and went to sit down on a bench to put myself back together–shoes and belt back on, phone back in pocket, etc.
On my way to said bench, one guy, on his way to the checkpoint to start shift, asked, “What’s with the strings?”
“It’s a Jew thing,” I said.
He immediately looked really embarrassed and muttered something apologetic.
But I immediately regretted my answer and wished I had said, “It’s an Irish holiday.”
