Picture this, dear readers: the hustle and bustle of an airport, the long, serpentine queues snaking towards the security checkpoint, and the sweet scent of freedom that lies just beyond.
Everyone’s in a rush, eager to shuck off their shoes less gracefully than they’d like to admit, yank out laptops from overstuffed bags, and do the hokey pokey through a metal detector.
Enter our protagonist, let’s call him Jake (because why not?), and his girlfriend, whom we’ll name Emily, both ready to embark on what appears to be a not-so-romantic getaway, thanks to our friend Jake making a decision that sparks today’s hot debate.
Yes, you guessed it: Jake uses TSA PreCheck while his girlfriend pitter-patters through the regular line. This, dear readers, is a real story from a real person, plucked from the vast vineyard of Reddit discussions ripe for our picking.
Now, let’s uncork this bottle of drama and let it breathe, shall we? The question looms: Is Jake the inconsiderate boyfriend for breezing through security while Emily faces the gauntlet of the regular line? Or is he simply a man on a mission to make the most of his $85 five-year membership? Let’s dive in.
First, let’s set the stage with some juicy context. Jake, a savvy traveler, decides to indulge in the luxury that is TSA PreCheck —no need to remove shoes, laptops, or belts, and a line that moves faster than gossip in a small town. On the other side, we have Emily, who either couldn’t or wouldn’t secure her own fast pass to airport convenience. So, when it came time to face the TSA music, our couple split faster than a celebrity marriage, with Jake sprinting towards the security promised land and Emily left to navigate the wilderness of the regular line. The drama! The intrigue! Will their relationship survive this high-stakes game of airport roulette? Well, dear reader, that’s why you’re here.
Let’s consider Jake’s perspective. In today’s fast-paced world, who wouldn’t want to shave precious minutes or even seconds off their travel time? Jake might argue that he’s paid for this convenience and should be able to enjoy it without feeling guilty. And to those who say, “Why didn’t he just wait with Emily?” he might retort, “Why doesn’t Emily get PreCheck too?” A fair point, but let’s not forget the essence of companionship — sharing experiences, the good, the bad, and yes, even the tedious waits in line at the airport.
Now, let’s sashay over to Emily’s side of the conveyor belt. Imagine the sighs of resignation, the exasperated glances at her watch, and the slowly dawning realization that she is, quite literally, being left behind. It’s the airport version of Cinderella, but instead of losing a slipper, Emily loses her partner to the allure of expedited security. Could this be seen as a betrayal of airport solidarity? A fissure in the foundation of their relationship, exposed by the bright, unforgiving lights of the TSA checkpoint?
Readers, here comes Roger’s Hot Take, steaming like a fresh cup of airport Joe. Jake is not necessarily the villain in this airport drama, nor is Emily the damsel in distress. The real antagonist? Lack of communication. Like any relationship hurdle, this could have been mitigated with a heart-to-heart before reaching the airport. Maybe they could have arrived earlier, walking side by side to the regular line.
Or perhaps Emily could have been encouraged to sign up for PreCheck, too, making their journey together seamless and stress-free. In the grand scheme of love and travel, it’s not about who gets through security faster, but about moving through life’s obstacles together, hand in hand, or, in this case, bin in bin.
So, dear readers, before you judge Jake too harshly or crown Emily the queen of patience, consider this: The true measure of a couple’s compatibility might just lie in how they navigate the trials and tribulations of airport security.
As for me, I’ll always advocate for the path that keeps you together, because, at the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about? Keeping pace with your significant other, come what may—even if it means sacrificing a little convenience for the sake of companionship. Because, in the end, the best travels are those we share.
Until next time, this has been Roger, signing off with a wink and a nudge, reminding you to keep your boarding passes and relationships intact.
Bon voyage!
Original Story
So I (31M) and my girlfriend (28F) recently went on a vacation to Paris from NYC. Before the trip, I mentioned to her that I would pay for the entire trip if she applied for Global Entry, which includes TSA Precheck. I thought this would be a great way for us both to avoid long lines at TSA. I even started the application for her, and all she had to do was finish it.
However, she didn’t complete the application, and I ended up paying for the whole trip anyway because I was planning to do so regardless. I just wanted to give her an incentive to apply for Global Entry.
When the day of travel arrived, I went through the TSA Precheck line, and she had to go through the regular line. For the beginning part of our trip, she was mad at me for this.
AITA for using TSA Precheck while my girlfriend went through the regular line, even though I had offered her an incentive to apply for Global Entry?