Mrs. Toucan, Boston
Age and Occupation: 25, Full-time Research Assistant, Part-time Graduate Student
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Actuary
Engagement Date: February 18, 2007
Wedding Date: June 7, 2008
Blogging Since: November 07, 2007
Venue: St. Catherine of Genoa, Jin Asian Cuisine Restaurant
About Me: I’m a Gemini to the extreme. On one side, I’m a girly girl. I read countless bridal and fashion magazines, and have an obsession with keeping up with the latest Hollywood gossip. On the other side, I’m a sports fanatic. Despite being a full-time bride-to be, full-time research assistant, and part-time student, I’m also a full-time Red Sox fan from spring training to October, and a full-time Patriots fan from mini-camp to February. I devote almost as much time researching my for fantasy football team as researching for our wedding!
The Toucans Go On Honeymoon, Part 1
July 1st, 2008 @ 4:22 pm by Mrs. Toucan
Alternatively titled, “The New Mrs. Toucan Gets In Trouble with THE MAN.”
Normally, people don’t write about leaving for their honeymoon. It’s usually not too exciting, and there isn’t much of a story…but our story…
I should say, I’m super embarrassed about writing this, but I will because then it’s documented about what really happened (I’m sure future versions of this story told by Mr. Toucan will be MUCH more exaggerated).
The super excited Toucans looking forward to newly-wedded bliss and vacationing in Italy.
Things started out the “normal” way. We walked up to the counter, checked our bags, and walked over to the security checkpoint. We put our carry-on bags on the conveyor belt and walked through the metal detector without an issue.
But then, the screener stopped the conveyor belt and started carefully examining the screen. He quickly called others over to get a second opinion on what he was seeing. Another security guard came over, looked at me and said, “uh-oh, that’s YOUR bag.” I thought he was joking around.
But he wasn’t.
Mr. Toucan looked alarmed and quickly asked me, “What do you have in your bag?”
“Nothing,” I replied.
But it wasn’t “nothing.” The security guy pulled me and my bag aside and began rummaging through my stuff. I was so super confident that I wasn’t carrying anything to cause alarm…until he pulled out my keys.
Oh sh!t.
On the end of my cute little monkey-faced keys…
…a kubaton
I had brought a “weapon” to the airport. Since I take my grad courses in the evening, Mr. Toucan has always been worried about my safety. So, I took a self-defense course and carried my kubaton around for protection. I knew that it was illegal to fly with, and in the past usually remembered to take it off my keys before I flew. But this time, I was on my newly-married high. It just slipped my mind. And that’s what I told the security guards.
They still made me wait around. They took copies of my passport, driver’s license and plane ticket. They told me I might have to wait to talk to the state police. They threw out my kubaton. I was crapping my pants… er… dress.
I didn’t end up talking to the state police, but I was given a stern talking to by the security guard and was given this note, essentially telling me not to bring weapons to the airport.
Mrs. Toucan was sad and embarrassed.
I was told that “my file” was going to be reviewed and that I might get a fine in the mail in a few weeks (eep!). Additionally, while I was talking to the security guard, I overheard Mr. Toucan chatting with another security guard - he referred to me as his wife for the first time! Unfortunately, the conversation went like this:
Security guard: So, you guys going on vacation?
Mr. Toucan: Honeymoon, actually. We got married yesterday!
Security guard: Yesterday?! Wow, you really had no idea what you were getting yourself into, huh?!
Mr. Toucan: Haha, yeah. That’s my wife - the felon!
Oh yes. The first time Mr. Toucan called me his wife, the word felon followed closely behind. 
Lessons learned:
- Airport security is no laughing matter.
- Don’t bring weapons to the airport.
- Don’t forget to check your carry-ons for illegal things. Once you go through the metal detector, you can’t go back and pretend you didn’t have them!
- If you get caught, your new hubby will make you take sad-face pictures with your warning notice, and later will tell a much more exaggerated story about how you got tackled to the floor, arrested, and held in a holding cell for 48 hours.
34 Responses to “The Toucans Go On Honeymoon, Part 1”
Oh no! 
Actually, I got through security & was sitting in the waiting area when I realized that I had been carrying my mace! I was REALLY glad that they didn’t notice… but then a little bummed out too because obviously they weren’t checking too hard!
Becky
OMG. That is insane! I would have been terrified to get a talkin’ to by security.
I was randomly selected (on my way back from Italy actually) to have my carry on searched. It was so scary even though I knew it was completely random and I didn’t have anything to get in trouble over in my bag.
You should frame that letter.
Oh crud! That’s CRAZY! What a way to start out the honeymoon - I hope it got much, much better!
Poor touc touc. It’s okay. You survived and still made it to your destination with great stories to tell. I like Mr. Touc’s version betta. You should have him tell the story.
@Michelle: That’s what Mr. Toucan said! He wants to frame it in a collage with all of our wedding stuff… me says, no way!
Although a very serious matter, the situation is hilarious! Who knew Toucans could be so deadly?! At least airport security was doing their job 
hey, i’ve got those same mon-keys! but no kubaton, alas…
Ooh, airport security is so nerve wracking! Sorry you had an oops– and glad that you came out relatively scot-free.
Muahaha. One for the future little Toucs Hope the rest of your trip was fantabulous!
OMG Toucs… that’s hysterical. Good thing nothing seriously bad happened. You’re too cute (esp. in that adorable dress!) to cause any damage!
I had the same issue as #1… I was on my honeymoon.. it was early in the morning and I realized my keys had my mace… I’ve gone through a lot with airport security before (they were made because I turned 21 and didn’t have a new id yet) so I made my new husband put my keys in his bag.. an what do you know, they never caught it!
I despise TSA and airport security. They should have left you alone…this is, after all America. oooh, your post has me so heated! Is it so difficult to believe that you forgot to take it off your keys?? Give me a break. Meanwhile, while they’re giving you such a hard time for next-to-nothing, real life terrorists are planning real life attacks. Ridiculous. I hope you had an awesome honeymoon!!
I know the feeling - I feel to Puerto Vallarta right after 9-11 and forgot I had a mini pair of scissors in my wallet I didn’t get a letter or a stern talking to but I was made to feel like an arse for forgetting I had scissors in my wallet and they threw them away.
So sad too b/c they folded into themselves and were super cool.
Oh, and I’ve also had the pat down in public b/c I’m diabetic, wear an insulin pump and carry syringes in my purse.
Anywhooo I hope you don’t have to pay a fine and I hope the rest of your Honeymoon went wonderfully!
Wow, that’s harsh! Anyone could see that you’d just forgotten it on there! Similar thing happened to me - when I was at school my grandad gave me a pocket knife, and I used to carry it around in my backpack. Fast forward seven years later, when I’m going to England for a working holiday, and I happened to use that backpack. Guess what had slipped through a tear in the lining and had been sitting in the bag ever since? I’d forgotten I HAD that knife, and they made me throw it away It was kind of a crappy one, to be honest, but my grandad had given it to me the year he died, so it still sucked to throw it out.
haha i too was stoped and searched coming home from Italy, i went with a group of students on a study abroad program and only I was pulled aside. They turned my suitcases up and pulled everything out. They even looked at my pictures on my camera! and because i was only twenty they took my wine i brought back for my mom.
Mrs Toucan that is so funny and sad all rolled up into one. But on a better note~ you look absolutely gorgeous and I love your dress!
Hey Touc Touc - is that a travel wallet with the lime green lining in the picture where you’re holding your written warning with the cute pouty face?
btw - where did you get it from is what i wanted to ask. super adorable….
It’s so ridiculous because a kuboton is just a rod - do they confiscate all metal, plastic, wooden, etc. rods under 6 inches? Of course not. They put you through all that for nothing. What a bummer.
@Mrs. Cherry Blossom: It’s a Vera Bradley Travel Organizer in the Botanica Pattern. My sister got it for me last fall at the Annual Vera Bradley Sample Sale in Atlanta. I saw one here.
Hilarious because, a) that would totally happen to me and b) because FH would LOVE retelling “his version” which would definately be similar to Mr. T’s.
I love this story!
Flying back from Poland last month my Mom actually took a KNIFE through security! She meant to return it to Mr. Avocado’s family, but in the rush to get to the airport she forgot and they ended up pulling her passport and taking down her information.
It’s my favorite story from the trip, and we call her the Polish terrorist. I hope she will be able to come visit her grandchildren someday!
I had something similar to AliCherri and Mrs Toucan when I was travelling for work. I flew somewhere new every other week for a job I had, and forgot that I had put a set of nail clippers one time and a corkscrew another time (it was the second time that I decided to have dedicated luggage for flying to eliminate the issue). Well, I got a talking to, both times! But I didn’t get my passport photocopied, etc. It was Canadian Security, so they give the option of paying to have it mailed to my home address. I declined that option because it would have cost more than buying new items. But they seem to catch everything whenever I’ve gone through security.
my mother in law was traveling and she was going to finish up some knitting on her long flight… they made her THROW AWAY the half finished baby blanket, yarn and the knitting needles.
Good grief.
I can’t believe they threatened you with a fine!!! I hope you don’t get it! Jeez, that’s crazy. You should have been like “Seriously, look at me! I’m not gonna be terrorizing anyone! I’m a cute little toucan!”
Wow you guys are dressed so cute for flying! We normally slum it in jeans.
@Clarita: This was actually the first time we “dressed up” for flying. We followed Penguin’s advice to try to get an upgrade. It didn’t work, but I found out that I was much more comfortable traveling in a dress like the one I wore, than jeans! I probably will always wear little shift dresses while traveling now!
Well that’s a story you’ll remember forever! I used to carry around bear spray in university. It only became a dangerous weapon once when someone thought they’d try it out to see if it worked. (It did. And yes, he had been drinking.)
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Hahaha, that’s hilarious! I love the “sad toucan” piture. I’m glad the whole incident didn’t detour your trip TOO much…and at least you looked beautiful! Where did you get your adorable dress??
[…] Part 1: The New Mrs. Toucan Gets In Trouble with THE MAN Part 2: The Toucans Go to Venice […]
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