I was sitting in the terminal getting caffeinated when a tall man halted in front of me. He looked over my head to check the departing flights. I thought nothing of it until I saw a pilot’s hat resting on top of his luggage. All of a sudden I thought of him differently. So I got an idea. Actually, my brother had the idea first.

Paul inherited my cop outfit from high school. I used it to occasionally to direct traffic in front of my high school. That wasn’t my job, but I assumed responsibility. Then Paul took it to the next level. The day after Thanksgiving, my three younger brothers woke up at five in the morning and drove a half hour through the darkness to Wal Mart. You can’t miss the big Christmas sale when the doors opened at six. The parking lot was full, and the doors held back a line of hundreds of people. Paul had on his cop outfit, and he dutifully escorted my two brothers to the front of the line. Once the gates were open, Paul took it upon himself to enforce the law in the isles of Wal Mart. That’s a good man.

I’m tired of being “the guy from the Real World” in airports. I meet a lot of people, but after three years of flying, I am ready for something new. So I’ve fantasized about dressing up like the Men in Black when I fly. I’d have on a black suit, white shirt, black tie. I’d polish off the image with sunglasses, an earpiece, and I’d carry a metal brief case. I’d storm through the airport like a man on a mission. Sporadically I’d look down, my finger to my ear, and respond, “Yes, mister president.”

But why stop there? I could dress up like I was in the forestry service, or an off-duty fireman, or a soldier. I’d get my kicks out of it, and the other passengers would too. Because right now I am on the airplane en route to Houston, and there is nothing exciting going on in here. Most people are mindlessly flipping through SkyMall while the flight attendants pass out stale peanuts.

So Monday morning I’m going to look for some good outfits on eBay. Why not?