I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to carrying the package onto the plane. I knew it was a problem, but I was so desperate for money that I agreed. I now knew I had to run for my life.
Here’s what happened. I was sitting at the gate, nervous as all hell. I had never liked flying, but had to make it home to sign papers about my father’s death. He had passed away unexpectedly three days ago. I was staring out the airport window when I was approached by a man who had gone through security just before me.
“I’m really sorry to bother you, but I am wondering if you can help me,” he said. “I just got a call that my wife was in an accident so I need to meet the ambulance at the hospital. But this package needs to make it to my son in Portland who will be waiting. It has already gone through security so everything is safe.”
I stared at him as he continued to talk. He passed the package toward me with a huge wad of cash and a few pills.
“Please, please take it for me. It’s an emergency.”
Before I knew what I was doing, I was taking the package, cash and pills from him and as soon as I did, he quickly turned and walked toward the exit. Thirty minutes later, I knew I had made a mistake when the package started smoking.
Standing Room Only 