I arrived at the airport early enough to greet the people getting off the plane I was about fly home on. I purchased three welcoming gifts that i felt were appropriate for anyone arriving in the southwest. I went to my gate and waited for the arrival.

Completing this task made me feel like a total ass hole. My heart was pounding like crazy, more so than before any other task completion. I wondered why that was since I had done a few pretty retarded things up until this point I decided that it had to be because I could possibly get into allot of trouble. I also anticipated a negative reaction from the people I was about to greet, but I didn't expect such total animosity.

I think three things doomed me to the negativity.

1: Their plane was a half hour late so they were probably already grumpy.
2: I bought gifts (including a food item) instead of just welcoming people.
3: I was wearing a bondage jacket, a Toxic Boy skull and crossbones shirt, and I was on the tail end of a whirlwind trip. I’m sure I looked a little strung out.

The First woman I approached was smiling as she stepped off. (this was something I decided to look for before approaching anyone) I saw her mouth "baggage claim" so I knew this was her final destination (I wanted to welcome someone who wouldn’t be here just to change planes". I got really excited. I walked up to her smiling holding out the gifts and started to say "Hi". Her brow furrowed and she put her finger out, firmly and loudly stated "NO!" just like women are taught to do when an attacker approaches. I kind of chuckled and said "No, no, I would just like to Wel....." She leaned straight into my face gave me one of the most hateful looks I've ever seen and simply said "SHHHHT"

" ........ok"

I waited for the next woman. I'm not sure why I decided that I was only going to approach women, but I had I admit I am generally intimidated by men. Although to be fair I am generally, generally intimidated by strangers, (I'm good at hiding this when I have to.) so I'm sure that there was other social conditioning at play as well.

I was afraid that there may not too many people on the flight and I would miss my opportunity, so the next woman who exited the skyway who looked "nice", I jumped on.... turns out she was. I welcomed her, she "Smiled and said thank you" but when I handed her the gifts she took them and looked at me like I had just given her a dead cat. She handed them back with a dripping "No thank you"

Third woman: this time any one would do. I got out my greeting. I handed her the stuff. She said "Thank you, But I live here" I said "Good, well, welcome home, do you mind if I have someone take a picture of the two of us" this freaked her right the fuck out.

"Uh... uh, no, no I need to get to baggage claim to meet my husband . I've got to go" at which point, she promptly bolted away from me as fast as she could.

I chased her and tried to zoom my camera enough to get a shot of the stuff in her hand as she walked away. Unfortunately between the zoom, my walking, and the speed of her retreat, I was only able to get 3 Dramamine blurry shots.

I sat down and felt like total shit. I just scared the crap out of two people and drove a third to fury. I felt like I had just completely wasted $25. I realized at this point that everything I had just given her would probably end up in the nearest trash receptacle. I got up and checked every trashcan between the gate and the security check. Unless she had ducked into the bathroom she had at least taken it as far as baggage claim.

I sat back down an thought about how shitty it was that our society has gotten to the point where we are assume that anyone who approaches us wants something, (I am guilty of this as well. After living in SF where I’ve found myself being very jaded to strangers assuming that they want money out of me, which is usually the case.) The second women, I believe, was afraid I was giving her something dangerous. This is also distressing to me. I would understand this paranoia of strangers in an airport if someone had ever been given a bomb or anthrax in the US but to my knowledge it has never happened. it is kind of like the "razorblade in the candy" Halloween myth with legislation. It is an ungrounded, irrational fear that has been instilled in every traveler by repeated warnings form TV anchors and that tinny voice repeating over the airport loudspeaker. I cant help thinking that there is a reason, though. Psychologically speaking if you isolate people by making them weary of each other then constantly raise and lower their threat level (orange, yellow, orange, red, orange) they are more susceptible to cohesion and control.

This task sucked. I felt like total shit afterwards. I commend anyone who is able to pull this one off without feeling like a complete dick or a Hari Chrisna.