Albuquerque Sunport

It's an hour before my flight on a Sunday morning. I'm sitting a table at the end of Concourse A. There is free wi-fi. The table has a row of electrical plugs, so I am charging both my computer and my phone. The table is next to a coffee kiosk. I ordered an espresso Americano, just the way I like it. It's still too hot for me.

Security is more elaborate than the last time I flew. Fellow in line said this was his first time flying in 40 years. I asked him, did he just prefer traveling other ways? He said, no, he just never had to fly until his wife passed away. He drove her car to their daughter from Kansas to Albuquerque and was returning home. Learned from another passenger that you had to lay your computer in a separate bin. She also told me we were in the naked picture line.

I had to take everything out of my pockets and stand in a booth that takes a picture of you naked. Somebody's sitting in a room all day, looking at naked pictures of people on their way to LA, Denver, Vegas, Phoenix, or wherever. 'Course, had to remove my belt and shoes, too.

The sky is a smokey blue and I have a glimpse of the mountains from where I am sitting. I left Cyndi with instructions for getting boarding passes off the printer at home, and I gave her all the info for hooking up with Ariel and Gary in Oakland. I've called her twice this morning, after kissing her and the boys at the curb about an hour ago. One call was to leave a message that the open-air bar/lounge/microbrewery at the center of the main concourses, after you go through security, opens at 7 a.m. Friday, and one could, if one were so inclined, have a preflight bloody Mary.

Okay, going to find other preflight diversions.