This is the second part of this true experience I had a few days ago….but it won’t make sense if you read it first. Scroll down to the older blog entry and start there, then come back and finish with this one.

“It’s kind of late now.” Lisa nodded at the driver snapping his seat belt and inserting his key in the ignition. He reached for his radio and spoke to whoever dispatched him to the airport. I only heard one side of the conversation. “Yes. We picked up two women. No. No one else wanted to go.”

We looked at each other, and I saw the same concern I felt, mirrored on her face. I made a decision. “Driver?”

He turned around. “Yes?”

“I’d like to see your license, please.”

He just stared at me, and the man in the back sat unmoving, but clearly listening. The driver looked surprised, but didn’t produce the requested document.

I tried again. “We don’t know you, or the company you work for. I want to see your license, please.”

He grabbed the badge hanging around his neck. “This is my badge. No one can drive down here without a security check.”

I told him that was good, but I still wanted to see the company information and license, not just his badge. He unrolled his window and called to a security officer patrolling the sidewalk and beckoned the man over. “You want to see my badge?” He held it up to the open window and shoved it toward the officer.

The man raised his brows and shook his head. “No. And you don’t need to offer to show it to me, unless I ask for it.”

I leaned forward and explained that he’d solicited us to ride with him, and we weren’t familiar with his company….and that I wanted to be sure he was legit. The officer assured us NO ONE could get down into that area without a full security clearance, so we had nothing to worry about. Huh. Right.

We sat back in our seats and allowed him to drive off the airport property, although part of me still wanted to bolt from the van and make a beeline back to the Super Shuttle line, but off we went.

Yes, we arrived safely, with Lisa and I praying much of the way. Then two days later Lisa arrived breathless at my table in the conference dining room. “Did you hear the news about the shuttle driver?”

My mind immediately flew to OUR shuttle driver. “No. What’s up?”

She leaned over my chair, her eyes wide. “It’s on the news. The Feds just arrested terrorists posing as shuttle drivers here at the Denver airport. Wouldn’t that be something if it was OUR driver?”

Yep. There’s absolutely no need to worry, because NO ONE can get onto the airport pick up area without security clearance.