I understand that rules are rules, but...

Surely in the past week,  you've heard this man's story.

 

It's a story with a happy ending! And happy endings are hard to find these days (no massage-parlor jokes, please).

This gentleman, who cultivated a beautiful radio voice before he had problems with drugs and alcohol and became homeless nearly 20 years ago, has been clean for two years. And, after becoming a YouTube sensation, he's had at least two job offers. And, a sweet footnote, someone offered to fly him to see his ailing, 92-year-old mother, whom he hasn't seen in years.

One small problem: he's homeless and he has no ID. And the TSA wouldn't let him on the plane.*

I understand that these are frightening times and that the rules are there to keep us all safe. But it seems a bit far-fetched for the TSA to believe that Ted Williams' ten-point master plan was as follows:

1. Cultivate mellifluous speaking voice fit for radio.
2. Develop serious drug and alcohol problems.
3. Become homeless.
4. Stay homeless for almost 20 years. 
5. Get sober and stay clean for two years.
6. Stand on a street corner with a sign advertising the aforementioned mellifluous voice.
7. Be discovered by a local radio personality. 
8. Become an Internet sensation virtually overnight.
9. Receive job offers. 
10. Become a terrorist and take down a jetliner.

*He did, eventually, get ID and get on a plane. See? Happy ending!