Same here. It really got to be a PITA being persecuted against for being accused of doing something “somebody” (Ilhand Omar lingo) did.
A long long time ago, I was going by airplane to visit my boyfriend (now hubby) and his family for Christmas. He had recently moved into an apartment and was beginning to live on his own. I bought him a nice couple of knives that were in a gift set. Wrapped it up and brought it on the airplane with me in my carry on. (I don’t think I had checked a bag.)
I remember telling the flight attendant that I had them, and if she wanted to hold them in a safe place, that was fine with me. They were wrapped in Christmas wrapping already. She said no, they would be fine with me. Mind you, one was a 4” paring knife, and the other was about 9” long, a chef’s type knife. This was in the mid 80’s. These days, they would’ve taken those from me, and I’d have been arrested probably. Times sure have changed.
Oh, and in those days, you could meet people at the gates.