Recombobulation Revisited.

A while back we posted an entry with a photo of me standing under the "Recombobulation Area" sign just past the C terminal TSA checkpoint at the Gen. Mitchel International Airport in Milwaukee WI. (Original blog post HERE) I initially laughed heartily at the sign thinking, "I can't believe that sign made it past however many levels of government management it took to get it designed, approved, appropriated, and manufactured without anyone realizing that's not a real word." Having been an instrument of the government for some time I could guess just about how many people reviewed the paperwork before something as simple as a sign could be fabricated and displayed. Realizing the number was close to 20, I second guessed my initial reaction, thinking surely at least one of those 20 would know that "recombobulaion" isn't a real word. To check and make sure I wasn't wrong, I looked it up. Nope, I was right. Not a real word. Although a colloquialism and listed as an entry on UrbanDictionary.com, this does not hold the legitimacy of Miriam Webster.

I decided to do just a little more digging and google the term. Low and behold, lots of results specifically for the exact sign I had just had my photo taken under. As it turns out, airport management put the sign in place to give travelers a nice chuckle after going though the stressful act of TSA screening. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel does a great article entitled "Airport Draws Smiles with "Recombobulation Area." Find that article HERE.

I had been duped. Not only had I underestimated the intellectual capacity of government employees, but also their quotient for humor. They had tricked me, but also made me laugh, which was the intent of the sign in the first place. Well played Airport Director C. Barry Bateman. Well played.

On another note, I would like to mention how enjoyable an experience we had, all around, during our 2 hour layover at the Gen Mitchell airport. Everyone was extremely pleasant and I can't remember a single employee who wasn't smiling. The airport itself was one of the cleanest I can remember. There was also a museum chronicling the achievements of Gen Billy Mitchell, the airport's namesake. It was also quite nice to wander around a an airport that wasn't jam packed with people. I must say, in the future, if I have my choice of layovers, I choose Milwaukee.