Florida Man Arrested for Illegal Baggage

Bottom Line: Bring Bad Baggage and You Become a Florida Man Headline

Short Story of Sunny McGraw

Sunny McGraw had a special talent for turning bad decisions into Florida Man headlines. His life was a chaotic cocktail of misadventures. Over the last six months, he’d lost a job, been stabbed by his ex, racked up a gambling debt, and was teetering on the wrong side of the law.

Rent-a-Pelican

Desperate for cash, Sunny started a business renting pelicans to tourists for wedding photos.

Catching these feathered freeloaders wasn’t easy. Sunny scavenged dumpsters at seafood restaurants to create a floating buffet, complete with a hidden hammock trap. He’d crouch in palmetto bushes, waiting for pelicans to land. Once caught, the birds were subjected to weeks of "training" to become photogenic.

When the pelicans caught on to his antics, Sunny tried a new approach: the duct-tape decoy trick. He crafted a fake female pelican from pool noodles and duct tape to lure unsuspecting males. For some reason, this method fell flat.

Sunny believed he was helping both tourists and pelicans, but the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission didn’t see it that way. Pelicans are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, making it illegal to trap or harm them without a permit. Sunny was hit with a hefty fine and a court summons.

With debt collectors on his trail, an ex-girlfriend wreaking havoc, and the law closing in, Sunny decided it was time for a fresh start. Staring at the mountains on a Coors Light can, he resolved to move to Colorado. He spent the last of his pelican cash on a one-way ticket, determined to bring one thing with him: Pancake, his emotional support animal.

The Great Escape

Running late for his flight, Sunny packed a duffle bag with flip-flops, stuffed Pancake’s favorite chew toy into her crate, and sped to the airport in his beat-up red Chevy. Pancake loved the wind in her face as they raced to the terminal.

Once there, Sunny left his truck running as a parting gift for anyone who needed it. He grabbed his bags and Pancake’s crate and dashed inside.

A cab driver watching the chaos quipped, “Pancake... cute name for a swamp puppy.” Sunny just nodded. It was easier that way.

At security, Sunny handed his boarding pass to the TSA agent, who glanced at the massive crate and did a double-take. Her eyes widened. She grabbed her radio.

“Sir,” she whispered, “is that dog cage supposed to be empty?”

Sunny spun around. The crate latch was broken, and the door swung open. Pancake was nowhere to be seen.

“EMPTY?” he stammered.

Screams erupted behind him. Sunny turned to see Pancake leaping onto the conveyor belt, latching her powerful jaws onto the metal detector. Chaos broke loose. Passengers scattered as Pancake thrashed, snarling at the machine. A child screamed, "Look, Mom, a dinosaur!"

The TSA agent took a deep breath and straightened her uniform. “SIR, YOUR ALLIGATOR IS EATING THE METAL DETECTOR!”

Sunny sighed. “Oh, Pancake…”

The Lesson

You might laugh at Sunny’s misadventure, but his story holds a deeper truth. People and organizations often bring outdated baggage into new experiences, expecting things to change for the better.

Businesses cling to old processes. Individuals hold on to bad habits. The results? Chaos—just like Pancake in the TSA line.

Ask Yourself

• What outdated baggage are you holding onto—personally or professionally?

• What habits, tools, or processes no longer serve you in this new chapter?

Let go before you create your own Florida Man headline. And remember:

Alligators don’t belong on airplanes.

***See Below for your headline if you do***

Local News Headline:

A Florida man was arrested Monday for attempting to bring an alligator onto a plane, claiming it as an emotional support animal. The alligator, “Pancake,” caused panic by biting a metal detector and snapping at passengers.