Heading into security here at Rochester International Airport (international by virtue of flights to Canada, I’m sure), I was asked what my final destination was. Apparently not hearing me well, instead of asking me to repeat myself, he asked, “North Korea?” I repeated myself, this time adding “Virginia”, and he said, “OHHHH Norfolk” (pronounced Nor-Folk). Should I be irritated that:

a) He didn’t realize that you can’t just fly into North Korea.
b) He assumed I was going to an Asian country. Without my passport.
c) They pronounce Norfolk so damn weird up here.

FYI, other non-Virginians: it’s NOR-fək. That weird character is called a schwa – it’s that indeterminate vowel that’s kind of like “uh” but non-accented.