I filed my paperwork with the Department of Homeland Security’s Traveler Redress Inquiry Identity Program last week, asking to have my name removed from the No-Fly Watch List. They immediately gave me a Redress Control Number: 2087710. I hope this does not mean that there are two million, eighty-seven thousand, seven hundred and nine people ahead of me.

A few hours after I filed the paperwork electronically and via the US Postal Service, including a copy of my US passport, I thought to myself, “Oh heck, why not try and print my boarding pass for my flight to San Francisco in the morning?” And to my great surprise, I was able to print my boarding pass from home. Did the Department of Homeland Security really move that fast?

Maybe, I thought, being good-natured about being on the No-Fly Watch List brought me good karma? I mean, I haven’t really complained or lost my cool with any of the TSA staff, and I’m considering putting one of these stickers on my luggage.

Two days later, I was getting ready to fly home from San Francisco. I didn’t have time to print my boarding pass in advance so I went to the Self Check-In Kiosk at the airport, and got to the very last step of printing my boarding pass. And then I saw the familiar error message telling me to see a ticket agent. Rats. I knew it was too good to be true.

The JetBlue staff, as friendly as ever, tried to appease me again as they filled out the necessary paperwork. “I’m on the No-Fly Watch List too,” said one of the ticket agents. “And I have all these badges and security clearances,” he said pointing to the multiple laminated identity cards hanging from his neck.

My friend Tarso is an expert on all things related to racial profiling, so when he heard I was on the No-Fly Watch List, he said, “I think they’re going after all the Khans. I heard Chaka is having the same problem and even Herbie Hancock, apparently for that ‘Chaka Khan’ remix of Prince’s ‘I feel for you.’ Bollywood star Aamir Khan is in the same boat too.”  Well, that’s a relief.