Lesson 1: Color of My Bag

It was a long, tiring journey, changing four flights. Finally I was at the baggage claim area in the last airport. It was a regional airport and not so busy. All the passengers left the place leaving me there searching for my bag. Yes, I didn’t get it. I heard many others complaining that they lost their bag during flight journey. It wasn’t my first overseas travel. Such a mishap never happened to me and I never expected that it would happen to me (ha ha!!!).

I described my itinerary to the officer. He searched in the computer and said, “It shows that your bag is at Cochin, India.” I said, “How come is it in Cochin? About three hours ago I checked it in at the Atlanta airport. Even if they send it back, it will take about twenty hours to reach Cochin, if we count only the flying hours.”

Officer replied, “Anyway I will register a complaint. If you’re fortunate you’ll get it back.”

I knew, I wasn’t.

He then asked me, “What’s the color of your bag? Show me the type of bag in this list.”

“Color of my bag…” I mumbled. “I think it’s maroon..no brown. It’s blue. It’s having black lines.”

He looked at me suspiciously.

Anyway then typed; Maroon/Brown/Blue with black lines and gave me a copy of that complaint for record.

I was really upset and my mind was completely after the lost bag. I had only an extra pair of clothes in my carry on bag. All the warm clothes were in the lost bag. I was tired and sleepy from jet lag but still I couldn’t sleep well and many times I woke up in the night and made a list of things to be purchased urgently on the next day.

Next morning at the door of the residence, there smiled my bag.

A black box with a few blue lines here and there..