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Airport gauntlets are so unpredictable anymore that I allow a ridiculously generous amount of time for pre-flight. Even in simpler days, I was never one of those walk-up-as-the-door-is-closing people. Now I’m more of a stroll-to-the-gate—use-the-bathroom—have-a-meal—look-in-the-bookstore—people-watch—do-a-little-work—watch-planes-take-off—use-the-bathroom-again person. I can entertain myself quite well in an airport – and that’s without a chair massage or nap. Though to be quite honest, if I wasn’t afraid of drooling, sleeping through my gate call, I could definitely nap.
So I people-watch…and I check out the latest fashion in travel attire and luggage. Most people dress practically for travel – casual, sensible shoes, leggings… The women that amaze me are the beyond-business dressers in high heels for the Airport-to-Nightclub look. I don’t care what anyone says, there’s too much walking in an airport for high heels.
My luggage says “I’m old.” I realize it’s still a two-wheels-inside number. I’ve yet to upgrade to a colorful turtle shell with four gyroscopic wheels on the outside. I don’t know – I think the basic functionality is still the same. And with mine, I can mindlessly still roll over somebody’s feet while it drags behind me.
My first suitcase, in hindsight, was pretty bad. It was way too big; wheels hadn’t been invented. And it was plaid. I can’t imagine what I was hauling around then. Although college books accounted for some of it. It was a terribly bad way to carry books, as I learned after that one memorable winter break Greyhound Bus trip back to Elmira in the snow. The bus station was ten miles (OK, maybe one) from my dorm. I was unceremoniously dumped off at the bus station with no plan other than walking to my dorm. Even if there was a cab there or I had a cell phone (those didn’t exist till decades later) I didn’t have the money to take one. And my friends didn’t have cars either. So off I trudged. To this day, the memory still makes me cold and my right arm is two inches longer. That suitcase once tried to be a carry-on on a small regional Allegheny Airlines, connecting in Chicago to get back to Elmira. That was another famously bad use of that suitcase. The boyfriend who just dumped me told me to do it and I had never flown in my life so what did I know? I don’t recall walking from the airport back to my dorm at least. And I haven’t regretted that break-up either.
So I people-watch…and I check out the latest fashion in travel attire and luggage. Most people dress practically for travel – casual, sensible shoes, leggings… The women that amaze me are the beyond-business dressers in high heels for the Airport-to-Nightclub look. I don’t care what anyone says, there’s too much walking in an airport for high heels.
My luggage says “I’m old.” I realize it’s still a two-wheels-inside number. I’ve yet to upgrade to a colorful turtle shell with four gyroscopic wheels on the outside. I don’t know – I think the basic functionality is still the same. And with mine, I can mindlessly still roll over somebody’s feet while it drags behind me.
My first suitcase, in hindsight, was pretty bad. It was way too big; wheels hadn’t been invented. And it was plaid. I can’t imagine what I was hauling around then. Although college books accounted for some of it. It was a terribly bad way to carry books, as I learned after that one memorable winter break Greyhound Bus trip back to Elmira in the snow. The bus station was ten miles (OK, maybe one) from my dorm. I was unceremoniously dumped off at the bus station with no plan other than walking to my dorm. Even if there was a cab there or I had a cell phone (those didn’t exist till decades later) I didn’t have the money to take one. And my friends didn’t have cars either. So off I trudged. To this day, the memory still makes me cold and my right arm is two inches longer. That suitcase once tried to be a carry-on on a small regional Allegheny Airlines, connecting in Chicago to get back to Elmira. That was another famously bad use of that suitcase. The boyfriend who just dumped me told me to do it and I had never flown in my life so what did I know? I don’t recall walking from the airport back to my dorm at least. And I haven’t regretted that break-up either.