Blame Game

The luggage carousel halts leaving one deserted bag at the far end of the belt. It isn’t yours. Such a defeated feeling.

There was plenty of time to make connections and change carriers in Los Angeles. Two hours to liesurely deplane, go to the bathroom, pick up a snack and stroll from United’s concourse to Continental. Except the arriving gate was occupied by a Virgin Atlantic. Under tow it managed to run over the tow vehicle and now sat helplessly cocked in the lane blocking gates for several departing and arriving flights. I imagined the investigation. Blame game one.

An hour passed. Passengers inside flight 56 from Kona roamed freely about the plane It didn’t look like we'd be moving anytime soon. Ninety minutes passed. Although the passengers in the back of the plane cheered when the seatbelt sign officially allowed us to collect our belongings and get off the plane, there were many who missed their connections. Swinging my backpack onto my shoulders I set off for the next concourse, in a light trot through an empty corridor. My reflection bouced along the windows that kept the LA night at bay. I made the connection to Cleveland, but my bags… who knows. Blame game two.

My two bags are probably in some little forgotten cargo wagon sitting on the tarmac in LAX. On May 5, United started charging $25.00 for a second bag, regardless of weight. And then they have the nerve to mishandle it! Blame game three.

My camera cables to the computer are in my luggage along with my cell phone charger.

Arrived in Albany, NY 9 AM, without bags, just in time for spring and the black flies.