Friday, December 15, 2006

My 13 hour jaunt home...

So, I am back in Charleston. For 13 hours. Today's theme is luggage.

In summary, I have been traveling almost weekly for the past 3 years. I was just thinking to myself last week, "WOW! My luggage sure has held up well- I have not had to replace it once yet!" Of course, I managed to be a carry-on traveler for most of the 3 years before the liquid restrictions came to be as a girl like me could not live without her 3.4 ounce bottle of Chanel Number 5 perfume. My luggage has held up well- a few signs of wear and tear but nothing major.

I was flying back to L.A. today. Great flight- painless. Good seat. First class. Nice person next to me that knew when to shut up :)

The most painful part of my travels is waiting for bag claim at Charleston (International) Airport. Yeah- you heard me... International.... I think we might have had one charter plane back in the 80's that take a group of senior citizens to the Bahamas or something. The process is so painful because it is sloooooower than Christmas. Now, I am a fairly impatient person but waiting for over 30 minutes to get your bag off an MD-88? Or worse yet, a CRJ? We aren't talking about a 777 people. (Kudos to those of you who actually understood my last 3 sentences). I imagine there are a couple stoners working the bag claim shift and wait to unload the plane after they finish off their doobie and bottles of MDG. "Duuuuuuude, I think the plane came in.... maybe we should walk over there and do something...." and, "Nooo dude, let me just call my girl first.... she is not happy about me passing out in the front yard last night."

So, the bags start rolling onto the carousel today. I see in the distance a bag that looks like mine (hey- it's black) but it is fully wrapped in bright YELLOW tape that says, "Handle with Care, Danger to Passenger" or some other alarming message. The bag looks beyond mangled and everything is staring at it in disbelief as it rolls by them. I see 2 girls to my left snickering at it as it passes them and I take a closer look only to realize it is my bag!

What to do, what to do.

Some people might have let the bag pass and go around and around and then pick it up later to save face.

What do I do? I yell, "Geez- how embarassing for that person! What a piece of shit." to which they laugh and agree and then I grab it off the carousel. Amateurs.

The story does not end here.

I start to feel nervous. My other bag (a garment bag) did have a couple small tears on the side when I checked it. My friend mutters, "Tiffany, isn't that your bag?" and points to a large plastic tupperware-ish container. Lo and behold, the side of my garment bag was ripped open and my nice business suits and one of my personal undergarments was exposed to everyone and was sitting in the container.

Really, guys. I could not make this up if I tried.

Without passing GO and without collecting $200, I left the airport and zipped directly to the store to buy new luggage. Hope my new pieces make out better tomorrow as I head out west again.....

Colorado, here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7 comments:

brownie said...

You're coming to Colorado? You should call me!

Tiffany said...

Colorado? That is part of Canada, right? Hope I have a relaxing visit to CO... I neeeed it...

More importantly, I hope my virgin luggage's maiden voyage goes off without a hitch. Otherwise, I am calling your ass to come haul it through the airport.

Happy day!!

Anonymous said...

This is shitty for me to say, but that was a great post!

sorry about the luggage though

goes the airline pay for anything in that circumstance?

Anonymous said...

does, not goes.
my typing sucks in the dark.

Tiffany said...

No dice, Mike. The airline sucks. They say that technically it is not their fault because I have no way to prove that it was not ripped before or some other lame excuse.

Glad you enjoyed the post!! :)

Anonymous said...

I didn't know that Charleston's Airport could even handle the 777!

Maybe its called "international" 'cuase it shares with Charleston AFB. Anyway...

Great story (too bad its all true!!!) You should publish it! I think its funny as hell!

Go Cocks!!!
On-On
NASCOCK / Kirk (USC '95)

Tiffany said...

Are you kidding me? Triple 7's at Charleston airport. Maybe military. And I avoid those military men at all costs- trouble trouble trouble!! :)

We just got two routes a day on a 737-200 (CHS-ATL return). Up til this momentus occasion, it was MD-88s and CRJs with the Embraer making an appearance every now and again.

Gawwww... I could go on and on and on about planes... but it might bore you. Part of the reason why I love traveling is my love of the airplane. It is like magic- I get on and plane.... time elapses... and I end up somewhere else... sometimes other countries.

Amazing, I tell ya :)