I didn’t think I would ever get out of the closet. After carrying my person’s things for a sad, weird trip where I was almost the only suitcase on a flight, she put me on the top shelf, and she didn’t get me down for over a year. It was hot and dusty up there, and I was bored. Was there still a world outside?
Finally, she took me down. I was so excited! She put all kinds of things in me, some of them fancy, and loaded me in the car with other stuff. We went on a VERY long drive. There were mountains and a big blue sky. The world was still there! Hotel to Airbnb to hotel she took me, packing and unpacking me almost every day. It was fun, but I was a little relieved to see our house again.
I thought she would put me back on the shelf, but she rolled me in a corner for about a week. Then, another road trip—this time through the desert. I saw even more blue sky and Joshua trees and cacti. In a city, I saw a lot of bright lights, but it was super-hot. We were there for a few nights, and when we got home, I thought for sure it was shelf time for me, but boy, was I wrong!
She packed all kinds of clothes into me, and we went to the airport. It had been a while since I was on a plane, and I was a little nervous. I mean, those handlers just toss you around, and they stack all sorts of things on top of you. Duffle bags are heavy, and don’t even get me started about golf clubs. Anyway, I was sure happy when they let me off the plane. I love riding around on the carousal, and it is always a good feeling when my person finds me. I hate being lost.
I really enjoyed this trip. I got to see the Midwest with all the trees and the puffy clouds in the sky. I wasn’t even tired when she kept opening and closing me to get her things. That is what I am made for! I am proud of how well I protect whatever she packs into me, but I can’t always do a good job. The end of that trip did not go well.
It started okay. My person carefully put the tag on me, and the airline clerk was friendly. As I said, I don’t like being in the plane, but I knew my job. This time, my person put special things in. She packed an afghan that a friend had made for her. She carefully wrapped it around a big envelope full of old family photos that wouldn’t fit into her backpack. In my outer pockets, she placed some books that had been her mother’s and a plaque that honored her cousin who had been killed in a war. I wanted to do an especially good job, but sometimes, things are out of my control.
This time, when I was on a carousal, I went round and round and round, but my person never got me. Where was she? Where was I? It was an awful feeling. I think I sat in a building for a whole night before they threw me onto another plane. Where was I going this time? When they took me off, they put me on one of those carts and just left me there sitting outside. It was raining, and I kept getting wetter and wetter. All I could think of were the books that sat on top, and what about the pictures? I had to protect the pictures! I tried my best to keep my bottom dry. The envelope and afghan helped.
I don’t know how long I was there, but this time, I was glad to get on a plane. At least it was dry in there. It was late when they brought me into another airport. This one looked familiar, and that made me feel a little better. I sat in an office all night long, wondering if my person would ever find me. She did! She came the next morning, and she was just as relieved to see me at I was to see her. It wasn’t until we got home that she found out how wet I was. I felt so bad! The books were damp, and the pages were curling. All of her clothes were wet and needed to be washed, but the afghan and pictures were still dry. I had done my job the best I could. After all of that, I am ready to be on a shelf for a while. I need a rest.