Friday, September 14, 2007

LAX

I was at the airport two hours early, like a good citizen passenger in the Age of the Patriot Act. One suitcase, one guitar, a laptop, coat and a backpack.
The friendly clerk winced as I lifted my wheeled bag on to the scale.
"That might be a little over the limit," she said, nervously. "You might have to pay a charge."
"OK." I'd come this far, and was leaving for two months. Let's move forward, I thought.
"Actually, sir, I can't allow this bag on at all."
"Excuse me?"
"Its' over the weight limit, and the FAA has strict rules about this. You're four pounds over the limit."
"Um well, what can I do?"
"Do you have room in your backpack for anything from your suitcase?"
I had packed every inch of everything, and there was no room for even a paper clip.
"Is there anything you can remove from your suitcase?"
"Well......." I knelt down and opened the suitcase, marveling again at what a freakin' excellent job I had done packing. I was at a loss, though. What could I take out? Where else would it go?
Then, reaching down to the bottom level, I pulled out my favorite cowboy boots--my perfect winter avenue and prairie friends for the last twenty-odd years.
"Weigh those," I said, handing them to the clerk.
She looked over the digital scale, and chuckled, "Four pounds."
I took off my worn sneakers, and began to pull the boots on. Eyeing a trash can across the lobby, I limped over with one boot one and one boot off, and tossed them away. Twenty bucks at a Reebok outlet store, they can be replaced. I limped back and stepped into both boots.
Just a tiny bit taller, I said, "Let's fly."

3 comments:

Sylvia said...

Cool. Question though: We're the reebox new or old? if old, then great. If they were new,"trip to Canada"-shoes, hmmmm. I'd be a little sad. The same thing happened to me on our way to Hawaii, but we had 3 pieces of luggage to play with so nothing had to be tossed. Note to yourself: Buy new tennis shoes and another duffle bag for trip home to carry gifts for the family

Edward Rivera said...

Gifts!! Dang. I new I forgot something. Will do.

Edward Rivera said...

Oh, they were old. And buying new sneakers in Montreal is one more brand new adventure. Eeek.