Luggage Kharma

So, some comments from the Honeymoon of Horrors series said that my bad luck with luggage must of been used up with that trip.

Well, I wish that was true.

However, 6 months after our Honeymoon v.1.0, KW and I went down to Atlanta for Labor Day weekend. We got there fine, luggage arrived, and then we went to the lake:

My mom had rented some Ski-doos and forced me and KW to take them out together.
***sidenote*** This is ridiculous if you know me: I am a klutz, I have no need for speed...in fact speed scares me in an open vehicle. My brother's little battery-operated Jeep Kid Car would terrify me when at top speeds. I got lost in Yellowstone on a snowmobile excursion because I wouldn't go fast enough to keep up with the group***

This is all to say...I got scared in the middle of the lake, stopped the 'Doo and KW, who was jumping my wake, ran into me.

Thankfully, no damage done to me, but his 'Doo had some major scrapes.

KW was traumatized by the event: almost maiming his new wife and having to pay for the damage 'Doo. I'm not sure which hurt worst--but to be fair, it was like $1000 and we didn't have that lying around.

To top off the weekend, when we got back to Washington, my good old Vera Bradley luggage was not at baggage claim....and I left my purse at the gate in Atlanta. (I thought I had put it in my carry-on.) My bag had several of my favorite articles of clothing: jean jacket, green linen skirt, the one good bathing suit. Losing these items were unthinkable.

So in tears (because we had no cell phone, no cash, and no keys to our car parked in the lot), I ran to the airline office to do the paperwork on my luggage. Having no numbers to call friends, we were just scrambling on how to get home (bt-dubs, it was 1am). While filling in the paperwork:

Describe bag: black floral, cotton quilted: vera bradley duffel
size: largeish...not the biggest, one, but second biggest.
Tags: more VB floral

an angel masquerading as a flight attendant walks into the airline office holding my green purse out saying, "someone left this at the gate in Atlanta, we just took it down." I SCREAMED, "THAT'S MY PURSE!!! OH MY GOD! THANK YOU!!!!" She truly thought I was crazy: a.) forgetting bag in airport--after 9/11, it could have been blown up for a faux-bomb and b.) freaking out about getting back. But after the 'Doo accident, no luggage, and the lost purse, I figured I was cursed.

After kissing the feet of my angel turned flight attendant, we were not as surly about losing our luggage because we could get into our apartment where my other clothes lived. So after a few days of waiting for the luggage, the airline said I needed to fill a claim for all the items in my bag because it most likely wouldn't be coming back. Thankfully, I had not lost expensive pieces just ones I really liked. Heartbroken, I claimed everything and not even the thought of shopping for replacements with the new money cheered me. But ever the trooper, I moved on with my life, received my replacement check, and bought some things.

Fast forward 4 months later and I receive a call:
"Ma'am this is Sargent Salenzi from the Dover Airforce Base. We have your package."
Me: "uh, what package?"
SS: "Your luggage sent from Kuwait."
Me: "What luggage was in Kuwait?"
SS: "We have a bag from Air Tran that was sent to Kuwait with a group of solders, your information is on the bag, can we send it to you?"
Me: (laughing so hard, I couldn't breathe) "Uhm, yeah thanks!"

So my black floral Vera Bradley luggage was sent with the troops who were going through security behind me in the Atlanta Airport. Because nothing says, "I'm ready for battle" like a Vera Bradley duffel. Everything was in there, nothing moved around...however, my black Vera Bradley was now gray and tan where the hot, Kuwaiti sun was beating down on it on the tarmac...and yes, there was sand in the bottom of it.