It was time to go home. This is my second trip with my new owner and the first time was kinda scary. Being around strange baggage was new to me so I didn’t know what to expect. That bunch wasn’t too friendly but maybe that was my fault because I had never traveled before.
The tag on my handle said my owner’s name was Lulu Snow. That means I am Lulu’s suitcase. I’m small but I have wheels so it’s easy to be guided wherever we go. My owner is rather old and can’t carry stuff like she used to. But then I see suitcases pulled by younger people so maybe age doesn’t matter. I’m sure glad I’m not overstuffed like some I see.
On my first trip, when the bus driver tossed me, none to gently, into the dark hold of the bus it was already full. It was pitch black and I was terrified. Did my owner know or even care about what happened to me? I tried to talk to the other baggage but they just wanted their trip to end. Some of them had already traveled 12 hours and still had four hours more to go.
On my second trip I knew what to expect and looked forward to getting home. My owner had preferred boarding so I would be the first one loaded. This time I could get acquainted with the other suitcases, backpacks and boxes. I was excited to hear some great stories about their owners and past travels.
Time to get my wheels on the move. Being tossed won’t be so bad since I’m first this time. There she is. I watch my owner as she made her way toward our bus. That’s a relief. But why is she getting on that other bus? That’s not right.
“Hey, over here.” Darn, she can’t hear me. Oh my gosh, did she intend to leave without me? Doesn’t she like me anymore? And where is she sending me? I have to be brave. If my owner doesn’t want me anymore maybe someone else will. At least I hope so.
I need to know where I am going, so I asked the box that was shoved next to me.
“Hi, I’m Lulu. Do you know where we are going?”
The box wasn’t overly friendly but finally answered. “Look Lulu, I’m just stuffed with books and no one tells me anything. Just what is a lulu anyway?” The box just sniffed and became silent.
Next I tried the suitcase being shoved up against me. “Hi, I’m Lulu. Do you know where we are going?”
Being friendlier, the suitcase replied, “I’m Dodie and I don’t know. My owner just likes to travel. That’s why I am so big. I get stuffed for every occasion. What about you, you’re rather small.”
“I am small. My owner only takes short trips and doesn’t need much,” I said. After we traveled for a while the other baggage started to talk more. This trip is far more interesting than the first one. We are packed so tightly together I doubt if anything else could have been squeezed in. One of the bad things about being the first one in, is I’m squished in a corner with a big backpack on top of me.
“What is your name and where are you going?” I asked politely. I didn’t want to complain because he was so heavy.
“Oh, I’m Harold and I won’t be here long. I’m heavy because my owner likes to bring home lots of gifts. This time I hold cookware for his mom.”
Well that’s nice to know. Maybe nothing else will be put on me when Harold leaves. It must be nice to carry gifts and I tell him so.
There is a matched set of three huge bags next to me. “Wow, does all this belong to one person?” I asked. The biggest one answered me with delight. “Yes, we are moving to a new city and I can’t remember the name but it will be a long trip. Our owner is running away again. She cries all the time and was rather rough when we were packed. By the way, our name is Chris. Are you going far?”
“I don’t know.” I said. “My owner got on a different bus and I think I’m lost.”
“Don’t worry,” she said, “Someone will check your tag and get you home. We’ve been lost before and they always find us. There have been some adventures I’ll tell you. Sometimes we traveled a week before we were found and our owner was frantic.”
Feeling somewhat better, I let the rhythm of the tires soothe me and I dosed for a while. Baggage came and went with each stop and there were always new stories to be shared. Some, like Chris were anticipating a new adventure; others were full of joy to be almost home. A few were rather vague about the whole trip. Like me, they didn’t know what was happening.
Finally I heard the bus driver say we were at the end of the line when he opened the hold of the bus. Everyone got off and collected their belongings. Now I would find my owner and everything would be okay. I waited and waited but no one came to claim me. It’s frightening to be the only suitcase left after all the passengers are gone. What seemed to be a long time later, someone checked my tag and started yelling at the bus driver. I was rolled into a room with some packages and I heard the baggage guy say they couldn’t send me home ‘til the next day. With hope I settled next to a big box that looked like it was ready to fall apart.
“Hi,” I said, “I’m Lulu and I’m lost.”
“Hi back to you. I’m Joe and I’ve been lost for two weeks. No one knows what to do with me. My tag got ripped off and there hasn't been a missing claim filed for a lost box. I’m full of care packages for our soldiers and when they finally open me, I’ll be sent to the right place.
“What a nice box you are. I get to go home tomorrow on the first bus headed north and I hope my owner still wants me. She got on a different bus so I’m not sure. What will happen to me if I’m not claimed?” There was no answer from the box and I decided not to think about being unwanted.
Once again I am first on the bus. The other baggage were interested in my plight and offer suggestions and sympathy, while they all hope never to get lost.
When the bus driver hauled me out of the hold there was no one to claim me so I was rolled into a small room. All the packages had been put in the bus and I was alone. Now what? I had no experience as a lost suitcase; all I could do was wait. Packages came and went and I was in fear of ever being claimed. Two miserable days later I heard my owner ask for me. Found, at last! My owner was overjoyed I was there and rolled me to the car for a short ride home. I didn’t even mind all the bumps as we climbed the stairs. It was a big relief to finally have everything removed and be stored next to the old suitcase, the one with no wheels. Did I ever have an adventure to share, because the old discarded Lulu had never been lost.