Luggage. Two recent incidents brought memories that had something to do with luggage that we carry while travelling. First, the incident. Not a frequest air traveller the young man, an engineering graduate, hesitated but picked up the bag his mind told him was not his although it looked just the same. He waited as the conveyor belt had all but three bags left- including the one he though must be his. It weighed a lot than what he had handed over to the airline for travel to Delhi.
Reaching home, he realised that it was indeed someone else's- some lady (from the clothes in the bag) who was on the flight! Frantic calls from the lady (who apparently got in touch with the airline and was told of the exchange) who pleaded that she was travelling abroad and needed the bag badly (one understands!). But there was no way the bag could be reached to the airport.
The second incident- rather- discovery of the very special bags that Varun and his friend carried on their bikes as they travelled from Nagpur to Delhi- a distance of 1080 kms. The bags sat on the pillon, hugging the seat, also providing a cushion to the rider! Another sat pretty on the fuel tank without much fuss.
My mind raced back to the luggage I carried way back in 1979 when I travelled to Pune to join my new job. I carried a 'holdall'- something not many of the younger generation would know about. The 'holdall' could carry your matress, bed sheets, pillow, some clothes and well a bit of everything! one had to hire services of a 'coolie' to carry the holdall as it was near impossible for one to hold it! By then, the the steel (aluminium?) trunks had given way to lighter (modern moulded luggage was yet to make entry) bags.
The modern bags are light in weight, better looking, come with wheels and easy to carry! But then most of them look the same and there is a danger of you picking up someone else's bag!
Reaching home, he realised that it was indeed someone else's- some lady (from the clothes in the bag) who was on the flight! Frantic calls from the lady (who apparently got in touch with the airline and was told of the exchange) who pleaded that she was travelling abroad and needed the bag badly (one understands!). But there was no way the bag could be reached to the airport.
The second incident- rather- discovery of the very special bags that Varun and his friend carried on their bikes as they travelled from Nagpur to Delhi- a distance of 1080 kms. The bags sat on the pillon, hugging the seat, also providing a cushion to the rider! Another sat pretty on the fuel tank without much fuss.
My mind raced back to the luggage I carried way back in 1979 when I travelled to Pune to join my new job. I carried a 'holdall'- something not many of the younger generation would know about. The 'holdall' could carry your matress, bed sheets, pillow, some clothes and well a bit of everything! one had to hire services of a 'coolie' to carry the holdall as it was near impossible for one to hold it! By then, the the steel (aluminium?) trunks had given way to lighter (modern moulded luggage was yet to make entry) bags.
The modern bags are light in weight, better looking, come with wheels and easy to carry! But then most of them look the same and there is a danger of you picking up someone else's bag!
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