Been around the world, and I, I, I...
Can't find my baggage. In Nebraska.

I am so tired and it is late, but I have to write this before I go to bed.

I have a hate-hate relationship with Nebraska. Not the school (although I hate them, too), but the entire state. Something always goes wrong when I go there (and as Friend C pointed out to me tonight, no sentences should start with, "Every time I go to Nebraska, something goes wrong.") The first time I went to Nebraska, I missed my flight to Omaha. And other than things going wrong, Nebraska just doesn't set well with me. No time to explain.

Anyway. Yesterday I had to go to Lincoln to meet with clients. This means we have to fly into Omaha, then drive 45 minutes to Lincoln. I've done this before. No big deal.

For some unknown and completely ridiculous reason, I decided to check one of my bags. I've rarely had a problem with American Airlines. And I normally do not check my bags unless I'm going far away and I have a big bag. But for an overnight trip to Nebraska, I totally could have carried all of my bags on the plane.

But, I got to the airport over an hour early. And for some reason, I just thought it would be nice not to have to deal with my carryon suitcase, plus my professional-looking-non-backpack, um, thing, and my purse. I figured one less rolly bag would be a nice start to my trip. Omaha airport is small. It's a short flight. The chances of mishap were small.

I find the gate, and I see the owner of the company already there... with his bag. CRAP. I made a bad decision to check my bag.

Then my other boss shows up, also with his bag. They both proceed to tease me about checking my bag, saying I will hold them up once we get to Omaha, and insisting that I probably have some HUGE bag with lots of makeup in it. When, in fact, I pack lightly. It's a small bag. It only had one change of clothes for overnight, plus pjs. I insist I will have my bag in hand BEFORE the bosses are able to get the rental car.

I totally should have carried the bag on with me. I pray the entire flight that my bag is the first one off of the baggage claim thingy.

We get on the plane, it flies, it lands. Bosses go to fetch the rental car. I go to fetch my bag.

Many, many many bags go by. None of them are mine. Soon, there are no more bags. Including mine that is nowhere to be found.

My bosses are waiting for me with the rental car. This is my first trip with this company, and my first trip to meet these clients. So far, I am not making a great impression.

I find someone official-looking, and she checks to see that yes, all of the bags are truly off of the plane. Then we have this conversation:

Official Person: Did you lose a bag?
Me: Um, yes. (in my head thinking, why else would I be asking you if there are any more bags to come off of the plane? I'm not taking a survey.)
OP: Ok, well let me get some information from you. (she takes my flight info, name, etc.)
OP: Can you describe the bag?
Me: It's a small gray rolling carry-on. Which I should have carried on. (by now my boss is standing behind me, trying to hurry me to the car so that we can go meet out clients for dinner)
OP: Are you sure it's gray, and not black?
Me: It's gray.
OP: Ok, well I don't see any information about where your bag is. Did you have a layover?
Me: No. Straight shot to Omaha. One hour and 20 minute flight.
OP: Did you check in late?
Me: No, I was over an hour early. Which is why I decided to check my bag.
OP: Well, that just doesn't make sense. I don't know what could have happened to your bag. Seems like it should have been on the plane.
Me:
OP: Maybe it fell off of the luggage belt before the plane left. I'm sure it will be on the next flight, which gets in at 9:55 tonight. We can have it delivered to you.
Me: Can you check to see if it is for sure on the next flight? I need that bag tonight.
OP: No. I can't check.

It is odd to me that a plane is not allowed to take off if a passenger's bag is on the flight and the passenger does not make the flight or is pulled off of the flight. A bag is not allowed to travel on the flight without the passenger it belongs with. They are required to find the bag underneath in the cargo area and remove it from the plane. So, tell me why they are allowed to take off if the passenger is on the flight, but the bag is not? And if the bag is not, even thought they have the capability to find it amongst all of the other bags loaded on the plane if they need to take it off, why don't they know if a bag did not make it on a plane, where it is, and if it will be on the next plane?

This means my bag was on a flight that I was not on, and American Airlines could not confirm that my bag was on this plane without me. And what about that "no unattended bags allowed in the airport" rule? If I'm on a plane, flying to somewhere else, but my bag is still left behind in the airport, clearly it is unattended... because I AM NOT WITH IT. None of it makes any sense.

She takes my info in Lincoln, assuring me that it will be delivered tonight, and she gives me a phone number to call later.

We leave for Lincoln. Late to meet our clients. And I just want to crawl under the car seat to hide because WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT I WOULD LOSE MY LUGGAGE ON A SHORT, DIRECT FLIGHT ON THIS TRIP??? More teasing. I'm making jokes, too. I don't want to be the idiot on this trip. I point out how I travelled to Asia this summer and didn't lose a bag, but I take a short flight to Omaha and my bag is nowhere to be found. We laugh more.

I am calm, yet unhappy, and embarrassed. But I want to handle it well, like the seasoned traveler and professional whatever-it-is that I am.

We meet our clients for dinner. We explain that my suitcase didn't make it, and that is why we are late, and that they may see me in the same outfit tomorrow during our meetings all day. We have a good laugh.

We check in to our hotel. I call the airline. Still no record of my bag existing once it left my hands at the airport here. I have this conversation with the person trying to help me:

Person Trying to Help: I'm going to ask you all of the same information you've already given to the people at the airport. (she does)
PTH: Now, can you describe a few items in the suitcase?
Me: Pink feather boa, small anaconda snake, and... my hunting rifle.
PTH:
Me: Actually, (and I proceeded to describe some real items in the suitcase, loving the idea that they would look through it once they located it).
PTH: Thank you. Hold please.
Me:
PTH: Ok, we still have no record of your bag. I don't see how it was lost on a direct flight.
Me: (ME EITHER!! - I scream in my head)
PTH: It probably fell off of the luggage belt before it made it to the plane.
Me: (I think they need to think of a better off-the-wall excuse for not having record of my bag's demise. Or, get a new luggage belt. One with side rails.)
PTH: I will make sure they check for it on the 9:55 flight, and have them deliver it tonight.
Me: Can someone call me and let me know if it's on that flight and that it's on the way to me?
PTH: We don't usually call. Especially this late at night. We don't like to wake people up.
Me: I WANT a call. Can I request a call? I don't care how late.
PTH: I can put in a request.
Me: (I hear typing) Thank you.

At this point, my options are this:
1. Sleep with no pjs, in Nebraska, in the cold hotel room.
2. Sleep in my clothes that I might quite possibly have to wear tomorrow.
3. Borrow my boss' rental car and make a Walmart run for pjs.

Since no one could promise me that my bag would arrive before my meeting in the morning, I ventured out to Walmart in Lincoln, Nebraska at 10:00pm.

Yikes. It was more white trash than I ever imagined it could be.

I finally found something suitable to serve as pjs, although I was almost stuck with Sponge Bob Square Pants flannel pjs, or Husker-wear, neither of which made me particularly excited about getting any good sleep this particular night. Fortunately, I always travel with the important toiletries, and a clean pair of underwear in the carryon (that I actually carry on to the plane with me). So, I was pretty much set in the clean teeth and whatnot department.

I headed back to the hotel. I put on my super cool Walmart pjs, and carefully laid out my clothes to air out for tomorrow. I alerted the front desk that my suitcase could arrive at any time, and I wanted to know the second it arrived, no matter what time. Then, I went to bed.

In a king-size bed, mind you. That made the bad night a little better. IT WAS HUGE!! Sweet.

2:15 am, phone rings. Five minutes later, I make it across the king-size bed to reach the phone. It's the desk clerk calling to tell my suitcase finally arrived.

I stumbled downstairs to get it, thanking Jesus the whole way down. But, I didn't really sleep much after that. My room (while super cool with the king-size bed), made this really loud clicking noise in the bathroom, every 3.2 seconds.

So, I had clean clothes and all of my toiletries to look fabulous for our meetings. And the day of meetings went well.

But I still hate Nebraska. And I'm never checking my bag again.

And I still received no explanation about how my bag was lost on a one-hour and 20 minute nonstop flight.

I blame Nebraska.

C.T.