"Life," said Helen Keller "is a daring adventure or it is nothing at all."
At moments like this I remind myself that I am reputed to have a sense of adventure and that Life has placed me now, at this moment, at the beginning of one which may well turn out to be worthy of you, my faithful Reader.
When I tell you the story, it will probably begin like this:
I had planned to go to Paris. I had done more than plan- I had purchased a ticket.
But because Life is what happens while we are making other plans, Life decided I should not loiter in Paris for several days, but rather that I should proceed immediately to Montpellier.
Possibly I will omit from the story the details of my research - the cost of adding an extra destination to my existing ticket; the name of the airline representative who assured me that if I took the cheaper option and purchased a second ticket one way from Paris to Montpellier that I would still be able to check my bag through to Montpellier without needing to reclaim it in Paris.
But these facts I will not omit, Reader, because they are important to what follows: I made my original reservation on the day of the Charlie Hebdo attack; I did buy a second ticket; and knowing I might need to reclaim and recheck my bag, I booked my departure from Paris for a mere 2 hours after my scheduled arrival.
Then there will be a chapter break to mark the passage of time, and the tale will recommence at the Tulsa airport where l stood at the airline check-in desk with my boarding passes in my hand questioning a second clerk in hopes that she would give me a different answer from the first.
"Can I check my bag to Montpellier?"
I will report that the answer was the same. "Charles de Gaulle airport is on code red. If they were even at code orange, we might be allowed to long check bags, but right now neither of us can afford the fines if we were caught."
"So there's no chance I will be able to collect my bag and make my connecting flight."
"There's a chance you won't be able to collect your bag in Paris at all; I've had lots of people missing bags when they get to CDG. The bags aren't misdirected - they are never put on the plane because Security is being rigorous about matching bags to passengers. And the bags are being delivered on the same flight the following day."
Ah, dear Reader. Life can be lived in only one direction or the story might at this point become a true adventure of time travel and decisions unmade! Instead the story must describe a frustrated rant against misinformation dispensed by an airline as well as a resigned transfer of clothes from an adventure-bound suitcase to the carry on destined for a boring wait in long lines to report the adventurous suitcase missing and to rebook a ticket for a missed flight.
And then with the ending still untold, faithful Reader, l will insist on a thoughtful pause and ask you to consider a question with me.
Is it possible that we can pursue Life's Adventure and still end by having nothing at all?
Nachos!
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