Flooded with Memories

It was good to reconnect with former classmates at the conference. Yesterday at break time several was sitting around the table and Lori mentioned that several were there from the flood. The fourth anniversary was heavy on our minds, another 4 days. We talked about my miracle laptop and I told everyone that I had it with me on this trip. In fact it is the computer I am using to write this post. Yesterday's events have reconfirmed the status of my laptop. Here is the story.

There was a silent auction at the conference. I successfully bid for a nifty wine accessory set that includes wine glass markers, corks, & a corkscrew. After I picked up the set, I placed it in my backpack carry on that included the computer. When I was standing in line for security, I realized that the set had the corkscrew and that it might cause some problems but it was too late to do anything. I took off my shoes, took the computer out of the backpack, put my purse, backpack and everything else in the plastic bins. Sure enough, the corkscrew caused problems. The TSA guy asked to open my back, we discussed the corkscrew and I told him to remove it because it wasn't worth the $25 to check the backpack as an extra piece of luggage. He removed, it I collected my backpack, put on my shoes and went to my gate to wait for the plane. About 15 minutes before the flight they began to board the plane, I got up to the cabin door when I realized that my backpack was lighter than it should be. I hadn't collected my computer in the confusion over the corkscrew. I explained to the flight attendant, she told me me to go try to retrieve it. I ran out of the gate area, flagged down a security cop roving around on a modified three wheeled Segue, he wheeled over to the security area, and went down. By the time, I told the older guard what was happening and he explained that corkscrews can actually be taken on planes if they don't have a knife attached--go figure--my guard called me down to identify my computer. I ran downstairs, identified it, collected it, and ran back to the gangway as the guy announced that the gangway was closing. I settled into my seat clutching my computer. My supervisor looked at me, astonished that all this took less than 10 minutes.

I am not sure what made me realize at the last possible minute that my computer was missing, but I am convinced that my computer needs to stay with me through thick and thin. This is the second time. The first time, it was on the only table in the whole freaking library that floated.