Travelogue: Australia – After-Thoughts

I have always wished I was more organized than I am. It's not that things are helter-skelter in my life, my home, or my work; it's just that occasionally I get these wonderful inspirations and then either don't have the time or the inclination to act upon them. Every once-in-a-while I will come across one of these notes and wonder why I took it. That was not the case this morning at the office.

I've been busily trying to get some notes together for the trip I took a couple weeks ago to Australia. This called for organizing all my notes and documenting two weeks of conversations and making sure that I included examples and suggestions. The happy surprise is that in going over my notes and looking to make sure my follow-up was as clear and as concise as possible, I came across a note tucked away into a pocket in my briefcase that made me smile.

It's simple enough – just seven words scribbled on the back of a boarding pass, but it brought it all back to me.

The couple was just ahead of me in line. I noticed them only in passing as I got myself through the check-in line at Heathrow. There was nothing special about them, though thinking back, I should have noticed that they were in the check-in line at the international departures terminal and between the two of them they had only the one small carry-on that he was carry-on.

I completed my check in and (feeling elated at having been bumped up to business class) turned to see them again kissing at the escalator up to the Security Gates. With a reluctant hug and a kiss goodbye, she lifted the bag off his shoulder and ascended while he stood at the barrier waving.

Just as she reached the top she turned, ducked to look at him through the opening through which the escalator moved, and called back to him, "Remember: The AmEx Bill Isn't My Fault!"

He started laughing, so whatever she meant by that it must have been a private joke. I remember thinking "what a great line for a blog entry!" and grabbing an old boarding pass and a pen from my bag once she was out of sight and scribbling the note.

I do not remember what I had planned on writing around the line, nor – indeed – do I remember forgetting to do it when I got to Canberra, but a quick search of my blog shows that I didn't ever write it. But I still got a nice surprise when I came across the note in my briefcase and it made me smile all over again.

I wonder if they would be smiling to see their exchange commemorated. I hope so.

I hope that wherever you are today, it has made you smile as well!

Don Bergquist – September 02, 2011 – Home, Lakewood, Colorado, USA