Luggage carousels

Today I was in baggage claim at an airport. Usually I am all business, wanting to get my bag and get out. But today I noticed that I was having trouble watching for my luggage because I was continually distracted by the people around me waiting on their stuff. They were so entertaining!

Some people elbow their way up to the initial spots along the conveyor. Some people take a spot further down the route where there is less congestion. Others stand back, watching, and then dart through the line for a just-in-time bag retreival.

Some people are "informers" who announce to the crowd, "there it is!" and then "here it comes" and then "ah........ got it!" They apprarently think everyone else in the area is gathered to watch them get their luggage. Perhaps they are surprised that there is no applause when they triumphantly carry their bags out.

Others are completely preoccupied with their cell phone conversations and only glance toward the bags occasionally, as though picking up the bag is the least important thing they are doing that day. I used to think there must be some billion dollar deal going on -- but then I heard a guy say 'do we also need milk?'

It's fun to guess which bags belong to which people, especially the unusual bags. Can I spot the person who will retreive the golf clubs or the serious backpacking gear? Which one will grab the purple and pink flowered bag? This time there was a suspicious looking irregularly shaped, very large black thing....... seriously, it looked like it might contain a small lounge chair or perhaps some arcane piece of machinery. The very athletic looking man in a black suit shouldered it easily and strode out the door. Maybe it contained his fitness equipment.

I am in Orlando, so this time around there were an unusual number of small travelers in the area. Many of them were watching intently for their own luggage. Unlike the weary adults, they were SO EXCITED when they spied their familiar bags. Inevitably, it was a pink Barbie bag or a blue Mickey Mouse bag or a red bag with dalmatians on it. And the kids claimed them with such glee!

The slightly older kids had graduated to more somber looking bags and had been conditioned to stare impassively at the parade of luggage. They even imitated their parents' casual approach to pulling the bag from the passing line-up.

I think it's sad that we train all that joy and delight and openness out of our kids. I wonder if the world would be a better place if adults were excited about little things a little more often........ little things like finding your own luggage at baggage claim.

I've always enjoyed people-watching. I"m adding baggage claim to my list of great places to enjoy the antics of my fellow humans.