To the cashier at Wal-Mart tonight, thank you for understanding my tears. What began as a casual how are you turned into so much more as you listened to me.
I casually mentioned that I had to replace quite a bit of personal items since Independence Air lost my luggage. And then you asked where I had flown. What I was doing there. Which made me weep.
And as you scanned my shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, and other “replacement” items, you smiled as I tried to put into words how wonderful the past four days have been.
But I was overwhelmed. I didn’t know how to tell you that I was dreadfully sick on the way to the airport, that Washington-Dulles was overwhelming, and that the goodbye was soul wrenching. And that since my luggage was lost, my parking ticket was gone as well and so I had to be charged extra for a “lost ticket.”
And of course, you laughed with me when you saw that I was purchasing The Terminal.
Somehow it just fits.