Left Behind

Here’s a pretty incredible story for you.

This couple from Israel was flying out of Jerusalem with their five children in tow and left their 3-year old daughter behind at the duty-free shop.

Apparently, they were heading out on vacation to Paris, had checked their 18 suitcases in, were shopping at the duty-free shop and realized they were late for their flight. They rushed to the plane, took off and 40 minutes later were told by the flight staff that their little girl had been left behind.

I’m not criticizing the fact that they left their little girl behind. I’ve certainly been known to be pretty absent-minded and I don’t have kids to travel with. It’s a miracle that I haven’t yet left a laptop or a carry-on in a terminal somewhere as much as I fly.

However, there were, not one, but TWO incidents when I had bought a Chinese cleaver and forgot that I’d packed it in my carry-on. Once, I was on vacation in Toronto, found a nifty cleaver in Chinatown, wrapped it in newspaper and plunked it in my carry-on.

The security staff was rather alarmed. A Royal Mounted Candian Police Person was summoned. I had to abandon the Chinese cleaver and barely made my flight.

The same exact thing happened when I was flying back from Texas one time. Oops, I did it again. Damn Chinese cleaver. Thank goodness this was all prior to 9/11 or I’d be writing this from Guantanamo Bay.

So, I’m not the most attentive person when traveling. Just ask my parents about the time I was driving them to D/FW airport and drove past the exit, not once, not twice, but three times.

So, I certainly have no room to criticize this couple for leaving a child behind. If I were traveling with a child, the kid probably wouldn’t make it past the long-term parking lot.

But, eighteen suitcases???? Come on!!

They had five kids. That’s 2.5 suitcases per person. I’d do just about anything NOT to have to travel with that much baggage. Can you imagine how cumbersome that would be?

Here are some of my concerns:

Where would they even put it all once they got there? You’d have to obtain a whole hotel room just for the baggage alone.

How would it all fit in a taxi?

Think of all the money you’d have to spend on just tipping the baggage handlers.

How much time taken out of your vacation would it take just to keep all these belongings organized?

How obsessed with material things can you be??? What will these kids grow up to be like?

Eighteen suitcases checked in. This doesn’t even count the carry-ons.

This family just needs to stay home.