The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Luggage (08/15/05)
I travel a lot on business, and I’ve visited my share of interesting places. However, from time to time, my luggage takes off on some pretty exotic adventures that make even me envious. Like the time I had flown from Portland, Oregon to Lincoln, Nebraska to attend a trade show. While I was staring glumly out of my rental car window at corn, wishing I had my toothbrush, my luggage was having the time of its life in Singapore. It took me two weeks, hot on their trail, to flush them out.

Then there was the time my three-piece ensemble apparently had a family quarrel. The garment bag was seen leaving with a turban-headed man bound for Bangladesh, while the other two were discovered warming their heels way down in Kokomo.

I can’t entirely blame the airlines, though. My luggage is just so darned familiar-looking that fifty percent of
the folks hovering around the carousel leap at them with a ‘‘Hey! I know you!’’ as soon as they make their grand entrance through the little curtain–as if greeting a long lost friend.

I apparently share the same attribute with my luggage. Last week while I was at a trade show in Texas,
a man violently accosted me by the arm shouting ‘‘Fred! Fred! How the heck are ya?’’ with a wide grin, searching my face for a sign of recognition. As I stood there stammering and gaping at him in surprise, he finally loosened his iron grip on my arm and said ‘‘Oh...you’re not Fred. You sure look like Fred, though,’’ and he turned and walked away without an apology.

I don’t know who Fred is, but I feel sorry for him...he shares the same fate with me–a common ordinary
face that everyone thinks they know. Why, somewhere right this very minute, Fred is probably being accosted by someone I once knew, shouting ‘‘Herman! Herman! Don’t you remember me? How the heck are ya?’’

Well, obviously, my thoughts wander astray almost as much as my luggage does. I started out recounting to you a tale of errant suitcases. But I’m happy to report that my vexations over vagabond baggage may soon come to an end. I’m sick of traveling. I’m thinking of taking early retirement and donating my luggage to some missionaries I know who are leaving soon for South America. And who knows? Perhaps all this time it’s what my luggage has been wandering off in search of, the same as the rest of us...a mission and a purpose!
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 741 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Shari Armstrong 
08/29/05
CUTE! I really liked the rambling conversation style.
Amy Michelle Wiley 
09/04/05
Very funny story! I loved how you tied in your ramblings with "Well, obviously, my thoughts wander astray almost as much as my luggage does." :-) And the last line is great!