One of the most significant compulsions that defines the fabric of my traveling life is the need to overpack. Despite the fact that I almost never travel anywhere more primitive than the occasional mall-free small town, I feel the need to pack for every combination of weather, attendance at events, lost baggage, and natural disasters. This frequently results in more luggage than I can carry/drag, but I usually feel prepared (always the Girl Scout), although I invariably forget something different on every trip (lists don’t help – I’ve tried). Anyway, it always warms my heart to know that there are people more compulsive than I am, who need to carry along more of their lives when they travel, who make themselves into greater beasts of burden than I do.

This morning when I arrived at the airport (toting a very modest number of bags – pocketbook (admittedly rather suitcase-sized, but it still qualifies as a purse), briefcase, and rolling garment bag (not the gigantic one I bought a few weeks ago – that seemed excessive for a 3 day trip)), there was a family of 4, including 2 teenage girls, who were looking woeful next to the baggage check scale (yes, they do weigh your bags now). The ticket agent was explaining that two of their checked bags were overweight and it would cost them $80 to ship the behemoths to their Kansas City destination. If they could reduce the weight to that of a small hippo rather than a full-grown elephant, they would only have to pay $25. So, for $55 in savings, they opened their bags in full public view and began randomly removing items that would have to be carried on (where there is no financial penalty, only the scorn of your fellow passengers). Soon shoes, furry slippers, scooters (scooters?!) and various other items were being hastily crammed into carry-on bags. The teenagers looked mortified (and insisted that the scooters were imperative to their very existence), the parents were frantic and the ticket agent was so distracted he tried to give me someone else’s ticket. And the total number of bags for this family of 4 who are traveling the wilds of the Midwest? 8 checked + 8 carry-on = 16 total bags. Plus scooters, of course.