I am not sure even Johnny Cash had the events of my most recent business trip in mind when he sang "I've been everywhere"

Tuesday 7pm est - My 11 year old daughter Lauryn loves to help me pack.? I’m not sure if it’s the time that we spend together laughing as we pack my things or the fact that she will have me out of her hair for a few days.? Hmmmm?

I take my medication and pack it in my carry-on…. Now please pay attention to this part as this simple task sets the stage for where the entire journey goes wrong!

Wednesday - 3:00am est Alarm rings

Get dressed and car arrives at 3:30am est to take me to the airport.

4:15 - Arrive at airport.? Upon arrival, agent notifies me that my ticket was purchased at a reduced rate, and the carry-on is not permissible and must be checked.? I offer to pay for the carry-on, but the Agent informs me that due to the “type” of ticket I purchased, the bag (with my medication, that I did not remember at the time was in the bag) must be checked

5:45 am est - ?Board my flight to San Francisco to have a lunch meeting with a client / friend my prior role.? Hmmm…. This plane is really empty.

6:00am est - Captain announces there will be a “slight delay” as there is no power in the first galley. ?I'm not in First Class so there is no impact to me and aren't there two other gallies ?on the plane anyway?

6:15am est - The Flight Attendant announces “Maintenance is on board, we should be on our way shortly.”

6:30am est - Flight Attendant announces “By Law, you are permitted to stretch your legs and de-plane… but remain close as we are most likely going to depart shortly.”

7:00am est - “This is your Captain speaking. Unfortunately, everyone must de-plane as maintenance will be shutting the power down briefly to fix the issue.”

7:05am eat ?-?The mad scramble to the Ticket Agent.? Let’s just say I’m not in my 20’s any longer, and I end up 10 deep in line.

7:10am est - I say to myself “Self, there is no way that this plane will leave as there is another flight to San Francisco and logically, they will place the passengers on my plane on the next flight.” ?

7:30am est -The line continues to move and finally… it’s my turn to speak with the Agent.? The Agent “assures” me that the original flight (with my luggage) will absolutely be taking off by 8:15am est

8:10am est - The Gate Agent announces, l the original flight will not be leaving Newark.? All passengers, including myself will be re-booked on the 8:30am est to San Francisco. Our luggage (by the way, the last time I checked a bag for a business trip was more than 15 years ago) will be relocated to the 8:30am est flight.

8:30am est - Re-ticketing complete and perfect, I get an aisle seat - perfect! As I am making my way down the aisle of the plane -CRASH!!!? The plane is rocked side to side. ?“Odd” I thought to myself.? No- one else seems phased either.? With the three hours working in my favor, I can still make my lunch!

8:45am est - “This is your Captain speaking. Ladies and Gentlemen, a few moments ago, a vehicle accidentally backed into the plane.? We are waiting for maintenance to assess the damage.”

8:55am est - “Ladies and Gentlemen, maintenance continues to assess the damage.? Additionally, those that have joined us (ME!) from the earlier cancelled flight, maintenance has been unable to open the luggage door as a result of the power issue.? We will provide you with an update regarding your luggage (that had everything I needed for the next few days, including medication) as soon as we have one.”

8:56am est - I very politely ask the Lead Flight Attendant what the likelihood of the luggage from the earlier cancelled flight being moved to this flight is. ?Her expression says it all.? I ask if I should leave this plane and have my luggage “pulled” from the flight. She responds “If I were you, that is what I would do.” ?She then directs me down the jetway and instructs me to "push the door open."

8:57am est - Walking down the jetway, I approach two doors.? I think to myself "Right is right." So I push open the door on the right ?- WRONG!? Alarms start to blare and the lights flash, and I find myself looking at the runway WITH NOTHING BETWEEN US!

8:58am est - I am escorted by the Service Agent to a camera where the TSA Agent, not very politely (and who would blame her) asks me to "Look direclty into the camera and hold up my boarding pass." ?Not exactly sure what "list" I may be on now....

9:05am est - I am directed to the Service Desk.? After 30 minutes of back and forth (she was very polite by the way) she tells me that my luggage will be pulled and that I should go to the Baggage Service area.? By the way, she also tells me that there is nothing she can do to help me get a refund for my flight to San Francisco and re-book me on a flight to San Diego.? She provides me with an 800 # followed by 6 digits.? I respond, "that's only 6 digits." ?Her response, "trust me, that number will get you right through..." ?Famous last words, the number did not work!? Clearly, she was done with me.

9:11am est - After walking across the airport, I am on line at the Baggage Service area.? I scan those working the area and say a prayer that the one agent (who looks not a day under 105 and looked as though he may have been sleeping in a suitcase for the past few years) will not be the agent that I end up with.? As the line s....l....o...w...l...y moves forward, each person in front of me has success with every agent except.... yes, Rip Van Winkle.? Each person in line before me has a big smile on their face as they roll the agent hands them their lost luggage.? At least Rip is consistent. Every customer in front of me leaves with a frown on their face and no luggage in hand. ?

9:32am est - "Next" mumbles Rip.? Oh no, what do I do?......? I think quickly and just as I am about to ask for the Spanish speaking agent that seemed to help everyone in front of me I remember, (even after taking 5 years of Spanish in middle and high school) I cannot remember one word. ?"Next" Rip mumbles again.? As I proceed, I cannot help but smile as this entire morning has been a disaster but then again, there are those that have things far worse. ?"High society problems." ?I slowly share my entire experience with Rip and as expected, he does not follow.? I even provide him with visual displays including my tickets from both flights, my luggage tag, the document from the Service Agent that claimed my bag was going to be pulled.? As expected, he did not seem to follow..... so I repeated my story, three more times.

9:46am est - Rip continues to look at his computer.? This is 14 minutes of silence.? He then starts to make a phone call.? While he did not explain what steps he was taking or who he may be calling, all I could think was that he was calling TSA to haul me out of there - perhaps he was done with me!

9:50am est - Rip looks at me and says "Carousel 9". My response, "Why am I going to Carousel 9." ?Rip says "That is where your luggage is COMING IN from San Francisco." ?I can not help but laugh.... ?"Rip, I mean Sir, I explained multiple times that I never left for San Francisco, how would my luggage have gone to San Francisco and back?? I know it feels like I've been here for days but it's only been 5 hours." ?Rip says "Don't know what to tell you. ?That is what the computer is saying." ?I thank Rip for his time and let him know I will make my way down to Carousel 9 - no, I had no intention of waiting by Carousel 9!

9:51am est - I stroll over to Rip's Manager and re-explain exactlhy what took place.? Rip walks over and explains what he found.? She brushes Rip away.? She looks at me and says, I just reviewed the record and your luggage "may" still be here in Newark or it may be en route to San Francisco.? I ask her what the likelihood is of my luggage being pulled if it is here - all I needed was my medication.? Her look said it all. ?"Doubtful." ?was her response.? She then provides me with a claim ticket and states that "if / when" they locate my luggage, it will be sent to my home.

10:02 - Hop in an Uber.? I am going home!? I call my Dr on the way and ask her if she could re-fill my prescription.? I then call the Pharmacy and fortunately, the Pharmacist is able to accomodate me as there was a refill on file.? Whew! ?

Now that I can pick up my medication, I call the airline to see if I can get a credit for my flight(s) and when the next flight is to San Diego.? NOT San Francisco! I am able to apply a full refund and get on the next flight out to San Diego which leaves at 4:55pm est.? One with NO restrictions and I ensure I can carry on my luggage.

10:52am est - Arrive home.? I then check my briefcase - NO KEYS!? I call my wife who owns a Pre-school and ask her to come home and to please let me in.? Fortunatley, she has a great team of Teachers there.

11:17am est - My Wife arrives home and lets me in - All we can do is laugh!

11:18am est - I grab a new suitcase and start packing.? I then realize - my brown shoes are in the lost suitcase. ?

11:35am est - Freshen up, finish packing and its off to the Pharmacy to pick up my prescription.

11:42am est - Arrive at the Pharmacy.? Success!

11:50am est - Leave the Pharmacy and head to the shoe store to purchase brown dress shoes.

12:30pm est - Success!? Shoes purchased.? Head back home.

12:50 pm est - Arrive at home and... I am a glutten for punishment.? I call for an Uber and head back to the airport.

1:10pm est - Uber arrives - we are off!

1:50pm est - Arrive at the airport. ?

2:12pm est - I walk through the airport and weave through the security line. ?

2:18pm est As I approach the TSA Agent, I realize, I wonder if my ticket is flagged as this will be the third flight of the day I will be getting on and I HAVE YET TO LEAVE THE GROUND!? And... given that I breached security earlier, I wonder if there is any notation on my account?

2:19pm est - Success!? The TSA Agent waves me through.

2:42pm est - Treat myself to a Turkey Club - nothing better than delicious airport food after a grueling day!

3:25pm est - Head to the Gate.

4:15pm est - The boarding process begins.? Looking good!? Cannot wait for the next part of my day a 5 1/2 hour flight to San Diego. ?

4:50pm est - I hear a voice over the speaker, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain...." ?"Oh great" I mumble... here it comes. ?"It looks like we will have an on time departure and while it will be bumpy, it looks like we may get in 15 minutes early."

5:15pm est - we are in the air.? I watch a great movie and once done I catch up on emails.

10:30pm est / 7:30 pm pst - Notice the "pst" no longer "est" - ARRIVE in San Diego.? I'll save the details around how I can not sleep on planes and it was a long 5 hours ad 15 minutes.

10:42pm est / 7:42pm pst - Exit the plane and walk through the airport and call for an Uber.

10:55pm est / 7:55pm pst - Uber arrives

11:18pm est / 8:18pm pst - Arrive at the hotel.

11:19pm est / 8:19pm pst - Hotel Check In Agent was delightful!? She upgrades me and smiles before handing me the key to the room.

11:21pm est / 8:21pm pst - Unlock the door.? Unpack and hit the shower to SCRUB OFF the day.

12:08pm est / 9:08pm pst - Fall onto the bed and pass out for the night.? Just shy of 21 hours! ?

Lessons learned:

1. I miss my Administrative Assistant
2. Do not check your medication
3. Right is not always Right
4. Have something recognizable on your luggage - just in case.? Describing that you lost a "black small roller bag" is not very helpful to the Airlines.
5. Smile.... these are first class problems