it's like magic

There are a lot of things in life that seem magical. How time can go fast and slow, all at the same moment, for instance (has it really been two weeks since my last post?? wow).

Here's another piece of magic: my knack for losing things while traveling. Ordinarily, I am a very organized, routine, and on-top-of-things person. When I travel, however, these parts of my personality seem to disappear, so much that I misplace not-insignificant items. On my Kansas trip, I lost my favorite black sweater. On my most recent trip, I lost a library book.

Yes, you read that right: I lost a library book.

Surprisingly, losing a library book is not actually a painful experience. Libraries were more sacred than churches in my childhood (after all, we had been known to run and shout in empty church auditoriums, but woe to the child that spoke above a whisper and moved faster than a walk in the library!). Overdue library books were a travesty, and losing a library book required pausing school and sacking the house until it was recovered.

Moreover, I lost a popular library book, one for which I had waited two weeks and for which many other people were waiting for me to return! I had lost both Harry Potter AND the Prisoner of Azkaban, all in one short airport tram ride!

$25 and a slightly bruised ego later, I left the library still in possession of a fully-functioning library card, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and a friendly relationship with the librarian. Still shocked that no further penalties were exacted from me, I felt obligated to call my mother to confess that as of age 24 years, 1 month, and 25 days, I no longer was a top-notch citizen.

I still have no idea where Harry and the Prisoner escaped to. I know they left the plane with me, and I know they did not make it to the baggage claim. I'd like to imagine they are gallivanting across the world right now, helping some poor soul survive a 10+ hour plane ride.

That sounds more fun than being poked, prodded, and possibly defused by a bomb squad.