I am now scared. Really.
I used to just make fun of it, but now, it seems like a foreboding of grim things to come. I get worried sick just thinking how things would look like in the future.
Here's a backgrounder:
As I entered Honolulu airport, I followed the standard procedure of placing my handcarried items into trays. With one hawaiian bag in one tray, I placed my backpack and laptop into another. I was told to separate them.
As I retrieved my things, I was shocked to discover that my laptop wasn't there. I looked around. Still nothing! I approached one of the security officers and reported that my laptop is missing. It was then that I looked back at the x-ray machine conveyor. At first glance there was no more tray there. But it turned out that the conveyor goes downward, and lo, the laptop was there at the very end. I got it with a meek smile.
When I reached Tokyo, I queued for the immigration procedures which required fingerprinting. It turned out to be a breeze so I rushed to the luggage area so I could get home quickly. But as I was waiting for my bag to come out, I noticed that I was not carrying the bag containing most of my pasalubong. I frantically searched for it all around the airport lobby, retracing all possible stops I made. I was worried that if found, it will be confiscated and destroyed (which is standard procedure in many airports). I asked the ground steward of the airline I boarded to assist me and we even checked the immigration booth. Still nothing.
I was already resigned to losing the bag when from afar, I saw this man carrying a similar hawaiian bag. He was smiling. As he drew closer, it was the same Japanese immigration officer manning the gate I passed through. Apparently, I left the bag when I had to press my fingers to the reader.
Boy, I was embarassed!
So now, what has one got to do when he seems to suffer from a severe case of memory lapse? I tell you, those two incidents were simply representative of many other instances of extreme forgetfulness. Is this ominous of early Alzheimers?
I used to just make fun of it, but now, it seems like a foreboding of grim things to come. I get worried sick just thinking how things would look like in the future.
Here's a backgrounder:
As I entered Honolulu airport, I followed the standard procedure of placing my handcarried items into trays. With one hawaiian bag in one tray, I placed my backpack and laptop into another. I was told to separate them.
As I retrieved my things, I was shocked to discover that my laptop wasn't there. I looked around. Still nothing! I approached one of the security officers and reported that my laptop is missing. It was then that I looked back at the x-ray machine conveyor. At first glance there was no more tray there. But it turned out that the conveyor goes downward, and lo, the laptop was there at the very end. I got it with a meek smile.
When I reached Tokyo, I queued for the immigration procedures which required fingerprinting. It turned out to be a breeze so I rushed to the luggage area so I could get home quickly. But as I was waiting for my bag to come out, I noticed that I was not carrying the bag containing most of my pasalubong. I frantically searched for it all around the airport lobby, retracing all possible stops I made. I was worried that if found, it will be confiscated and destroyed (which is standard procedure in many airports). I asked the ground steward of the airline I boarded to assist me and we even checked the immigration booth. Still nothing.
I was already resigned to losing the bag when from afar, I saw this man carrying a similar hawaiian bag. He was smiling. As he drew closer, it was the same Japanese immigration officer manning the gate I passed through. Apparently, I left the bag when I had to press my fingers to the reader.
Boy, I was embarassed!
So now, what has one got to do when he seems to suffer from a severe case of memory lapse? I tell you, those two incidents were simply representative of many other instances of extreme forgetfulness. Is this ominous of early Alzheimers?
6 comments:
the laptop thing wasn't your fault, but the pasalubong... ehrr..
i always have this problem, leaving my eyeglasses or sometimes even phone everywhere!
bro orion (tama ba hehe) minsan talagang tamang nakakalito at nakakalimot tayo lalo na pag hectic ang situasyon tulad ng pag nasa travel mode tayo. eto ngang holiday namin sa brunei, kakafill up ko pa lang nung required custom forms namputcha hinde ko mahagilap kung saan ko nilagay nung nasa harap na ng immigration official. buti na lang hinde na ako pinagfillup ulit (5 kami kaya matagal gawin) pero nasermonan ako hehe
no worries.. normal situation sa airport yan bro. i have a classic line here in the office which is proven correct... that i am matanda na pero matandain pa rin..how do i do that..i avoid energy leaks, voluntarily forgetting what i dont need to remember... ewan ko nga ba, di ko lang ito ma practice sa bar exam eh..heheh..anyway, we have to accept life realities but for the meantime, we can prepare ourselves in its coming..
unless they find amyloid plaques in your brain, then the label of alzheimer's is premature (geeky, sorry)
happened to me too- left my backpack at the xray of the naia en route to my first solo trip to the US. buti na lang mabait yung security on duty at hindi ako na-hassle. but it was pre-9/11 din kasi so...
the stress of traveling can get the better of us =] stay cool hehe
safe journeys always!
Hindi naman Alzheimers... but something definitely got you pre-occupied kaya nakalimot ka twice in a row :) ano kaya yun? =P or think of it this way - at least you made that immigration office smile =D
r-yo, hehehe that sometimes happens to me too. scary! it was nice to see you again kanina btw ;-)
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