Chapter 19: Epilogue, Part Two: Frustration
BA or BS?
04.10.2023 - 04.10.2023 84 °F
"I CAN SEE IT RIGHT HERE!"
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
frus·tra·tion
/frəˈstrāSHən/
noun
the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something.
Our wayward suitcase has been on the move today. My Apple Air Tag (four pack = $99) carries the name "RUS1checked" and has an elephant logo as its icon. According to the "Find My" app on my iPhone, it is 8,813 miles away from here and I want it back. More importantly (much more importantly) B4 wants it back. BA is, well, not helpful.
When I called British Airways last night at 9:12pm Central Time, 7:42am India time, I told them, "My bag! it is in Terminal 2, right by Gully Kitchen, at Kempegowda International Airport. Eureka! I have found it! Eureka is the ancient Greek word meaning "I have found it," so, in essence, I am repeating myself here.
At British Airways, they did not echo my Eureka comment.
This morning a screen capture at 7:03am here, 5:33pm in Bangalore showed that the bag must have finished its Gully breakfast. I called British Airways Baggage Service with the news. This is NOT at Terminal 2. It is now miles away from there.
"I will send an email to our ground staff there immediately," I was told.
Next, at 8:04am Central Time, 6:34pm Wednesday in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Then from 8:06am Central Time, 6:36pm Wednesday in India. I called BA Baggage Services and told them. Jhanvi, the person on the line, said in amazement, "How can it be in India?" Right, Jhanvi, how can it be? This is right across the street from Redeemer Lives Church, just outside Fashion Khazana. Are you familiar with this spot? Me neither.
This is 10:33am here, 9:03pm there.
This one? 11:38 here; 10:08pm in India.
12:30pm here, 11:00pm there.
Now it's 12:53 in Kansas City and 11:23pm there. It seems to have stopped moving for the night. It resides at Outer Ring Road, Block 5 Stage 1, HBR Layout, Bengaluru, 560043, Karnataka, India.
Do you know anyone in this neighborhood that I can call to ask, "Excuse me but I was wondering if you would mind looking for a green hard side roily-bag with my name on it? If it's not too much trouble? Here's a picture of what it looks like.
Due to the fact that the bag's location is NOT at the airport, I suspect that even though British Airways has a flight from Bengaluru to London at 6:56am their time, I suspect that our suitcase will not be on that flight. What do you think?
You are asking yourself, "What is BA telling you?" They are telling us that when they find the bag, they will email and text me. I tell them, "I found the bag and I am calling you. Doesn't that seem to be a bit topsy-turvy?" To that, I get no reply.
To add to the suspense, perhaps you have noticed the "Low Battery" indicator along with the instruction to "Replace Battery." That adds to the drama, don't you think.
B4 is staying informed on all of this. By the luck of the draw--there isn't an expression for "Unluck" of the draw, is there?--most of the clothing, etc., in the wandering bag is hers. Gowns she doesn't want to have to replace and more. "Keep calling them," she tells me. So I do. They are getting testy with me when I call, telling me each time that they will send an email to India.
If you were a betting person, how would you wager on the question of whether or not we will ever see this bag again?
If we did, by some miracle see it once again, what would you wager about what remains inside it?
Question: When you pack a bag to check, do you record a precise inventory of everything that it contains? Realize, won't you, that if you end up in our situation, you will have to file a claim, itemizing each and every item in the lost bag and its worth.
If you are reading this in India, please look for our bag. It will bear a tag that will say BA 419982, bound for IAH, George Bush International Airport, Houston, Texas, USA.
As Jhanvi says, "How can it be in India?" you may ask. It must be some sort of mistake.
Fans of Alfred Hitchcock will understand why I feel a bit like Jimmy Stewart in the wonderful film "Rear Window." It's the story of a news photographer, recently injured, now confined to a wheelchair. He believes he has witnessed a crime but, being unable to move from his apartment window due to his confinement, there is nothing he can do other than watch the situation unfold through the telephoto lens of his camera and a pair of binoculars. Well, he did actually have something he could do. He called the police. In our situation, I cannot figure out how to make such a phone call work. Can you?
B4 will be home from her Houston board meeting in a few hours. She will want to know what I know about her gowns. "B4, BA has let you down. Please, sweetheart, it's them, not me."
/frəˈstrāSHən/ indeed.
