I just got back from a short trip up to Nebraska. My parents were sweet enough to fly me up there and back home to Texas.

For the first time ever I was in the TSA precheck line. That was kind of nice. In that line you don’t have to strip your shoes off nor do you get patted down. I have got patted down before and I always considered that hilarious because I feel guilty when I swat a fly. To be a terrorist is totally not even in my realm.

I was kind of puffed up and thinking I was something important until it came to boarding the plane. Then I realized that I was last in line. I had not chosen my seat and I always end up last in line.

Or was I last in line? Yes, I was in the last group boarding the plane but I wondered about those people who boarded before me. While they were sitting all cramped up in a plane, I was stretching my legs out in the airport. It’s not like the plane could leave without me. Plus I got to check out all of the passengers as I was walking down the aisle. (Not much to check out when you are flying to Nebraska)

But then something else happened. They said they had overbooked and asked me if I would be willing to have my carry on suitcase put in the cargo area? I had never done that before so I asked them how I would get it back. They said they would bring it up to me when we landed so that I could take it on my connecting flight which I would catch in Chicago. I had a two hour lay over in the windy city so I said “Sure, go ahead.”

As I was sitting in the plane on the way to Chicago I realized something. Putting my carry on bag in the cargo area of the plane prevented me from having to lift it. I am having a flare up of arthritis in my right hand and I am not sure I could have even lifted the bag, gads, it may have fallen on someone’s head. (Not the best way to make a new friend)

Plus those people who checked their baggage in actually had to pay for their bags to go into the cargo area and mine went pro bono. I was liking this being “last on the plane” gig more and more.

I had my bag put in the cargo area on the way back to Dallas too. I had a much shorter lay over and I cut it a little close waiting for my bag but I still got on the connecting flight.

I am not always the most patient person so being last in line is not my usual choice but after this experience I may rethink that option. It is amazing at how a change in perspective can make being “last” seem like a good thing.