I was in a hurry that day; my luggage was practically bursting with clothes, snacks and everything I thought I’d need when I arrived back in my hometown. I had planned the morning perfectly; I’d wake up early, double-check that everything was packed neatly, and head to the airport with plenty of time to spare. But life does not always follow our plans, especially when a report is due the night before. Exhausted from staying up late, I overslept and hurried to get ready. Fortunately, the drive to the airport was smooth without any of the usual traffic jams.
By the time I reached the airport, I was relieved to have made it on time. The terminal was filled with the sound of announcements, hurried footsteps, and laughter that felt unusually comforting. Through the large windows, I could see a golden sunrise stretching across the sky with its warmth chasing the last footprints of night. The breeze of early spring swirled as massive planes rose through the clouds with comforts.
As I sat by the gate, scrolling through my phone, something began to rise up at the edge of my mind. I tried to sort it out, but the feeling grew and grew. I placed my phone down with my fingers automatically reaching to my backpack. I opened it and scanned the inside – a notebook, my wallet, earphones, a book to read.
Everything seemed normal, but the uncomfortable feeling was still there. Then I realised, my passport. I had completely forgotten to pack my passport. This made me frozen in panic and my thoughts were rumbling.
Swiftly, the vibration of my phone broke through the panic.
When I looked at the screen, it was a message from my classmate. ‘You left your passport on the desk! I’m at the airport now, where are you?’ I immediately replied, sharing my location. A while later, I saw her coming through the crowd. She held my passport high up, her face altering between irritation and amusement.
“You’re so careless,” she teased, handing me the passport with a glare.
Without wasting a moment, I gave her a quick thank you and hurried to my gate thinking of how close I was to missing my flight. Once I sat on the plane, the morning’s chaos seemed like a memory from a distant period. I gazed out of the window with a relieved body, watching the silky clouds stretching endlessly. Although this journey had started with a blunder, I felt fortunate about at least not missing the whole flight.