A True Story
One day Mom and Dad said we were driving 900 miles to Alabama
to go Christmas shopping for every friend and relative we have.
We were going to find the coolest things ever and they wouldn’t
even cost a lot of money.
My sister Daisy and I were so excited we didn’t have one single fight
the whole way. She didn’t say “Joel’s a dork” or anything mean for
the whole 900 miles.
Our parents said we were headed to Scottsboro, Alabama, the home
of The Unclaimed Baggage Center.
When airplanes lose people’s luggage that’s where it ends up.
Not that luggage gets lost often, but it still adds up to 100
lost bags a day, or 36,500 bags a year! That’s a lot of stuff.
The airlines don’t lose bags on purpose. Sometimes
the name tags fall off. Or bags get put on the wrong plane by
mistake.
But the airlines always pay people for their lost bags. They
pay about $650 a bag. Sometimes it’s more than what their things
are worth, and sometimes less. Still, I hope I never lose my stuff.
People come from all over hunting for bargains. Mom said you never know what
you’re going to find and they sell everything for very little money.
We couldn’t believe the treasures we found. Tons of clothes that had
been cleaned and pressed. Jewelry. Cameras. Books. Games.
There was even a live rattle snake.
I fell in love with a little toy soldier. I had to have it and
paid for it with my own money.
On the way home I couldn’t stop playing with it. It took about
500 miles before I noticed something scratched into the bottom of
the boot.
In the bright sunlight I finally was able to make it out. It said “Ian” and a phone number.
That must be the kid who lost it. I started to feel worried. I loved my new soldier, but whoever
lost it must love it too.
I thought about it for the next 400 miles. Mom and Dad said to
let my conscience be my guide. It took another two days of thinking
and then …. I called!
And that’s how I met my best friend Ian.
Sent to www.rhymeshop.com as order for rhyme!